The Fiat Uno is a supermini manufactured and marketed by Fiat. Launched in 1983, the Uno was produced over a single generation (with an intermediate facelift, 1989) in three and five-door hatchback body styles until 1995 in Europe and until 1 January 2014 in Brazil. Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro of Italdesign, the Uno strongly recalled the high-roof, up-right packaging of Giugiaro's 1978 Lancia Megagamma concept, in a smaller configuration.
With over 8,800,000 built, it is the eighth most produced automobile platform in history, after the Volkswagen Beetle, Ford Model T, Fiat 124, 1965–1970 GM B platform, 1981–1997 GM J platform, 1961–1964 GM B platform, and 1977–1990 GM B platform.
The Uno name was reintroduced in 2010 in South America for the Fiat Mini (Economy) platform based car built in Brazil.
First generation (1983)
The Fiat Uno (Type 146) was launched in January 1983 to replace the Fiat 127. The tall, square body used a Kamm tail, achieved a drag coefficient of 0.34 and was noted for its interior space, fuel economy as well as its ride and handling. The project name was Tipo Uno ("Type 1"), as it followed the Tipo Zero (Panda). Following on from the Ritmo, manufacture of the Uno depended on the "Robogate" robotic body assembly system from Fiat's automation supplier Comau.
Launched a month before the Peugeot 205, a noted competitor, the Uno went on sale just after General Motors launched its new Opel Corsa supermini (marketed as the Vauxhall Nova in the UK). United Kingdom sales began in June 1983, with more than 20,000 sold in its first full year and peaking at more than 40,000 sales in 1988.
In December 1983, the Uno was European Car of the Year for 1984, finishing narrowly ahead of the Peugeot 205.
Initially, the Uno was offered with the 0.9 litre (903 cc) 100-series OHV, carried over from the 127, and 1.1 litre (1116 cc) and 1.3 litre (1301 cc) 128-series SOHC petrol engines and transmissions. Typical for Fiats of the era, the Uno's badging did not reflect engine size but indicated the metric horsepower output, rounded to the nearest five: 45, 55, 60, 70, or 75. The Uno was available as either a three- or five-door hatchback. It also featured ergonomic switchgear clusters each side of the main instrument binnacle, user-operable with hands on the steering wheel, with only a single steering column stalk to control the turn signals and horn - thus dispensing from Fiat's traditional three-stalk system that had been employed on its cars since the late 1960s.
The Uno had MacPherson strut independent front suspension and twist-beam rear suspension with telescopic dampers and coil springs.
From 1985, the 1.0 litre (999 cc) SOHC Fully Integrated Robotised Engine (FIRE) powerplant was offered, replacing the 0.9 litre unit. This was a lighter engine, built with fewer parts, and gave improved performance and economy. The most luxurious version, the single-point injected 75 SX i.e., had remote door locks, integrated front foglamps, and the oval exhaust tip also used on the Turbo.
Turbo i.e.
In April 1985, the hot hatch version of the first series Uno – the Uno Turbo i.e. – was launched as a three-door only derivative. The Turbo i.e. model used a Ritmo/Strada-derived 1.3 128-series engine with Bosch multi-point fuel injection, Magneti Marelli electronic ignition and a water-cooled IHI turbocharger with an intercooler to reduce intake air temperatures. Engine capacity was initially stated as 1299 cc but this was revised early on in production to 1301 cc. This change was a result of Italy's highway system allowing a higher speed limit to cars of more than 1300 cc. In both forms the engine offered but owners report that the 1301 cc version was notably more responsive and had greater torque than the earlier 1299 cc unit. Cars built from 1985 to late 1987 were fitted with a Ritmo/Strada-derived five-speed gearbox. This was then replaced by a newly developed 'C510' five-speed gearbox, featuring a more durable differential and improved gearchange linkage. Ratios were unchanged between the two units. The Turbo reached , establishing it as one of the fastest hot hatches of the 1980s.
