Puch ( German pronunciation: [pʊχ] ) is a manufacturing company located in Graz , Styria , Austria . The company was founded in 1899 by the industrialist Johann Puch and produced automobiles , bicycles , mopeds , and motorcycles . It was a subsidiary of the large Steyr-Daimler-Puch conglomerate.
98-532: From 1889 Johann Puch (1862–1914) worked as an agent for Humber vehicles and manufacturer of Styria safety bicycles in a small workshop in Graz and in 1890 he founded his first company, Johann Puch & Comp. , employing 34 workers. Cyclists like Josef Fischer , winning the first edition of Paris–Roubaix in 1896 , popularized Styria bicycles which were even exported to England and France. By 1895, Puch already employed more than 300 workers producing about 6000 bikes
196-596: A 697 cc (42.5 cu in) boxer twin engine. In 1903, Fiat produced its first truck. In 1908, the first Fiat was exported to the US. That same year, the first Fiat aircraft engine was produced. Also around the same time, Fiat taxis became popular in Europe. By 1910, Fiat was the largest automotive company in Italy . That same year, a new plant was built in Poughkeepsie , NY , by
294-403: A Humber motorcycle. Later models switched to using Minerva engines, but production ceased in 1906 as there was insufficient space at the factory. Motorcycle manufacture resumed in 1908 when the new Stoke factory opened, and the new range were exhibited in 1908 at the annual Stanley show. Humber produced many new models of motorcycle in the pre-war years, but production of motorcycles ceased during
392-579: A Puch museum was opened in one of the former assembly halls. Puch sold the entire production line of Puch Maxi Plus to Hero Motors when production ended in Austria. It spawned the Hero Puch that sold extremely well in India from 1988 until the end of 2003 when production ended. Humber Limited Humber Limited was a British manufacturer of bicycles , motorcycles , and cars , incorporated and listed on
490-525: A loss of $ 14,000. In 2016, after Tesla had announced the Model 3 and had a high number of reservations for the electric car, Marchionne questioned whether Tesla could produce the cars and be profitable. He then stated that "if Tesla CEO Elon Musk can demonstrate that the car will be profitable at that price, I will copy the formula, add the Italian design flair, and get it to the market within 12 months." In 1971,
588-612: A new specific company agreement in the automotive sector, starting from the Pomigliano production plant. Fiat built their five-story Lingotto plant between 1915 and 1918, at which time it was Europe's largest car manufacturing plant. Later the Mirafiori plant was built, also in Turin . To prepare for the production of the all-new Fiat 128 , Fiat opened their Rivalta plant in October 1968. Until
686-663: A prototype and nine production motorcars in their new Coventry premises. In November 1896 a car was exhibited at the Stanley Cycle Show in London. They are claimed to be the first series production cars made in England. At Humber & Company's next general meeting in 1897 the managing director said they had received many letters asking if they would produce a motorised vehicle, and that they had in fact been working on this project for two years, but had delayed production until they found
784-531: A range of models focused on those two segments (accounting for the 84% of its sales in 2011). Fiat does not currently offer any large family cars, nor executive cars: these market segments are to some extent covered by the Lancia , Alfa Romeo and Maserati brands, which Fiat also owns. Fiat's share of the European market shrank from 9.4 percent in 2000 to 5.8 percent in the summer of 2004. At this point Sergio Marchionne
882-581: A seven-seater Pullman both for the October 1929 Motor Show. For the time being the 9-28 and 20-65 hp models would continue but at a reduced price. Later Michael Sedgwick would describe the events of this era as "a levelling process comparable to the fate of Wolseley " ('s 1920s cars). Out, he said, went uncertain braking, the i.o.e. engine and superbly finished coachwork, the new cars were pure Rootes with Bendix brakes, downdraught carburettors, "silent third" gearboxes with central gear lever and hydraulic shock absorbers. The 16 hp car could cope with
980-478: A small profit and produced 135 cars; this grew to 1,149 cars by 1906. The company then went public selling shares via the Milan stock exchange . Agnelli led the company until his death in 1945, while Vittorio Valletta administered the firm's daily activities. Its first car, the 3 ½ CV (of which only 24 copies were built, all bodied by Alessio of Turin) was based on a design purchased from Ceirano GB & C and had
1078-546: A subsidiary of Stellantis through its Italian division Stellantis Europe . Fiat Automobiles was formed in January 2007 when Fiat S.p.A. reorganized its automobile business, and traces its history back to 1899, when the first Fiat automobile, the Fiat 4 HP , was produced. Fiat Automobiles is the largest automobile manufacturer in Italy. During its more than century-long history, it remained
