1913 FIAT Zero Spider

1913 FIAT Zero Spider

The Fiat Zero, also known as 12/15 HP, has been a very important car for Fiat: it was in fact the first model to be produced on an assembly line.

After the visit of Gianni Agnelli to Henry Ford's factory in Detroit, he decided to experiment such a new technique to produce his cars. The result was an important achievement and a decisive improvement in the timing and production strategies. Interestingly enough, it was also the first Fiat to be offered from the factory already fitted to its bodywork a lovely open-top torpedo.

The Zero was powered by the fixed-head Tipo 5A side-valve 1.847cc straight four engine, which produced about 19 hp at 2.000 rpm and could reach a top speed of 80 kph. Right after its completion, the engineers completed a hotter version of this engine, that thanks to high compression pistons was capable of reaching 21 hp at 2000 rpm.

Such an engine was installed in the "Brooklands" version of the Zero, which didn't differed from the regular 19hp version.

The standrd car was priced between 6.900 and 8.000 lire about 27.000 Euros in today's currency, which positioned the Zero in a medium-high price range, destined to bourgeoisie customers. About 12.000 examples were produced between 1912 and 1915.

Descriptions and pictures by wannenesgroup