Fiat (original) (raw)

Fiat is a major automobile manufacturer, financial and industrial group based in Turin, northern Italy.

The name is the acronym of Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino (Italian Factory of Cars of Turin), founded by Giovanni Agnelli. His grandson Gianni Agnelli was Fiat president from 1966 until his death in January 2003.

The group's activities were initially focused on the industrial production of cars, industrial and agricultural vehicles. Over time it has diversified into many other fields, and the group now has activities in a wide range of sectors in industry and financial services. It is Italy's largest industrial concern. It also has significant worldwide operations, operating in 61 countries with 1,063 companies that employ over 223,000 people, 111,000 of whom are outside Italy. Fiat built the famous Lingotto car factory, opened in 1923.

Fiat corporation, starting from the late 1960s, has bought (or gained control of) a wide range of companies, including:

Fiat supports the Fondazione Giovanni Agnelli, an important foundation for social and economic research, and Palazzo Grassi, a famous ancient building in Venice, now a museum.

The group is present in many countries, not only in the West. Notably, it was one of the first companies to built factories in Warsaw Pact countries, with the best known examples in Vladivostok, Kiev and Togliattigrad. Being Lada (Autovaz), most notably for the Niva. Fiat also has factories in Poland at Tychy, where Fiats small cars (the 126, Cinquecento and now Seicento) are made, The company was formely called FSM. As well as in Brazil, Turkey, China and India. Where local variants of Fiats are produced as well as the world car, the Palio.

Fiat Car Models

See also

Fiat is also an English word meaning the exercise of authority. See: