The Fiat 126 was the most popular car in Poland during the 1980’s and was considered a great luxury during the communist period. It was produced between 1973 and 2000 and the only family car available to low income families due to limited availability and a waiting list system. There are still thousands of these cars in Poland and Hungary to this day and are a reminder of the Iron Curtain. Photography by Sandy Carson
Yes, there are thousands of them but nowadays they are rear to see in cities. Now when old 126p rust, people buy cheap used cars from West Europe.
Fiat 126p was a very good car. And best to increase your mechanical skills:) But whole families drove with it on vacation from Poland to Bulgaria or even Turkey.
Greetings from Poland.
Oct 24th, 2007 / 2:40 pm
It’s great to hear about Hungary.
Oct 24th, 2007 / 4:26 pm
have a look at this one:
http://tank-boy.livejournal.com/2003/04/17/
It could be the car from your picture… ;-)
Oct 25th, 2007 / 1:24 am
I had it….. a light brown…. it was fantastic… but i’m italian.. you know
Oct 25th, 2007 / 2:57 am
I had it, until 2002. (i’m italian, also)
Oct 25th, 2007 / 3:19 am
I really don’t like that car… it replaced the great 500!
Oct 25th, 2007 / 11:23 am
hi swissmiss, nice to see such design masterpieces ;) in your blog.
even my mum had one ore two 126p fiats :)
Oct 25th, 2007 / 5:24 pm
500 rules I’m afraid, and there’s a new 500 coming out too!
Jamie
Oct 31st, 2007 / 10:18 am
i love this car i use to have one in 1995.it was awsome. now i have a 2008 car ford
Jul 15th, 2008 / 6:01 pm
i love this car i use to have one in 1995.it was awsome. now i have a 2008 car ford
Jul 15th, 2008 / 6:01 pm
Quit patronizing, it wasn’t considered a great luxury. It was considered yet another communist crap, and people were just happy they didn’t have to drive trabants. Who could would get anything else. You would rarely see a doctor or a lawyer in it.
On the top of the ranking were diesel cars, as diesel fuel was more available (commies also had coupons for gas!)
Fiat 126 had numerous nicknames, such as “fiat = fatalna imitacja auta turystycznego”, or a “horrible imitation of a tourist car”. More popularly it was called Maluch, or toddler, which was later trademarked.
Jan 31st, 2010 / 8:45 am