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#17330856269631176-574: A suitably reliable engine. Having now found an engine they were gearing up for production. The first Humber car was produced in 1898 and was a three-wheeled tricar of the 'sociable' type powered by a single cylinder Turrell engine. Their first conventional four-wheeled car appeared in 1901. Cars went into production in Beeston near Nottingham as well as Stoke, Coventry but to separate designs. Just as with bicycles Beeston Humber products retained their high quality image. The Beeston works closed in 1908 on
1274-486: A year. In 1897 Puch left the company after a dispute with his business partners. Two years later he founded the First Styrian Bicycle Factory AG ( Erste Steiermärkische Fahrradfabrik AG ) in Graz. Puch's company became successful through innovation and quality handicraft, rapidly expanding over time. It soon began producing motorcycles and mopeds. The main production plant, later called Einser-Werk ,
1372-587: Is a thriving club, and many of these upmarket cars survive today from before the 1930s. Until 2020, the world's largest collection of the Rootes brothers' Humber cars (built after 1930) could be viewed at the Marshalls Post-Vintage Humber Car Museum in Hull . It included 21 Humber cars dating from 1932 to 1970 on permanent display, plus 24 unrestored cars. The museum has now closed for good and many of
1470-712: The Austro-Hungarian Army . The Puch green and white chequered badge is in the colours of the Steyr town flag and is very similar in concept to the BMW badge, which is in the colours of the Bavarian flag. With the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian empire following the War, the market for automobiles shrank and production was discontinued. However, again in 1919, the new Type XII Alpenwagen
1568-557: The Fiat 124 Sport Spider was prepared for the World Rally Championship when Abarth became involved with its production and development and from 1972 had relative success with two wins in 1972, one in 1973, and won 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the 1974 Portuguese TAP Rally. The Fiat 131 Abarth was a very successful rally car replacing the 124. Between 1976 and 1981 the Fiat 131 won 18 World Rally Championship events, resulting in winning
1666-678: The Phylla concept, and the Fiat Bugster concept in Brazil. Fiat joined utility companies Cemig and Itaipu to develop new electric vehicles for Brazil, with production in 2009 of the Palio Weekend Electric. Fiat launched the electric 500e , a compliance car , in California in 2013, but no sales were planned for Europe. Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne claimed in 2014 that each one was sold at
1764-520: The Puch 125cc two-stroke single motorscooters , which had three gears shifted from the left twistgrip . These machines developed a reputation for reliability and were popular for daily commuting, providing good weather protection and ease of use. In this role their moderate performance, with a top speed of around 45 mph, was not a problem. Later models had a 150cc engine and foot-operation, giving better performance of 6 hp instead of 5 hp but retaining
1862-852: The Ryton plant was originally built to produce aero engines. At Speke , Liverpool, another shadow factory opened in April 1939 assembled bombers. Armoured cars, scout cars and staff cars were made in the existing factories along with much other war material General Montgomery , Commander of the British and Allied forces in Northern Africa during the Desert war of World War II , had two specially built Humber Super Snipe four door open tourers made with larger front wings or guards, mine proof floors, special fittings and long range fuel tanks. Two cars were built for him and used in
1960-459: The two-stroke oil , along with the twin spark-plug ignition, greatly improved day-to-day reliability. Despite the racing heritage and performance potential of the split-single engine, this particular Puch model, with a top speed around 110 km/h (68 mph), was at a disadvantage against the loop-scavenged two-strokes that arrived in the late 1960s. A total of 38,584 of Puch 250 SGS motorcycles were produced between 1953 and 1970. The Puch 500
2058-416: The "Twingle", it was styled much like a BMW of the 1950s and 60s. The layout had been popular in Europe between the wars because it improved scavenging, and hence fuel consumption, a feature considered less important in the US. New models after World War II had an internal re-arrangement which improved piston lubrication, reducing wear on the most vulnerable part of the engine, while an early system of pumping
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#17330856269632156-468: The 128 entered production, the plant was used to build sports versions of the 850 and 124 as well as parts for the Fiat Dino . Fiat's 2018 range of passenger car engines comprised eleven units, eight petrols and three diesels. Their current range of models is the following: Fiat sales in 2011 were up to 676,704 (less 17.3% versus the previous year): Light commercial vehicles are sold in Europe under