Externally, the Turbo i.e. model featured black plastic sill trims, arch extensions, fibreglass tailgate with spoiler, tinted side glass, side decals, revised front bumper with foglamps and inlets/scoops to direct air to the oil cooler and intercooler. Suspension was lowered and uprated, 13" alloy wheels with Pirelli P6 tyres were fitted and the brakes upgraded to vented discs on the front and solid discs on the rear.
The Turbo i.e. featured 'sports' seats, red carpet and an extended centre-console. Later models featured red seatbelts.
Options on the Turbo i.e. model included polished Cromodora wheels, electric windows, a manual sunroof and a digital instrument panel, the latter with bar-graphs for fuel level, coolant temperature, boost pressure, etc., and a digital speed display, switchable between km/h and mph.
An option on later first series Turbo i.e. models included a simple form of ABS that only operated on the front wheels. The system operated once per ignition cycle, requiring an ignition-initiated reset, had the system been triggered.
Diesel and Selecta models In mid-1983, the 1.3-litre diesel which had already been seen in the Fiorino and the 147 was installed in the Uno as well, originally only for the Italian market. The Brazilian-built engine was derived from 124-series engines, and was never sold in the United Kingdom. It was added to other European markets beginning in early 1984. Daily production in mid-1983 was 280 cars, out of a daily total of 2000. It was sold as the Uno D (three doors) or the Uno DS ("Super", five doors). This badging was the only external giveaway, while in the interior an oil pressure gauge was added.De Leener, p. 134 It also received extra sound insulation under the hood and along the firewall. The engine has , as did the smallest 903 cc petrol unit, but with considerably higher torque. There was a weight penalty: for the Diesel rather than for the 903. Additional accessories and sound deadening measures accounted for the remainder of the weight difference, almost all of it over the front wheels.
In 1986, a 1.7 litre diesel engined 60DS version was launched together with the Uno Selecta continuously variable transmission (CVT) automatic. The 1.7L naturally aspirated diesel was the only diesel Uno sold in the UK. The CVT transmission was a co-development with Dutch Van Doorne and Ford, (Fiat owned a 24% stake of Van Doorne at that time). There was also a 1.4-liter turbodiesel (Uno Turbo D), which offered . This model was quick for a small diesel at the time, and had better acceleration than the petrol-engined Uno 70, while fuel consumption was about a third lower. Noise levels were actually marginally lower than those of the 70 SX. The suspension was firmer to accommodate the heavier engine, while an oil temperature gauge was standard fitment.
Uno CS The Uno was also produced in Brazil, called Uno CS, and imported in some European countries. But it was a totally different car: it was riding on a Fiat 147-derived platform, with four-wheel MacPherson suspension (with transverse leaf spring at the rear). Visual differences from the European Uno were the fuel cap, placed on the left, and the bonnet, of a clamshell design and hinged at the front. It also had its own engines, part of the "Brazil" engine series.
Yugo Uno 45R From 1988 to 1994, the first series Uno was assembled in Kragujevac, Yugoslavia by Zastava. It was fitted with a 903 cc engine also used in the Yugo 45. Only the three-door version was available. Due to a higher price than the Yugo, the Uno 45R was discontinued in 1994, after 2,620 examples had been produced.
Facelift First shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1989, the Uno received a facelift with revised front styling and revised tailgate, the latter improving the drag coefficient to Cd 0.30. The interior was revised with a new dashboard which dispensed with the pod-style switchgear in favour of conventional stalks on the steering column. The 1.1 litre engine was replaced by a FIRE version, and a Fiat Tipo-derived 1.4 litre (1,372 cc) engine replaced the 128/Ritmo/Strada-derived 1.3 litre in both naturally aspirated and turbo versions. A 1.4 litre Uno Turbo could reach a claimed , while the 1.0 version only managed depending on which transmission was fitted.Tutte le Auto del Mondo 1990, pp. 222-224 The Uno Turbo i.e. variant was also restyled, upgraded with a Garret T2 turbine, Bosch LH Jetronic fuel injection and better aerodynamics.
