Fiat's rebirth in the United States with the 500 models and a partnership with Chrysler is a bit of a sad turn of events for the legendary company in my mind. True, it's great to see them back on U.S. shores, but when one considers some of the legendary Fiats that we've seen over their storied history, it's hard to get on board with the somewhat trendy but hardly classic new 500 and awful but strangely popular 500L. They've gone from a company tied to some of the most respected names in the automobile industry to making appliances for the masses. Where does an enthusiast turn for solace? One of my favorite Fiats has to be the handsome Pininfarina designed 130 Coupe:
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Year: 1972 Model: 130 Coupe Engine: 3.0 liter V6 Transmission: 5-speed manual Mileage: 50,000 mi Price: $23,000
MAGNIFICENT AND ELEGANT AUTOMOBILE IN NEW LIKE CONDICTION
1972 MODEL
50,000 MILES
MANUAL TRASMISION 5 SPEED
LOOK LIKE NEW
NO DENT OR RUST
CAR IS READY TO DRIVE ANYWHERE
BODY AND INTERIOR ORIGINAL
A/C WORKING CONDICTION
ANY QUESTIONS : 3053054017469
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It's hard to believe that the air conditioning works on this car considering some of the older Italian car's notoriety for nothing working at all. Yet, here is a pristine, claimed original condition 130 Coupe. It's just so pretty, so advanced for the time it looks like it could have been made a decade later. The 5-speed and solid color combination make this a particularly nice option. Asking price is a bit more than a fully optioned 500, but really, which would you rather have?
The large executive Coupe was something that was very popular in the 1950s and 1960s in America; but in Europe, the idea took a bit longer to catch on. Still, by the 1970s we saw increasing examples from manufacturers going through major growth - BMW and Mercedes joined the big coupe market, along with new examples from Ferrari and Lamborghini. But one that is seldom thought of in that company is the Fiat 130 Coupe; Pininfarina designed and with a Ferrari-designed V6 mated to a ZF 5-speed, it's the forgotten sleeper of the large executive coupe market in the 1970s:
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Year: 1973 Model: 130 Coupe Engine: 3.2 liter V6 Transmission: 5-speed manual Mileage: 67,000 mi Price: Reserve Auction
Somehow it seems the words "luxury" and "Fiat" should never be used in the same sentence. For some unknown reason the folks at Fiat decided they wanted to compete in the high end with the likes of Mercedes and BMW ... and the 130 was born. As was expected of a luxury car it needed to be spacious and has a lot of user amenities.
The first time I saw a 130 I had to tell myself ... now that is as weird as they come ... and of course I loved it! The car has a very 70's look with a lot of glass. Remember that these were the days when BMW had the 2002 and Mercedes were boxes with tons of glass. Unfortunately the Fiat 130 was never imported into the USA therefore finding one on these shores is rare. This car was just imported in 2012 and spent all its life in Italy. Several things attracted me to this particular car:
I love the color combination as it is very 1970's. The blue exterior has a hint of purple and what is not to like of the mustard leather! What makes this Fiat 130 rather unique is that most had velour interior. This has the optional leather interior. The leather is original and in really nice condition. It really makes the car look quite elegant. The other big plus is that it has the optional 5-speed ZF gearbox which was also used on the 2.4 liter Fiat Dino. Only about 10% of the Fiat 140 had this gearbox, the rest were automatic.
So how is it to drive? Surprisingly the car feels a lot smaller on the road than it really is. The V6 engine was designed by Ferrari engineer Aurelio Lampredi and is loosely based on the Dino V6 engine. The engine feels very peppy and likes to rev. The gearbox has very short throws and gives the car a sporty feel. It has ZF power steering which gives the car a very good handling. The independent rear suspension is identical to the Fiat Dino and is rather sophisticated.
Paint is quite nice and the interior speaks for itself. The body is in excellent condition. There are a few rust bubbles on the right fender which were this way when I bought the car and has not gotten worst. The undercarriage is straight and rust free. Chrome is nice as is the glass. There is a crack on the inner laminate of the rear glass. The crack does not extend to the outside of the glass and it is barely noticeable. Mechanically the car is very good with no smoke or major oil leaks. AC works as do the gauges, power windows, power steering etc.
The car was imported into the USA a couple of years ago from Modena, Italy. It falls under the 25 years exemption which permits cars to be imported and not be subject to the DOT and EPA regulations of that year. Therefore this car retains the beautiful European headlights which I am sure would have been modified had Fiat brought the car into the USA ... also it would have had much bigger (and uglier) bumpers.
