Its first car built in 1899 was the 4 hp with a rear mounted 679cc two-cylinder engine, and looking like the carriages normally drawn by a horse at that time. By 1903, Fiat had built its first 'vehicle for goods transport' with an up-front driver's position that gave enough room to carry four tonnes. It carried a load of 33 quintals, an Arabic word for 100kgs between Turin and Genoa at an average speed of 6 mph.

The celebration took place at Lingotto in Turin, the Fiat factory made famous for having a test track on the roof, five floors up and reached by two huge helical ramps. In turn, it was made famous in the shooting of the film "The Italian Job". In the interim the group has made motor vehicles, trains, planes, farm machinery and expanded its activities to include metallurgical products, components, production systems, rolling stock and equipment railway systems publishing and insurance. Fiat makes tilting body trains and solid fuel power units for launcher rockets. The group operates in 60 countries through almost 900 companies and has 221,000 employees a legend in its own lifetime!

Its original badge was designed by Turin painter Giovanni Carpanetto and reflected its initials F.I.A.T. The occasion marked the launch of the new Punto the first car of Fiat's second centenary to have the 100-year old badge style on its bonnet in place of the five diagonal bars. You can read our test of this car here.

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