2254-709: The 1950s, selling the original 500, Fiat 600 Multipla , Fiat 1100 , Fiat 1200 , and the Fiat 1300 from 1961. Models produced from the 1960s onward include the Fiat 124 Sport Spider and the Fiat X1/9 - these two sporting cars remained rather successful in the United States market, which took nearly sixty percent of the total production in 1980. Fiat gained a reputation for selling poor quality cars in North America, mostly over rust and poor reliability. The last new Fiat model to be introduced in North America during this era
2352-513: The 500 in both coupe and convertible body styles, and the Panda. Fiat was present in the Indian market from 1948 until 2019. They were last operating in a joint venture with Tata Motors before going solo in 2012. The Fiat 500 ( Italian : cinquecento , Italian pronunciation: [ˌtʃiŋkweˈtʃɛnto] ) is a car produced by the Fiat company of Italy between 1957 and 1975, with limited production of
2450-494: The Africa campaign against General Rommel , who used a Horch open staff car. Montgomery's Humbers were known as 'Old Faithful' and the 'Victory Car'. Both cars still exist in museums in England and are a testament to the high engineering and manufacturing standards of Humber and Rootes Ltd. The victory car drove Montgomery and Churchill through the streets of London during the VE parades at
2548-593: The Air Ministry during the Second World War. Fiat Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. ( UK : / ˈ f iː ə t , - æ t / FEE -ət, -at , US : /- ɑː t / -aht , Italian: [ˈfiːat] ; originally FIAT , Italian : Fabbrica Italiana Automobili di Torino ; lit. ' Italian Automobiles Factory of Turin ' ) is an Italian automobile manufacturer, formerly part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles , and since 2021
2646-491: The Chrysler Corporation in 1967. The cycle industry was consolidating in the late 1880s and partners Thomas Humber and fledgling company promoter T Harrison Lambert sold their Humber cycles business to investors who added a number of other substantial cycle manufacturers and then floated the new combine on the stock exchange. Such was the public's recognition of Humber products and their high quality and reliability
2744-612: The Fiat 500 K estate continuing until 1977. The car was designed by Dante Giacosa . Redesigned in 2007, it is currently distributed worldwide. The Fiat Panda is a city car from the Italian automotive manufacturer Fiat. The current version is the third one distributed as from 2012. The European Car of the Year award has been awarded twelve times to the Fiat Group over the last forty years, more than any other manufacturer. Nine of these awards were won by Fiat Automobiles models. Fiat models awarded
2842-553: The Fiat 500 in 2019 while sales of leftover dealer stock continued into 2020. FIAT also discontinued the 124 spider and 500L models in 2020. FIAT announced a new car will be released; a plug-in 500e to launch in 2024. Fiat passenger cars began assembly in South Africa in 1950, and full production in their Rosslyn plant commenced in 1966. Sales reached a peak market share of about five percent around 1970 but then dropped precipitously. A new 128 -based half-ton pickup truck helped turn
2940-576: The Fiat brand, European Fiat Professional light commercial vehicles as: Models that have already been sold in Brazil: In 1908, the Fiat Automobile Co. was established in the United States with a factory in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. , began producing Fiats a year later, like the Fiat 60 HP and the Fiat 16-20 HP . These were luxury cars. The New Jersey factory was closed after the U.S. entered World War I in 1917. Fiat returned to North America in
3038-601: The First World War. In 1899 Humber produced a motorised tricycle at their Beeston works with a De Dion Bouton engine of 1.75 hp or optionally 2.25 hp. This had electric ignition (early De Dion Bouton engines used hot tube ignition ), and was capable of 30 mph (48 km/h). The price in December 1899 was £84. This tricycle was based on the De Dion-Bouton tricycle and built under licence. In 1896 Humber built
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3136-626: The Humber Snipe bodywork only with a low final drive ratio. The other cars also became slightly bigger Hillmans with different engines and a longer wheelbase. A Humber Twelve was introduced that looked like a Hillman Minx with a painted spare wheel cover and hinged quarter lights. There was attractive work by independent coachbuilders on the Twelve chassis. The Vogue sports saloon may or may not have been designed by couturier Captain Molyneux . The Twelve's engine
3234-537: The Humber board in 1932 and began to make Humber the holding company for vehicle manufacturing members of what became their Rootes Group . By 1960 annual production was around 200,000 vehicles. Previous insistence on Rootes family control, however, may have led to under-capitalisation of the business. Building a brand new car, the Hillman Imp , proved beyond Humber and Rootes Group resources and their businesses were bought by
