FSM Cinquecento- 1993

Fabryka Samochodów Małolitrażowych, or FSM (translated as Small Displacement Car Factory), was established in Poland in 1971 as a joint venture between Fiat and Polish automobile parts manufacturer FSO. The new factory opened in Tychy, Poland, to build the 126p, the then-new Polish version of Fiat’s venerable 126.

In 1987, FSM introduced the BIS variant of the 126p, replacing the original air-cooled engine with a water-cooled, 704cc, flat-twin engine. The BIS became a true hatchback, with a usable trunk that sat over the engine.

The BIS was produced from 1987 to 1991, when it was replaced by the model seen here, Fiat’s first front-wheel drive 500, the Cinquecento, under the FSM nameplate. Improved suspension, front disc brakes, modern crash and rust protection, and rack and pinion steering helped distance the new Cinquecento from its past. The 126p continued production in Poland in its original rear-engine format until 2000.

FSM’s Cinquecento inherited the 704cc OHV twin-cylinder engine from the 126p BIS. In order to be fitted in the front-wheel drive Cinquecento, however, the engine was modified to have its crankshaft rotate the opposite direction of the 126p BIS engine.
Fiat updated the Cinquecento’s styling in early 1998 and renamed it the Seicento, which continued in production until 2010.

Specifications:
Manufacturer: Fabryka Samochodów Małolitrażowych
Country of Origin: Poland
Drivetrain Configuration: Rear-engine, rear-wheel drive
Engine: Water-cooled, 704cc, flat twin-cylinder, 30hp
Transmission: 4-speed manual
Top Speed: 65 mph
Years of Production: 1991-1998
Number Produced: 1,164,525
Original Cost: unknown