Uno production ended in Italy in 1995 with 6,032,911 manufactured in Fiat's Italian factories. From 1994 to 2002, Uno was manufactured in Poland for Fiat Auto Poland. Polish-made Unos were marketed in Italy until 1997 as the Innocenti Mille Clip. Polish production initially took place in Bielsko-Biała, and from 2000 to 2002 in Tychy. Engines available were three petrol units (all naturally aspirated and fuel injected) – 0.9 litre from Seicento (years 1999–2002 only), 1.0 fire, 1.4 and one naturally aspirated diesel unit of 1.7 litres.
Engines (first and second series)
Petrol Engine Layout Displacement Valves Power Torque Production 0.9 39 I4 899 cc 8 OHV at 5500 rpm at 3000 rpm 1999–2002 0.9 45 I4 903 cc 8 OHV at 5600 rpm at 3000 rpm 1983–1993 1.1 55 I4 1116 cc 8 OHC at 5600 rpm at 2900 rpm 1983–1985 1.3 70 I4 1301 cc 8 OHC at 5700 rpm at 2900 rpm 1983–1985 1.1 60 I4 1116 cc 8 OHC at 5700 rpm at 3000 rpm 1985–1992 1.0 45 Fire I4 999 cc 8 OHC at 5000 rpm at 2750 rpm 1985–1994 1.1 60 Fire I4 1108 cc 8 OHC at 5500 rpm at 3000 rpm 1989–1993 1.3 Turbo i.e. I4 1299/1301 cc 8 OHC at 5750 rpm at 3200 rpm 1985–1990 1.3 70 I4 1301 cc 8 OHC at 5600 rpm at 3000 rpm 1985–1992 1.0 45 i.e. I4 999 cc 8 OHC at 5250 rpm at 3250 rpm 1992–2002 1.4 70 i.e. I4 1372 cc 8 OHC at 6000 rpm at 3000 rpm 1990–2002 1.5 75 i.e. CAT I4 1498 cc 8 OHC at 5600 rpm at 3000 rpm 1987–1993 1.1 50 i.e. cat I4 1108 cc 8 OHC at 5250 rpm at 3000 rpm 1991–1994 1.4 Turbo i.e. I4 1372 cc 8 OHC at 6000 rpm at 3500 rpm 1990–1998
Diesel Engine Layout Displacement Valves Power Torque Production 1.3D I4 1301 cc 8 SOHC at 4,200 rpm at 2,000 rpm 1983–1989 1.4 TD I4 1367 cc 8 SOHC at 4,800 rpm at 2,500 rpm 1986–1995 1.7 60D I4 1697 cc 8 SOHC at 4,600 rpm at 2,900 rpm 1986–1995
Continuing global production (1995–2014)
After Western European production and sales ceased, the Uno continued to be manufactured and sold in many other regions.
Argentina In Argentina, the 3-door Fiat Uno was produced by Sevel Argentina from March 1989 to 2000, 179,767 units were built. The Uno's Fiasa engines ranged from the 1,049 cc petrol four to a 1.3 and 1.5 litre version, with a 1.3-litre diesel engine also available. The 1.6-litre Lampredi SOHC SCV/SCR version sat at the top of the range. A 1.7 liter diesel with was added in 1992 and soon displaced the 1.3 option.
A sedan version with four doors was also produced from 1988 to 2001 under the name Duna and the station wagon version as Duna Weekend, more than 270.000 units were built in Fiat's Córdoba plant.
Brazil The car was made in Brazil until January 2014 in three versions: Mille Economy, Uno Furgão (panel van) and Fiorino Furgão. A total of 3.6 million Unos and Milles were built in Brazil during its 30-year production run. During the 1990s it was imported in Italy as "Innocenti Mille".
In the second half of the 1980s and the first half of the 1990s, the Uno was also available as a sedan, a pick-up, and in a wagon version. These are called Prêmio, Fiorino Pick-Up, and Elba respectively.