3332-662: The Imp's reliability. The Imp's heavy development expenses and slackening sales to USA brought about losses for the Rootes group in both 1962 and 1963. In February 1964 the owners of the minority holdings in Humber Limited (and Tilling-Stevens and Singer Motors) sold their holdings to Rootes Motors Limited taking in exchange shares in Rootes Motors. Humber and its two subsidiaries now became wholly owned subsidiaries of Rootes Motors Limited. A last major activity of, by then, Lord Rootes ,
3430-595: The Italian car market. In 1928, with the 509 , Fiat included insurance in the purchase price. Fiat made military machinery and vehicles during World War II for the Army and Regia Aeronautica and later for the Germans. Fiat made fighter aircraft like the biplane CR.42 Falco , which was one of the most common Italian aircraft, along with Savoia-Marchettis , as well as light tanks (obsolete compared to their German and Soviet counterparts) and armored vehicles. The best Fiat aircraft
3528-555: The Italian original, to which he added asymmetric port timing. In 1931 Puch won the German Grand Prix with a supercharged split-single, though in subsequent years the split-singles of DKW did better. In 1928 the company merged with Austro-Daimler into the new Austro-Daimler-Puchwerke. This company in its turn merged in 1934 with Steyr-Werke AG to form the Steyr-Daimler-Puch conglomerate. Like all enterprises of its kind,
3626-620: The Maxi and the Monza. Some of the more popular models were: The oldest mopeds often had a 50 cc fan-cooled engine with a 1- or 2-speeded gearbox (cric-crac) and newer mopeds had many different (always 50cc) engines such as: Puch began making BMX bikes as early as the 1970s. Many different models appeared including the Challenger, Invader and Trak Pro. A short-lived BMX style moped, the Maxi BMX Special
3724-682: The Puch production plants had to change to arms production during World War II . The existing capacity was insufficient, therefore a second plant was constructed and opened in 1941 in Thondorf , Graz. In the three original assembly halls, luxury vehicles for the American market were produced. Steyr-Daimler-Puch is one of the companies known to have benefited from slave labor housed in the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp system during World War II. Slaves from
3822-605: The UK from June 1983) being the company's best-seller in the UK, and its share fell sharply in the early 1990s before the arrival of the Punto in March 1994 rejuvenated the company's UK fortunes. The second-generation Punto was a strong seller in the UK after its October 1999 launch, but the new modern-day Fiat 500 (launched there in January 2008) has accounted for most of the company's UK sales in more recent years. The original Fiat 500 had been one of
3920-492: The UK. The two Rootes brothers remained in control of their group from their adjoining suites of offices in Devonshire House, Piccadilly . The ground floor Rootes showroom on Piccadilly is now an Audi showroom. Imp and Chrysler The success of BMC 's Mini made Rootes speed the development of their own small car. A new assembly plant was planned but government was obliging major employers to build new plants where there
4018-588: The United States. The green, black and white uniform was soon showing up at BMX tracks across America, especially in the Northeast. There is a collection of Puchs at the BMX Museum - Puch Collection. The Maxi is one of Puch's most well known machines along with the Magnum and Newport models. The Puch Maxi is a moped fitted with a single cylinder , 50cc, two stroke engine . The engine produced around 2 hp and could propel
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4116-726: The WRC Drivers Championship two times: in 1978 , and in 1980 , and winning the WRC Constructors Championship three times: in 1977 , 1978 , and in 1980 . Lancia took over the role of motorsport for the Fiat Group during the 1980s. After a long break of factory-supported entries, in 2003 a Fiat Punto S1600 won the Italian Rally Championship, and in 2006 the Fiat Grande Punto S2000 won
4214-445: The Year awards, the most of any other manufacturer, and it ranked many times as the lowest level of CO 2 emissions by vehicles sold in Europe. On 11 July 1899, Giovanni Agnelli was part of the group of founding members of FIAT, Fabbrica Italiana di Automobili Torino . The first Fiat plant opened in 1900 with 35 staff making 24 cars. Known from the beginning for the talent and creativity of its engineering staff, by 1903 Fiat made
4312-472: The addition of a special family which derives from a common platform (called "Project 178"): Palio , Siena , Palio Weekend and Strada . Recently a range of new models developed in Brazil has been launched: Pulse , Fiorino , Toro , Argo , and Mobi . Other European models are currently imported to Brazil: 500e , imported from Italy , and Cronos , imported from Argentina . Fiat sells in Brazil under
