Autobianchi Primula certified trailblazer

by David Burrell Ask any car enthusiast to nominate the world’s first hatchback and you will get very different answers. Some claim it was ...

by David Burrell

Ask any car enthusiast to nominate the world’s first hatchback and you will get very different answers.

Some claim it was the 1938 Citroen Traction Avant Commerciale.

Others say it is the Kaiser Vagabond of 1949.

Renault will claim it was their 1961 R4 (their backup is the 1965 R16 ).

BMC devotees will insist it is the 1959 Austin A40 Countryman.

For me, it is the 1964 Autobianchi Primula.

The what, I hear you ask?

Let me explain.

More than being the first, Autobianchi's Primula established the template for the modern hatchback.

It had a transverse engine, with the gearbox attached to the end of the engine, rather than being in the sump like BMC’s Mini and 1100.

And the hatchback opened just like those of today.

There was even a hinged compartment cover that rose when the tailgate was lifted.

It also had disc brakes all round, a sealed cooling system and a chassis devoid of grease points.

Make no mistake, the Primula was a trailblazer.

The development of the Primula goes back to when BMC launched the Mini in late 1959.

Fiat, who part owned Autobianchi (along with Bianchi and Pirelli) had wanted to be the first with a mass market front-wheel drive family car, but progress was slow.

As early as 1947 they’d been developing a transversely mounted four-cylinder engine that drove the front wheels.

The problem was they couldn’t work out how to attach an efficient transmission in such a small engine bay.

Then, in 1962 they were outflanked again when BMC unveiled the 1100 range.

It was then that Fiat doubled down on the problem and came up with the solution.

It was compact clutch arrangement which allowed the engine and gearbox to fit into the small space.

It was a cheaper and more efficient than BMC’s in-sump solution.

Indeed, the new transmission was genuinely a game changer.

And yet, surprisingly, Fiat was worried that the hatchback would be a failure.

Thus, to prevent associating the Fiat brand with a potential dud, they sold it as an Autobianchi.

The Primula was awarded second place in the 1965 European Car of the Year.

BMC’s 1800 was the winner.

Fiat continued to refine the Primula’s front-wheel drive system and in 1970 it was used in Fiat’s award winning 128 sedan.

By the mid-70s the Primula template had been adopted by most car makers.

Unfortunately, few Primulas survive.

Rust proofing was not a Fiat strong point.

David Burrell is the editor of retroautos

 

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