Overall this is the type of car that shows that it has been loved all of its life. It is what I would call an honest car which has its expected faults as it is after all 41 years old.I have really enjoyed owning this Fiat 130 but it is time to move on as I need the garage space for other stuff.
Car comes with its original owner's manual plus a copy of the shop manual.
Feel free to call me if you have questions: 770-998-0923 Ivan
Terms of Sale
Buyer is responsible for shipping and insurance costs.
Please only serious bidders. I have described the above mentioned vehicle to the best of my ability. However, with all pre-owned automobiles, the condition is subjective, so I recommend that the potential buyer inspects as well as test drives the vehicle before finalizing purchase.
NO BIDDERS WITH ZERO OR NEGATIVE FEEDBACK WITHOUT FIRST CHECKING WITH ME!
THIS VEHICLE IS BEING ADVERTISED ELSEWHERE AND COULD BE SOLD BEFORE THE AUCTION HAS COMPLETED. I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CANCEL THE AUCTION AT ANY TIME.
I realize buying a car based on a few photos on an internet auction may carry some risks. I want to make sure the buyer feels comfortable with his/her purchase. I will promptly respond to e-mail questions.
- $1,000 deposit 24 hours after the end of the auction, Paypal is accepted for the deposit
- Balance to be paid via bank wire within 5 days of end of auction
- Seller reserves the right to end auction prior to its end.
- If the vehicle is not as represented upon personal inspection, I will promptly refund your deposit. No refund after final Bill of Sale is signed.
- I always strongly encourage a pre-purchase inspection before making final payment.
My intent is for you to be 100% satisfied with your purchase! Please check my eBay rating
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The condition on this car is impressive, and the styling really stands out. Sure, it's not as much of a draw as some of the more exotic metal from the other Italian manufacturers and you could easily argue that the BMW 3.0CS is a better looking car. But really good examples of the 3.0 are heading up towards $100,000 these days and the same is true of any of the Lamborghini or Ferrari examples. So what you have here is a budget exotic; few will know what it is, but you'll have the driving experience that relies on ties to the more exotic siblings it is related to. At the end of the day, this car screams cool 1970s Italian and I'd love to be seen in it; slap your best suit on, pack the Campari, slick your hair back and head for Lake Como. But this car can be had for a fraction of the cost of anything else that would give you the feeling this package would.
The Fiat 130 Coupe in Florida that we have featured back in May is back up for sale, with the price lowered by a few thousand dollars. I think we're getting right near the sweet spot of what a car like this will bring in the US market.
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The below post originally appeared on our site May 30, 2012:
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The Fiat 130 Coupe is probably one of the greatest cars you've never heard of. Only 1,803 of these crisply tailored coupes were built between 1971 and 1977. This car helped to revive business at Pininfarina and blazed a trail some automakers that would shift to more squared off styling in the decade to come. These cars weren't sold new in the US, but a few made their way stateside, like this 5-speed manual equipped example for sale in Georgia.
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Year: 1973 Model: 130 Coupe Engine: 3.2 liter V6 Transmission: 5-speed manual Mileage: 71,955 miles Price: $25,900 Buy It Now
In the USA when we think of Fiat the last thing that comes to mind is a full size luxury car. In the early 1970s Fiat created the 130, which was a luxury model to compete with the likes of Mercedes Benz and BMW. The 130 was fitted with a V6 engine developed by Ferrari engine designer Aurelio Lampredi. A bland looking four door salon was introduced in 1969 of which 15,039 were produced. In 1971 a beautiful 2 door coupe, designed by Pininfarina was introduced of which 4,294 were built. The 130 was not imported into the USA therefore they are very rare in this country.
The 1973 Fiat 130 Pininfarina coupe is loaded with luxury features such as real wood trims, courtesy lights everywhere, rear shades, adjustable steering, power windows, ZF power steering and dual horns. There is even a lever for the driver to open the passenger door remotely! Most 130 had automatic transmission; this car has the rare ZF 5-speed gearbox. This was the same gearbox used on the 2.4 liter Dinos. Also most 130 had velour interior, this car has the optional leather interior which is in excellent condition. Beautiful wood Nardi wheel and modern MP3 radio.This car also has the optional factory installed air conditioner, which works and blows cold.
This car is in overall very good condition. The body is straight and rust free with no signs of prior accident. The dark blue paint is very nice and presents itself well. The deep red interior is really luxurious and nice, especially considering the age of the car. Mechanically the engine has very good compression with 155 psi across all cylinders. The clutch was just replaced. Car runs, brakes, and steers as it should.