4410-540: The area. The new retail idea was itself turned down by Edinburgh and Glasgow councils. Regrettably, all the Bathgate factory buildings were eventually flattened, and the site was ironically, subsequently, used merely as a distribution centre for a number of other automotive manufacturers. Humber Motor Company Limited Limited was registered as a Scottish company in August 1986 then dissolved July 2007; 'Humber Motor Company Limited'
4508-424: The beginning of 2012, Fiat was only importing Fiat Bravo and Fiat 500 model. However, in 2012 Fiat and GAC opened a joint venture plant to produce the first Fiat vehicle specifically developed for the Chinese market ever: the Fiat Viaggio , a compact car derived from another Fiat model, the Dodge Dart (in turn derived from another Fiat car, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta ). Fiat currently offers Japanese consumers
4606-402: The brand Fiat Professional . Fiat was already exporting cars to the UK market by the outbreak of World War II in 1939. Its market share increased rapidly during the 1970s, with the 127 supermini and 128 range of small family cars being the biggest sellers, selling largely on practicality and efficiency. Fiat's market share increased further during the 1980s with the Fiat Uno (imported to
4704-413: The brand, with the 2012 line of bicycles manufactured by Cycleurope in France. Steyr-Puch , assembler of four wheel drive vehicles and parts, still exists next to the Piaggio division. The so-called " Einserwerk ", the first production plant, shut down in the early 2000s. The historical assembly-hall was declared a protected industrial monument. When Graz became European Capital of Culture in 2003,
4802-486: The camp were used in a highly profitable system used by 45 engineering and war-effort companies, and amongst them Puch had an underground factory built at Gusen in 1943. During the period immediately after the war, late 1945 to 1947, the factory was requisitioned and run by the British Army ( R.E.M.E. ) who used the facilities and what remained of the workforce for the repairing and servicing of British and American military vehicles. In 1949, an assembly cooperation agreement
4900-500: The cars have been sold off. Humber produced a number of aircraft and aero-engines in the years before the First World War. In 1909 the company signed a contract to build 40 copies of the Blériot XI monoplane , powered by their own three-cylinder engine, and four aircraft were exhibited at the Aero Show at Olympia in 1910. During the First World War Humber built the BR1 and BR2 engines designed for Humber by W O Bentley and more engines were built in different factories in Coventry for
4998-476: The cities: St Petersburg, Copenhagen, Milan, Athens, Brussels, Bucharest, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Buenos Ayres, Santiago, Constantinople, Algiers, Sfax, Tunis, Alexandria, Saigon, Hong Kong, Port Said and throughout the whole of South America. The chairman of the new monopoly was chairman of Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Co and another director was the manager of Dunlop (France). Negotiations between the parties were completed by Ernest Terah Hooley . The ambitious new monopoly
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#17330856269635096-411: The company's honorary president. In that year the company employed about 1,100 workers and produced 16,000 bicycles and over 300 motorcycles and cars annually. Puch automobiles were successful at the pre-war Österreichische Alpenfahrt rally and from 1913, the four-cylinder 38 PS (horsepower) Type VIII Alpenwagen was manufactured in Graz. During World War I , Puch became an important vehicle supplier to
5194-414: The company. However, the Italian Socialist Party and its ally organization, the Italian General Confederation of Labour , in an effort to effect a compromise with the centrist parties ordered the occupation ended. In 1922, Fiat began to build the famous Lingotto car factory—then the largest in Europe—which opened in 1923. It was the first Fiat factory to use assembly lines; by 1925, Fiat controlled 87% of
5292-401: The construction of a truck and bus plant at Tripoli . Chairman Agnelli candidly described the deal as "a classic petro-money recycling operation which will strengthen the Italian reserves, provide Fiat with fresh capital and give the group greater tranquility in which to carry out its investment programmes". On 29 January 2014, it was announced that Fiat S.p.A. (the former owner of Fiat Group)
5390-424: The control of the Rootes brothers, was amalgamated with Humber—the combine was not under the control of the Rootes brothers—but William Rootes' marketing skills had been immediately brought into play when Rootes Limited had been appointed "World Exporters". In December 1929 reviewing the 1929 year the chairman told shareholders Humber had now introduced three new models named: 16-50, for the 1928 Motor Show, Snipe and
