FIAT 2800 in Romania: 1975 - 2005

FIATul 2800 era modelul de referinta a companiei italiane. Foarte putine exemplare au fost fabricate intre 1938 si 1943 - 683, din care 210 erau versiunea militara. Erau condise de rege, de papa, si de elita europeana. Si una a fost si in Romania...

In 2005 aceasta masina era expusa de vanzare pe site-ul Retromobil la un pret modic - 2000 E. Se gasea in Lupeni. S-a vandut repede si din pacate nu am putut salva decat aceasta poza de proasta calitate. (Daca are altcineva pozele care au fost cu anutnul il rog sa ma contacteze!) Arata ca o limuzina long-wheel base cu 4 geamuri laterale si opt scaune: conform anuntul, masina era "balilla ministeriale" desi in literaturea referitor la modelul 2800 nu am auzit dezignatia asta. Oricum, e un model foarte interesant care sper ca a supravietuit in tara.

Ce suprins am fost cand am vazut masina a doua oara, de data asta intr-o imagine de epoca din Oradea anilor 70....

The FIAT 2800 was the flagship model of the Italian company. Very few were made between 1938 and 1943 - 683 out of which 280 were military versions. They were driven by the King, the Pope, and other members of the European elite. And one ended up in Romania...

In 2005 the car below came up for sale in Lupeni at an extremely low price (2000 Euro). It quickly sold and to my regret I only managed to save the one, low quality photo. (There were more on the Retromobil site and I would very much like to hear from anyone with more pictures in large resolution.) It looked to be a long-wheelbase limousine with four windows per side and eight seats: the advertiser said the precise model designation was "Balilla ministeriale", which I have not come across in any of the literature. Anyway, it is an interesting car and I hope it still exists in Romania.

So imagine my suprirse when I found it again in a period photograph of Oradea...