The Fiat 130 is a really good driving car and feels more like a sports car than a full size coupe. The engine is very peppy and the 5-speed gearbox has short throws. With power steering and independent suspension it handles very sporty. In fact, the gearbox and suspension uses most of the same components as the very sporty Fiat Dino. The V6 Dino engine was also designed by Lampredi and is a close cousin to the 130 engine.
This is a very exclusive and rare car in remarkably good condition. A unique opportunity to acquire a car that is fun to drive and will be a hit at your next Italian car gathering. In case you are wondering why I am selling this car ... I have a second 130 coupe which I am keeping.
Feel free to call me if you have questions: 770-998-0923 Ivan
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Last year, we featured a 1973 Fiat 130 Coupe with an automatic transmission that was listed at $41,900. This car is priced much more realistically, and I wouldn't be surprised if it sells quickly at the asking price of $29,000. You would probably be the only one in your state with a coupe like this, and the 5-speed manual gearbox adds a bit more involvement to the formula. If I had the cash, I'd eschew the Mercedes-Benz SLC coupe, a car I like very much, for this Fiat. The Pininfarina styling still looks stunning 40 years on.
The Fiat 130 Coupe in Florida that we have featured twice on CICFS is back up for sale once again. The seller has lifted the reserve and we are currently well below the $41,900 reserve he had set back in the summer.
The below post originally appeared on our site July 26, 2012:
The Fiat 130 Coupethat we featured back in June has been relisted with a Buy It Now price of $41,900. These large cruisers were rare to begin with and even rarer still today, so I thought we'd highlight this nicely preserved example one last time.
Fiat 130 Coupe Pininfarina Automatic. It has had only two owners, the vehicle belonged to the owner of the Fiat Dealer of Modena Italy (Mr. Sereni Pier Antonio) in 1973. As the picture shows, it still preserves the original stamp on the rear window from the "Sereni" Dealer Fiat di Vignola (Modena, Italy). The second owner, Mr. Bartolini Ermanno, bougnt the car in Modena, Italy, in 1977 but after Mr. Bartolini passed away, the vehicle was not used for the next 20 years. The vehicle is always been kept in a garage (see pics). It have kept the original paint with some minor lateral retounces due mostly to the time it was kept unused.
Some changes have been done for the maintenance in Italy (for wich we provide a recipt)
- Full tune up (oil change, filter, spark plugs, etc.)
- Exhaust system replacement
- Cleaning of interior
- Transmission tune up and change filter
- Service caburetors
The total maintenance was approximately 3,000 Euro (we have invoices). When the wehicle was brougnt it was given maintenance to the A/C and gas review ($500 USD). This car is incredible original condition: interior, carpets and also door and trunk gasket. Vehicle still has original plastic wraps on doors. This car is unique. 33,000 miles, Florida title, everything works perfectly (A/C, hydraulic steering, etc.)
The vehicle was imported from Italy to USA in 2012.
The asking price is rather steep on this car, but so is the Abarth 130TC that the seller is also offering. Realistically, this car might bring somewhere in the $20,000 to $25,000 range at the maximum. The amount of people that would be interested in this kind of a car on these shores is limited, but that shouldn't take away from this coupe's significance in Fiat history. While they do have an Aurelio Lampredi designed V6, these coupes never garnered as much interest as the admired Fiat Dino Coupes and Spiders. But as a grand touring machine, they succeeded with strikingly modern looks in a class known for more reserved styling.
The 1973 Fiat 130 Coupe we featured a few weeks ago is back up for sale and the seller has lowered the price by over $5,000, increasing bidding interest in this rare, luxurious two door.
Up for sale this rare find, this is a 1973 Fiat Pininfarina 130 Coupe, upon research we have found that the Fiat 130 Coupe was never sold new in the United States, and very few that reside stateside. It is a shame this car lives in relative obscurity, as it was an award winning design with a 3.2 liter V6 developed by Ferrari engineer Aurelio Lampredi. Most 130 coupes featured a Borg-Warner 3 speed automatic, but this one is a 5-speed manual was available, current owner owns both auto and this fabulous 5 speed. Four wheel disc brakes and four wheel independent suspension rounded out the package. This example for sale in our showroom located in Miami and is finished in blue with cream leather interior that is nothin short of like new condition, if you collect rare European cars this is a must and a quite a popular look for the 1970s.
It's apparent the seller is motivated to move this car with this recent price reduction, but will it be enough to garner interest amongst the Fiat and Italian car faithful? Those in the market for a 130 Coupe have few options on US shores and this 5-speed coupe is certainly a mint example. I still believe the asking price is about $5,000 to $7,000 too dear, but in a little less than a week, we'll see where the final bid settles.