5488-406: The cycle trade marks were sold to Raleigh in 1932. The motorcycles were withdrawn from sale during the depression of the 1930s. Humber is now a dormant marque for automobiles as well as cycles. Following their involvement in Humber through Hillman in 1928 the Rootes brothers acquired 60 per cent of Humber's ordinary capital, sufficient for a controlling interest. The two Rootes brothers joined
5586-444: The drastic redesign at that special meeting was followed by another meeting to discuss the amalgamation of Humber and its partly-owned subsidiary Hillman Motor Car Company. Hillman, the chairman explained, made one of the most popular medium priced cars and would provide a suitable partner to the distinctive Humber products. Shareholders were unanimous that the amalgamation should go ahead on the proposed terms. In 1929 Hillman , under
5684-417: The early 1920s and in addition the public were moving from pedal cycles to motorcycles as well as to cars. Rover , Singer , Swift , Triumph and Riley all gave up their manufacture of cycles. In 1925 Humber moved into the production of commercial vehicles with the purchase of Commer . In the year to 1928 Humber's chairman was obliged to report a loss for the second year running. Commer Cars' turnover
5782-502: The end of the production of two-wheelers in Graz. The company's technical know-how was always better than its marketing and commercial success. The Puch motorcycle company was sold to Piaggio , maker of the Vespa , in 1987 and still produces bikes under the name Puch. When the bicycle division of Piaggio , which also included Bianchi Bicycles was sold to the Swedish Grimaldi Industri group in 1997, Puch became part of Cycleurope . In 2011, Austrian entrepreneur Josef Faber took control of
5880-794: The end of the war. In the postwar era, Humber's mainstay products included the four-cylinder Hawk and six-cylinder Super Snipe . Being a choice of businessmen and officialdom alike, Humbers gained a reputation for well appointed interiors and solid quality. The Hawk and the Super Snipe went through various designs, though all had a "transatlantic" influence. In 1960 Rootes was the world's twelfth largest motor corporation by volume, its annual output nearly 200,000 cars, vans and trucks. They employed some 20,000 people. The group had six million square feet (557,000m ) of manufacturing space and owned nine assembly plants outside Britain. They were involved in car hire, hire purchase and driving schools and even made air conditioners. There were about one thousand dealers in
5978-406: The entry of the US into the war in 1917, the factory was shut down as US regulations became too burdensome (the site was eventually sold to Western Publishing ). After the war, Fiat introduced its first tractor, the 702. By the early 1920s, Fiat had a market share in Italy of 80%. In 1921, workers seized Fiat's plants and hoisted the red flag of communism over them. Agnelli responded by quitting
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#17330856269636076-428: The exceedingly good performance of one of the 14-40 cars driven by J W Fitzwilliam and his brother who had just returned from traversing 4,500 miles in central Europe including the worst roads in the Balkans. He then reported the "drastic redesign" of Humber's cars which together with improved appearance and performance and revised prices were expected to improve the products' performance in the marketplace. Mention of
6174-414: The few direct competitors for the iconic Mini during its 1960s heyday. Fiat has long invested in South America, mainly in Brazil (where Fiat has been the market leader for many years) and in Argentina . They built their first Brazilian car plant in the Greater Belo Horizonte city of Betim in 1973, after initially assembling tractors there. The Brazilian range is similar to the European one, with
6272-405: The highest number, 1.4 million cars, in that country. As of 2002, Fiat built more than 1 million vehicles at six plants in Italy and the country accounted for more than a third of the company's revenue. Towards the end of 1976, it was announced that the Libyan government was to take a shareholding in the company in return for a capital injection. Other aspects of the Libyan agreement included
6370-409: The highest number, 1.4 million cars, in that country. As of 2002, it built more than 1 million vehicles at six plants in Italy and the country accounted for more than a third of the company's revenue. Fiat has also manufactured railway engines , military vehicles, farm tractors, aircraft , and weapons such as the Fiat–Revelli Modello 1914 . Fiat-brand cars are built in several locations around
6468-426: The largest Cycle monopolies in Europe" and with the intention of improving the position of Humber (France). The directors expressed the greatest interest in the new industry of motor carriages and cycles for which extensive works were to be erected by the monopoly at Levallois Perret . At the time of the flotation prospective investors were told that agencies were already established in all principal towns in France, and
