Introduced in 1983, the Fiat Uno was the replacement for the Fiat 127, the first Fiat to use a transverse, front mounted engine powering the front wheels. The Uno was quite a hit in Europe when it was launched and was awared European Car of the Year in 1984. Initially, the car was offered with three petrol engines ranging in size from 0.9 to 1.3 liters, and a diesel was offered a few months after launch. Then in 1985, the hot version arrived. With a turbocharged 1.3 liter engine, the Uno Turbo was the answer to the Volkswagen GTI, Peugeot 205 GTI and Ford Escort XR3, the latter two which were not offered for US sale. As with most hot hatchbacks of the 1980s, Uno Turbos are seldom seen and often clapped out. This example for sale near Milan has been restored and legal to import to the US, with its 1987 registration year.
1987 Fiat Uno Turbo 1.3
Buy a beautiful fully restored 1987 Fiat Uno Turbo. Interior, body, and mechanical restoration. Kept up maniacally.
At a little over $9,000 USD, this is about the maximum you'd ever see an Uno advertised more, but you'd be hard pressed to find a better one. With a little bit of logistics and added cost, this would be a fantastic piece to bring to the US and a refreshing alternative to the GTIs and rice rockets out there in the wild.
-Paul
I have fond memories of these. Not because I owned one you understand but because of their propensity for self-immolation. I witnessed three of them do exactly this outside my dad’s house over the years. His was the first house you’d reach from junction 4 of the M61 just outside Manchester and I reckon each of them caught fire as a result of the spanking they’d given it down one of the least patrolled motorways in the country.