The last Fiat 130 Coupethat we featured here at CICFS had been advertised on multiple occasions and found no buyers at $41,900. A princely sum to pay for an almost 40 year old Fiat that is not a Dino. Coincidentally, another 130 Coupe has surfaced for sale in Florida, this time with the rare 5-speed manual gearbox. The blue over tan color combination fits the sharp lines of this luxury coupe from the seventies quite well.
Up for sale this rare find, this is a 1973 Fiat Pininfarina 130 Coupe. Upon research we have found that the Fiat 130 Coupe was never sold new in the United States, and very few that reside stateside. It is a shame this car lives in relative obscurity, as it was an award winning design with a 3.2 liter V6 developed by Ferrari engineer Aurelio Lampredi. Most 130 coupes featured a Borg-Warner 3 speed automatic, but this one is a 5-speed manual was available, current owner owns both auto and this fabulous 5-speed. Four-wheel disc brakes and four wheel independent suspension rounded out the package. This example for sale in our showroom located in Miami and is finished in blue with cream leather interior that is nothin short of like new condition, if you collect rare European cars this is a must and a quite a popular look for the 1970s.
While the asking price is lower than the previous 130 Coupe we featured, over $35,000 is still too high for this car. While the mileage is reasonable and condition is good, the market for big, classic Fiats is not currently this strong in Europe. Here in the US, the 130 doesn’t have a strong following as they were never sold here new. The 5-speed gearbox certainly makes this cruiser more desirable for some, but even still, we’re probably looking at a $20,000 to $25,000 car at most, considering what these cars are selling for in good condition in Europe. I’ve always been a fan of these 130 Coupes and if I was going to buy one, this one with the manual gearbox is as good as any.
The Fiat 130 Coupe was never sold new in the United States, and very few that reside stateside. It is a shame this car lives in relative obscurity, as it was an award winning design with a 3.2 liter V6 developed by Ferrari engineer Aurelio Lampredi. Most 130 coupes featured a Borg-Warner 3 speed automatic, although a 5-speed manual was available. Four wheel disc brakes and four wheel independant suspension rounded out the package. This example for sale in Miami is finished in brown with beige velour, quite a popular look for the 1970s.
Magnificent Fiat 130 Coupe Pininfarina. 1973 model, automatic. Only 2 owners. The original owner was a Fiat dealer of Modena (Italy) and the second owner owned the vehicle for 38 years until today. Vehicle still has original plastic wraps on doors. Original paint, no rust, dings or scratches. Runs and drives great. Showroom condition. 53,000 km (33,000 miles). Engine: 3.2 liters, 165 HP. Everything functions well including the A/C. Very, very rare example. Only a few in the USA.
Beggars can't be choosers when it comes to a car like this on US soil. This is certainly one of the better examples you would come across, which has me thinking it may track the price of what good examples are selling for in Europe these days, which is anywhere between $13,000 to $20,000 USD. Or will it? Given this is a no reserve auction, I'll be quite curious to see if US enthusiasts value this crisply styled coupe as much as they are across the pond.
Large Fiat saloons and coupes, much like their French counterparts, have always been the vehicle of choice for people who march to the beat of a different drummer. The Fiat 130 sedan and coupe were never sold new in the US, so this is a car which is rather obscure outside enthusiast groups stateside. Nevertheless, this is an important car in Fiat history and a rather rare one at that.
The 130 coupe featured a 3.2 liter, 60 degree V6 engine designed by famed Ferrari engineer Aurelio Lampredi. Many of the coupes, like our feature vehicle, came equipped with a Borg-Warner 3 speed automatic transmission. Features such as four wheel disc brakes, four wheel independent suspension and an alternator set the tone for future Fiats to come. The number of roadworthy 130 Coupes has certainly dwindled over the years, while mint condition examples are a rare find indeed. This particular two owner car for sale in The Netherlands is a mint example of Fiat's attempt at a personal luxury coupe for the 1970s.
Fiat 130 Coupe, two owners with only 146,000 km (~ 90,720 mi) from new. Swiss approval only (no tax & duty). The body is very solid, no rust and the underneath is very clean. The car drives perfectly. 20 km (12 mi) from the German border.
The asking price for this 130 coupe equates to about $16,850 USD given current exchange rates. That is a princely sum for an almost 38 year old Fiat. However, with 4,294 ever built and fewer still which have survived, this is a personal luxury coupe that can match many Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Maseratis in rarity. The 130 coupe looks amazingly modern in comparison to its sedan counterpart and exudes the tailored look we've come to expect from Pininfarina.