6566-434: The largest automobile manufacturer in Europe and the third in the world after General Motors and Ford for over 20 years, until the car industry crisis in the late 1980s. In 2013, Fiat S.p.A. was the second-largest European automaker by volumes produced and the seventh in the world , while FCA was the world's eighth-largest automaker. In 1970, Fiat Automobiles employed more than 100,000 in Italy when its production reached
6664-413: The new owner Peugeot. A different company, the Humber Motor Company Limited, was therefore incorporated and registered as a means of pursuing this manufacturing proposal. This proposal was vetoed by the local Bathgate councillors. They preferred the idea of a huge “Sales Mall” development on the site in Bathgate, rather than support an initiative that would have involved continued manufacturing employment in
6762-426: The newly founded American F.I.A.T. Automobile Company. Owning a Fiat at that time was a sign of distinction. The cost of a Fiat in the US was initially $ 4,000 and rose to $ 6,400 in 1918, compared to $ 825 and $ 525 for a Ford Model T in 1908 and 1918 respectively. During World War I , Fiat had to devote all of its factories to supplying the Allies with aircraft, engines, machine guns, trucks, and ambulances. Upon
6860-440: The opening of the new works at Stoke. Humber's profit went from £16,500 in 1905 to £106,500 the next year and £154,400 in 1907. On 12 March 1908 the new works was officially opened at Stoke, then just outside the city of Coventry. New buildings covered 13.5 acres and allowed for the employment of 5,000 hands. The new works was designed to be capable of producing 150 cars and 1,500 cycles per week. Another financial reconstruction
6958-512: The return of the Fiat brand to North America after a 25-year absence. The first Fiat-branded model to appear was the internationally popular Fiat 500 city car. The Fiat 500 model is built at Chrysler's assembly plant in Toluca, Mexico, which currently makes also the Dodge Journey and Fiat Freemont crossovers. Fiat is also selling their commercial vehicles Fiat Ducato and Fiat Doblò in North America, rebranded as Ram ProMaster and Ram ProMaster City respectively. FIAT discontinued production of
7056-484: The rider at speeds of 28 mph (48 km/h). It was started using the pedals which could be engaged and disengaged from the engine via a starting lever so it could be ridden as a normal bicycle. Later models did not have pedals, and instead were started with a kick start mechanism. Puch is remembered in the US for importing the SGS 250, the first and last split-single seen there. Marketed by Sears in their catalogue as
7154-647: The situation around. It also assembled in Egypt through El-Nasr Automotive Manufacturing Company which assembled FIAT brands 125-127-128. On 13 October 2022, Fiat Brand and the Algerian government signed a framework agreement aimed at local production of vehicles and the development of the automotive sector in Algeria. Fiat's presence in the Chinese market is limited compared to its European, Japanese, Korean, and American rivals. At
7252-401: The stock exchange in 1887. It took the name "Humber & Co Limited" because of the high reputation of the products of one of the constituent businesses that had belonged to Thomas Humber . A financial reconstruction in 1899 transferred its business to Humber Limited. From an interest in motor vehicles beginning in 1896, the motor division became much more important than the cycle division and
7350-565: The three gears. Puch produced the Puch Maxi , Puch Newport , and MK mopeds, which were popular from the late 1970s to early 1980s. In Austria and the Netherlands, Puch mopeds played a big role in the 1960s popular culture . Puch mopeds in Sweden were, and still are, very popular despite the company ceasing production of mopeds in 1985. Many of them were named after US states, notable exceptions include
7448-494: The title: Fiat Automobiles, one of Europe's 10 best-selling automotive brands, has for the second year running been confirmed as having the lowest average value for CO 2 emissions from vehicles sold in 2008: 133.7 g/km (137.3 g/km in 2007). This was corroborated by JATO , a provider of automotive data. Fiat started the development of electric vehicles back in the mid-1970s, with the Fiat X1/23 concept. In 2008, Fiat showed
7546-553: The whole new organisation was named Humber & Co Limited though Humber's was not the largest component. Thomas Humber agreed to manage the whole enterprise with its works in Coventry and Wolverhampton as well as Beeston. He retired in 1892 at the end of his 5-year contract. Humber expanded into Europe and in 1896 their subsidiary, Humber (France), joined with La Société des Vélocipedes Clément and La Société des Cycles Gladiator obtaining stock exchange listings in order to form "one of
7644-601: The world. Outside Italy, the largest country of production is Brazil, where the Fiat brand was the market leader for many years. The group also has factories in Argentina, Poland and Mexico (where Fiat-brand vehicles are manufactured at plants owned and operated by Stellantis North America for export to the United States, Brazil, Italy and other markets) and a long history of licensing manufacture of its products in other countries. Fiat Automobiles has received many international awards for its vehicles, including nine European Car of
