![The classic Fiat 127 in profile Classic & Sports Car – Guilty pleasures: Fiat 127](/sites/default/files/styles/article/public/2023-04/Classic%20%26%20Sports%20Car%20%E2%80%93%20Guilty%20pleasures%20%E2%80%93%20Fiat%20127%20%E2%80%93%20LEAD.png?itok=rOTaKLP3)
The Fiat 127 was basically road furniture in its 1970s heyday.
It was the fastest-selling car Fiat had ever made, shifting 2.1m by 1976 and 3.7m in total, and a truly international car of its time that was assembled in countries as diverse as Spain (where a special four-door version was built), Poland and Indonesia.
Today, the only place you will likely see a 127 is at an Italian car day. Back in the ’70s, it seemed like almost everybody had one.
![An early Fiat 127 Classic & Sports Car – Guilty pleasures: Fiat 127](/sites/default/files/2023-05/Classic%20%26%20Sports%20Car%20%E2%80%93%20Guilty%20pleasures%20%E2%80%93%20Fiat%20127%20%E2%80%93%2010.png)
An early example of the classic Fiat 127
The Fiat 127 spearheaded the beginning of an invasion of similar cars from Germany and France, the Renault 5 being perhaps the strongest contender for top supermini honours.
As the first supermini from Europe, the 127 – like the R5 – was a prime example of exactly the sort of car the Leyland Mini should have evolved into: slightly bigger, much more refined and designed from the beginning as a hatchback, although you could also buy a booted, two-door version.
However, I am not sure its shape, with those square headlights and rising beltline, has aged as well as the Volkswagen Polo and the aforementioned Renault 5.