Ivan Vicario Martin
At the beginning of the 50s, Fiat was in the position to take over from its popular 500, better known as "Topolino". The so-called Project 100 was then launched., which would result in the appearance of the Fiat 600. Projects 101 and 102, which were born almost at the same time, would lead to the 1400 and 1100 respectively. At the head was the Italian engineer Dante Giacosa, a key figure in the history of Fiat. The prototype that we show you is part of that development that, over time, would also serve to shape our SEAT 600.
Three different mechanical options were worked on for the new car. The first was with front engine and rear wheel drive, which was discarded because it required a greater use of iron and steel. These elements were very scarce at the time, with World War II still so recent. A configuration was also considered “everything ahead” -Project 100 E1-, that is, with the front engine and traction. She was the favorite of the brand's engineers, but she had the problem of the cost of the constant velocity joints. They were also not clear if they could be manufactured in large series, so this option was also ruled out.
Finally, in what was called Project 100 E2, the well-known “all back” configuration was chosen. It was a very fashionable solution at the time, with examples such as the Volkswagen Type 1 or "Beetle" and the Renault 4CV. Of course, the basic premise that the final weight should be around 500 kilograms was maintained. This was a pure saving measure, although it was not fully achieved, as the figure went over 600 kg in running order. also wanted a cruising speed not less than 85 km/h.
Here our Fiat 600 prototype comes into play, since a total of five units were built between 1952 and 1954. The objective was to evaluate not only the aesthetic section, but also different mechanics that were tested before opting for one option or another. In this case, it shows chassis number 00001 and engine number 00002, so It is possible that it was the first of those built.
AIR OR WATER COOLED
Among the sections that still remained to be defined were the engine or the gearbox. Two options were considered, the first being a water-cooled inline 4-cylinder engine. The second was a 2-cylinder V at 150º of 570 cm3, in this case air-cooled. Let us remember that this was the system used, for example, in the "Beetle".
Precisely, the prototype that illustrates this report is one of those that equipped the air-cooled twin-cylinder engine. Said mechanic was finally discarded because it overheated, which led to some parts becoming deformed. The arrangement of the valves did not help either, since the final performance of the engine was not as expected. So things, and as we well know, the Fiat 600 -and with it our homonymous SEAT- equipped with a 4 cm inline 633-cylinder engine3 which served to name the model. It yielded 18 CV at 4.600 laps. The 500 would equip an air-cooled two-cylinder engine, but different from the one tested in the Project 100.
Another of the things that the Fiat 600 prototype that is preserved in the FCA Heritage in Turin reveals to us is that different gearboxes were tested. At least two, since, in this case, it equips a three-speed gearbox without a clutch. It was a hydraulic system that was used in the Fiat 1900 and that sought to make driving the car simple and intuitive. In the 600, the space available limited gears to three, which ended up ruling out this option. The handling of it was also excessively hard, which eliminated part of the advantages of going without the clutch. Therefore, the well-known four-speed manual transmission was ultimately chosen.
As a curiosity, we will say that it is certain that at least there were two units of the SEAT 600 in Spain with said automatic transmission. Presumably, they were specific orders for someone with leg problems -left, it is understood-. Be that as it may, we will return to the subject, since at least one of them is still preserved.
A VERY DIFFERENT EXTERIOR
The front of this prototype of the Fiat 600 changes almost completely with respect to the final model. It is very difficult to identify or relate it to the stock car if you only look at it from the front. In fact, at first glance it almost reminds you of the Renault 4CV. Here we see recognizable elements such as the moon, the flat bumpers -also present behind- or the indicators on the wings. Of course, here they have an almost Art Deco air. The mustaches of the calandra are missing.
In the side view, the area of the crystals is already very close to the final result. It has a straight rear wheel arch, with its characteristic bulge. Also the opening of the rear-facing doors is already present. As we can see in the sketch of the time, an inclined central upright was considered, but it was discarded because vertically it provided more rigidity.
The rear leaves little doubt that we are dealing with a 600, despite some clear differences. Among them, a smaller rear window or raised pilot lights mounted on a metal molding. This hides an air intake to cool the engine, a critical aspect in this engine, as we have already mentioned.
THE INTERIOR OF THE FIAT 600 PROTOTYPE
If the interior of the 600 is already simple, what to say of our protagonist. The most appropriate word to define it is Spartan, although it is understood that options were simply being evaluated for the final model. The control panel is limited to a single clock in a central position. The seats, for their part, are reduced to their minimum expression, they are very much in the style of the Citroën 2CV. Due to their shapes, they would limit the places to four occupants.
The shifter is bare metal, either because the top ball is missing, good because it's just a prototype. We have the choke next to it on the ground, along with another lever that we haven't been able to identify. Of course, it only has two pedals, the accelerator and the brake.
As we well know, the final Fiat 600 was very different from this prototype, and with it, our SEAT 600. In any case, it is a luxury that it has been preserved during all these years in which, as far as we know, it has not been started again. At the moment It is exhibited in the facilities of the FCA Heritage of Turin, where the classics of Abarth, Fiat, Lancia and some Alfa Romeo meet.
