Autobianchi A111

Autobianchi A111
Autobianchi A111 (series 1)
Overview
Manufacturer	Autobianchi
Production	1969–1972
Assembly	Desio, Milan, Italy
Designer	Dante Giacosa
Body and chassis
Class	Family car
Body style	4-door saloon
Layout	Transverse front-engine, front-wheel-drive
Related	Autobianchi Primula
Powertrain
Engine	1.4 L Fiat 124 BLC I4
Transmission	4-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,363 mm (93.0 in)
Length	4,020 mm (158.3 in)
Width	1,610 mm (63.4 in)
Height	1,400 mm (55.1 in)
Kerb weight	930 kg (2,050 lb)

The Autobianchi A111 is a 4-door saloon family car produced from 1969 to 1972 by Italian car manufacturer Autobianchi, a subsidiary of the Fiat group. Despite rather modest dimensions, at roughly 4 metres long, it was the largest Autobianchi ever made, as the brand specialized in small cars. A modern front-wheel drive construction like the Fiat 128 launched concurrently, it was based on the revolutionary Autobianchi Primula, Fiat's first "experiment" with the transverse engine front-wheel-drive setup.

In 1967 Autobianchi produced the Bianchina, an upmarket version of the Fiat 500, and the Primula small family car. Offered both as a fastback saloon and hatchback, the 1964 Primula was Fiat's first front-wheel drive production car. It had pioneered the transverse-engined front-wheel drive layout with the transmission and clutch to the left of the engine, which today is almost universally used on front-wheel drive cars. The brainchild of Dante Giacosa this mechanical layout had been developed for the Fiat 123, an experimental project undertaken to test various unconventional engine and transmission layouts for a mid-sized 1100 replacement; when Fiat's management endorsed the traditionally laid out (front-longitudinal engine, rear-wheel drive) 124 instead, it had spawned the innovative Autobianchi Primula.

To replace the Primula the managing director of Autobianchi, Enrico Ghiretti, desired a new three-box saloon. According to Giacosa's memoirs, Ghiretti feared competition from the upcoming front-wheel drive Fiat 128 small family car (at the time still known as project X1/1) and was a proponent of conservative three-box styling, as opposed to than the Primula's current 2-box hatchback or fastback bodies. The project was authorized by Fiat management, but since Fiat's style centre was already overworked, decision was taken to use a design for the dismissed project 123. The chosen design was the most recent proposal for the transverse-engined front-wheel drive 123 E4; it was updated, chiefly in the front end to incorporate new rectangular headlamp lenses, and approved by Ghiretti for production. Therefore, on the outside the A111's lines unsurprisingly recalled coeval Fiat designs, especially the 124 and 128. Christened A111, the new car—albeit larger in size—was based on the Primula's platform and mechanicals, and used the 1.4-litre drivetrain of the most powerful Primula, the Coupé S of 1968. Size-wise, the A111 slotted between Fiat's 128 and 124 sedans, being also significantly bigger than the previously biggest Autobianchi, the said Primula.