7742-451: The years, in spite of good sales, the Spanish venture was losing money and in 1983 Suzuki bought 36% from the Spanish owners so the Spanish venture became a Puch-Suzuki venture. In 1988 Suzuki bought all outstanding shares and became sole owner of the Spanish manufacturer. In the late 1980s, the company was being squeezed out by competition. In 1987, a massive restructuring of the company led to
7840-484: Was a city car produced by Steyr-Daimler-Puch in Graz under license from Fiat. Based on the Fiat 500 , it was manufactured from 1957 until 1975. In 1970 Puch bought a 50% share of Spanish motorcycle and scooter manufacturer Avello located in the city of Gijón in Asturias , in northern Spain . During the following years that plant manufactured models with Puch motors and original frames and later built Puch models. Over
7938-480: Was a resurgence in domestic and export demand for pedal bicycles and in February 1932 Raleigh acquired all the Humber cycles trade marks. Manufacture was transferred to Raleigh's Nottingham works. Raleigh-made Humbers differed from Raleighs only in chainwheels, fork crowns and some brakework. The Ryton on Dunsmore plant which closed at the end of 2006 had originated in 1939 as one of the so-called shadow factories :
8036-456: Was appointed as Fiat's chief executive. By March 2009 their market share had expanded to 9.1 percent. Marchionne introduced an informal climate and reduced the links in the chain of command from nine to five. He unilaterally decided to leave the Fiat group from Confindustria and Federmeccanica , and to cancel the national collective labor agreement in the engineering sector by starting separate negotiations with some trade union organizations for
8134-533: Was bored out to 75 mm and powered Hillman's Fourteen and even Sunbeam-Talbot's postwar 90 . By the outbreak of war in 1939 the quite fast big-engined Super Snipe with hydraulic brakes was selling well and one model became the Army's famous second world war staff car. Humber's independence ended in 1931 when the Rootes brothers bought a majority shareholding with the financial support of Prudential Assurance . They provided their Hillman shares as part payment. There
8232-481: Was constructed in the south of Graz, in the district of Puntigam . Production of engines was started in 1901 and cars followed in 1904. In 1906 the production of the two-cylinder Puch Voiturette began and in 1909 a Puch car broke the world high-speed record with 130.4 km/h. In 1910, Puch is known to have produced sedans for members of the Habsburg imperial family. In 1912 Johann Puch went into retirement and became
8330-619: Was continued on vans for six years afterwards. In 1986, there was a private initiative to rekindle Humber as a manufacturer of upmarket premium vehicles, employing the recently closed truck and tractor manufacturing facility at Bathgate , in Scotland. This factory had been opened by BMC in 1961, to manufacture their light trucks and tractors. The original plan had been to expand their Longbridge plant for this purpose. The trucks were later marketed as Leyland ‘Redline’ The unused company name of Humber, continued to be still maintained and registered by
8428-421: Was developed. In 1923 the Italian engineer and FIAT agent Giovanni Marcellino is said to have been sent by the banks to wind up the Puch factory in Graz. Instead of which, within a few weeks he had settled down to live in the town, designing and then producing a new version of the split-single . Taking his inspiration from industrial counter-piston engines, the new engine benefited from the improved breathing of
8526-592: Was made in 1909. In 1911 they took over the Centaur Cycle Company. By this time a wide range of cars was produced from the 998cc Humberette to several six-cylinder 6-litre models. In 1913 Humber was second only to Wolseley as the largest manufacturer of cars in the United Kingdom. Revived by the war Humber produced motorcycles and bicycles for the War Office as well as cars. There were postwar slumps in
8624-480: Was not successful, disputes between the partners dragged through the English courts until the turn of the century. A severe economic recession in 1899 then brought about a financial reconstruction and the incorporation of a new company, Humber Limited, to continue the existing business. Humber experimented with motorcycles from their early days, and in 1899 Bert Yates won the first track race for motorcycles in Coventry on
8722-522: Was produced in the mid-70s however proved unpopular. Compared to the company's more successful models very few unmolested examples remain. In 1981 they worked with Speed Unlimited in Wayne, New Jersey to manufacture a line of high end BMX race bikes. Speed Unlimited also made bikes for Hutch and their own brand Thruster. The model they made for Puch was the Trak Pro. In 1981 Puch also began sponsoring BMX racers across
8820-593: Was registered in England in June 2007. