FIAT

Fiat Uno: technological innovation applied to design and production

After having told the story of the FIAT Uno's 'rivoluzionous' advertising campaign, the Stellantis Heritage team now presents a second video (below) that reveals how this FIAT icon created 40 years ago is so special in terms of technological innovation applied to the design and production.

Roberto Giolito, Heritage Director at Stellantis (Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia, Abarth), takes viewers on this journey with images of the Centro Storico FIAT and memorabilia preserved at the Heritage Hub, facilities that can be visited by booking a guided tour at this link.

Technological innovation is the common thread of the FIAT Uno's 40-year history, as demonstrated by its spectacular debut before the international press on January 19, 1983, in Cape Canaveral (USA), a city that represents the conquest of space. . It was the perfect setting for the launch of a model destined to redefine the paradigm of urban cars and change the history of the Italian brand.

FIAT Uno represents a radical change in the automotive sector thanks to the implementation of several innovations: the extensive use of robots in the production process, a new and fruitful relationship between Centro Stile and Engineering, and the establishment of what we now call Functional Design . Everything has been designed to achieve the highest level of quality, which is exactly what you would expect from the most innovative model in the segment. A notable leap in quality has been made thanks, in part, to the considerable financial investment made. In fact, with five years of research and design and a budget of around a trillion lira, it was FIAT's most significant investment in a new vehicle to date.

Roberto Giolito, Heritage Department Director at Stellantis (Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia, Abarth) stated that “the Uno was a completely innovative project, starting with its bodywork which, unlike its predecessor, the 127, was designed to be produced with robotic welding. The doors were assembled with fewer components and the new tailgate also allowed to remove the weld line which had previously been seen as a flaw and which had become a distinctive design for the side”.

Robogate, at the forefront of production automation...With FIAT Uno, a new production concept took shape, which would lead to an Integrated Factory oriented towards greater flexibility. The cornerstone of this industrial philosophy was Robogate, a sophisticated production system designed by Comau, Gruppo FIAT's leader in automation, for the assembly of car bodies and which was based mainly on a precise spot-welding system to every part of the vehicle. Its debut took place in 1978 at the Rivalta factory with the Ritmo production, but it was quickly used at the Mirafiori and Cassino factories. FIAT Uno would use this system and take advantage of dozens of robots for the assembly, welding and finishing phases, significantly improving the homogeneity and quality of production. Most of the global investment of the ‘Uno’ project went into the automation of the factory. Every day there was a spectacular 'dance' with mechanical arms, elevators and gates, whose timing and processes were managed by a computer.

“The FIAT Uno was not only part of a revolution in the manufacturing process, as it also changed the entire way of conceiving, developing and producing a car. From the CAD drawing tables to the factory, everything has become part of a continuous process managed by a single system,” said Giolito. “If today dedicated networks and hardware connections connect the various areas of the factory, tomorrow it will be the concept of the 'Internet of Things' that will regulate and create a dialogue between these machines to achieve the greatest possible flexibility. This will enable the production of cars for each continent and culture in the most efficient and sustainable way possible”.

The FIRE engine, the technological jewel of Gruppo FIAT...The robots were also installed in the futuristic factory of Termoli 3, specifically created in 1985 for the construction of the new FIRE engine, whose history is closely linked to that of the Uno. It was the first FIAT vehicle to be equipped with this jewel of Italian engineering that has been produced for 35 years and in more than 23 million units. Its name is an acronym for Fully Integrated Robotized Engine and refers to the innovative method with which it was created, namely the Robogate system. Compared to the previous engine used in all FIAT vehicles, the new FIRE was more compact and lighter (only 69 kg), simpler in its design philosophy (with 95 fewer components), more modern (going from a rods and rockers for one with an overhead camshaft), more reliable and easier to assemble. All in all, it was a long-term project and featured engine engineering that would become part of the collective imagination and a byword for reliability and quality.

Engineering and Centro Stile, closely linked by instruments and goals... With FIAT Uno, even the way vehicles were conceived was revolutionized and drawing tables were replaced by CAD stations. Computer-aided design allowed for superior precision and zero-tolerances, a part of design that was always subject to human error. The relationship between Centro Stile and Engineering also underwent changes, as they began to collaborate more closely and seek solutions capable of combining design with functionality and aesthetic beauty with rationality.

These were the years when, even at the automobile group level, the company prided itself on displaying common components or modular parts that were used to make vehicles for other brands as well. Furthermore, in the early 1980s, FIAT's Centro Stile became a multi-brand design studio thanks to the styling coordination of the Group's brands and played a more important role in greater technical management (what we now call Engineering Management ). In this true cradle of innovative ideas, a permanent dialogue was also developed with the design studios of the time, including the newly formed Italdesign by Giorgetto Giugiaro (who would design the FIAT Uno), Bertone and Pininfarina, as well as the studios of Idea Institute, which would soon be founded.

The birth of the Functional Design concept... The FIAT Uno was at the forefront of the European trend in this segment by offering a bodywork with a windshield that leaned more forward, as if it had a 'single volume' shape. In addition, the increased hood slope joined the front window and the hood itself. The rear window was completely flush while, for the first time, the rain gutters above the doors were eliminated. Thanks to the factory's robots, the ceiling was welded to the side using the famous suspenders. All this allowed for greater accessibility and ease in entering and exiting the vehicle. In addition, the driver's seat was lifted just a few centimeters, allowing for unrivaled on-road control and handling.

FIAT Uno was practically an immediate success. It was highly praised by the market and by professionals in the sector who elected it as the 'Car of the Year' in 1984. Its main strengths were its spacious passenger compartment that accommodated up to five people and its large trunk, easily accessible to from the back door. It was also recognized for its innovative instrument panel with two controls on the sides, from which almost everything could be controlled. Only the direction indicator used a conventional control behind the steering wheel, while those for the climate control were centered in a lower position and under the air vents. The Uno also had a windshield wiper in a central position, unique and effective, which had an intermittent function and several speeds.

Roberto Giolito concluded by stating that “FIAT Uno is an archetype that has been copied by many competitors and that has allowed them to launch their products. However, FIAT would continue to be the clear leader in this segment, so that a version with a turbo engine and electronic injection would pave the way for the compact and sporty hatchback segment”.

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