Fiat History and Facts
Fiat was officially founded in 1899 with the company Charter of “Societa Anonima Fabrrica Italian Automobili Torino” - which means the Joint Stock Italian Automobile company at Turin.
The Managing Director role was first held by Giovanni Agnelli who was one of the first investors and a natural strategist and visionary.
Fiat went on in 1916 to build the largest automobile factory in Europe which was completed in 1922. Fiat also diversified in to rail, electricity and steel industries and also public transportantion.
There was a small post WW1 crisis which was curbed with cost reduction techniques but motoring milestones such as the first four seater car, were occurring nonetheless.
The second world war saw less cars produced and more commercial vehicles, but this was fairly typical.
American money helped rebuild destroyed factories and profits began to return.
Interestingly enough Fiat around this time created the first Italian Jet Aircraft.
Fiat went through the usual trade union problems in the sixties and seventies but never failed to innovate and such are still with us today as strong brand with style and panache.
It is testimony to the vision of the founders that Italy can make great cars that are loved the world over.
[Source: some material from this history was gathered from the official fiat site: www.fiat.com]
Movies containing Fiats:
Gung Ho, also known as working class man with Michael Keaton who drove a Fiat Regatta.