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The 1990s were great times for car enthusiasts. Volkswagen, Opel, Honda and more all had interesting and often exciting models on offer. Unveiled in 1983, the Fiat Uno took the World by Storm. This compact little pocket rocket proved to be an immediate success. And Fiat decided to join the fray with the Uno Turbo. The version Uno South Africa received was the Mk2, the variant first produced in 1985. Built at the Nissan factory in Rosslyn, this was a car destined to become an icon.

Very few people know that the Fiat Uno Turbo was actually conceptualized, not by Fiat Spa in Italy, but actually by its sister company, ABARTH & Co. Fiat wanted a version of the Uno that would accelerate from 0-100km/h in under 8 seconds and have a top speed of at least 200km/h. What ABARTH & Co delivered was something a little more than was anticipated, not only because it exceeded Fiat’s demands, but especially since this engine was highly tuneable and advanced for its time. No other manufacturer could provide a car that could be tuneable to over 2 and a half times its factory performance for a reasonable cost, and still be exceptionally reliable.

Unveiled on the first of May 1990 at Sun City. In the first Year of its release the waiting period stayed at a constant 3-month period from order. Fitted with 13” ABARTH alloy wheels, and the unique red stripe in the bumper and along the side skirts, they were easily identified on the roads, and highly revered by owners of other sporty hot hatches.

The Fiat Uno Turbo quickly grew a reputation as a fierce competitor on the racing scene especially in Stannic Group N where the little Italian caused a stir by becoming the Overall Class C Champion in 1992, fiercely overpowering competitors such as the Toyota Conquest 16V and Opel GSi.

There were 2,592 Fiat Uno Turbo’s that were produced at the Automakers Plant in Rosslyn.