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Fiat

The "Società Anonima Fabbrica Italiana Torino" was formed at the 11th of July 1899 in Palazzo Bricherasio in Torino. 30 stockholders joined each with 800.000 lire in the company.
The first Fiat-factory was opened in year 1900 at Corso Dante 35 in Torino. It covered 12.000 m2 and had 150 employees.
This first year 30 3 ½ HP cars was manufactured.
The first Fiat sportscar, the 24 HP Corsa, was introduced in 1902, and was driven to victory in the Sassi-Superga race by Vincenzo Lancia .
The first truck, with a 4 ton payload, was produced in 1903. A 5 ton model was launched in 1906.
In 1906 the number of workers had increased to 2.500. The Ansaldi factory, which produced light 4 cylinder vehicles, was bought.
In 1911 Fiat supplied the Italian forces engaged in the Italo-Turkish conflict with trucks, which are believed to the first motor vehicles used in war.
The FIAT Lubricanti, the company's own lubricants factory, was founded in 1912 and a factory for cars and spareparts was build in Russia.
Huge numbers of trucks were supplied to the Allied Forces during 1914 to 1918.
Magneti Marelli was founded in 1919. Same year a convoy of 23 Fiat 15 T trucks, as the first vehicles ever, crossed the Sahara Desert. 3000 km without any technical failures.
Senator Agnelli became managing director in 1920. Same year the 4-speed gear-box was introduced.
The Lingotto-factory, covering 153.000 m2 in 5 stocks, was opened in 1922. The factory had a test-track on the roof.
In 1925 the factory covered 350.000 m2. Same year the Fiat 509, which was Fiat´s first car to go into mass-production was shown at the Milano Motor Show.
In 1928, as the first manufacturer, Fiat introduced the aluminum cylinder head as standard.
Fiat acquired the share capital of OM in 1938, but the the factory was allowed relative autonomy until finally absorbed into Fiat in 1970.
The Mirafiori-factory was opened in Torino in 1939. It covered more than 1 Mio. m2, of which the 300.000 m2 was under roof. 22.000 employees worked in 2 shifts.
The first model to be launched after WW II was the Fiat 1400.
The Fiat Campagnola, based on the Willys MB, was shown at the Bari Fiera del Levante fair in 1951. Also made in a military version with 1900 cm3 engine, 4-WD and 2-speed transfer case.
A worId record was made in 1952, when the Campagnola crossed Africa in 11 days, 4 hours and 54 minutes.
The first V8-powered Fiat was introduced at the Geneva fair in 1952. It was a high performance roadster, and the first Fiat with independent suspension.
In 1966 Giovanni Agnelli became new director - same year as the Dino Spider was shown at the Torino fair.
Lancia was taken over by Fiat in 1969, a 50 % share of the Sefac-Ferrara was acquired and same year the Unic factory in France was bought.
In 1974 Fiat Veicoli Industriali SpA signed a joined agreement with the German manufacturing group Klockner Humboldt Deutz (KHD) to form the Industrial Vehicle Corporation (IVECO) with affect from January 1st 1975.
The Fiat name continued on the trucks until 1982, when the IVECO brand was adopted for the group products.
Fiat, Lancia, Autobianchi, Abarth and Ferrari merged into Fiat Auto S.p.A. in 1979.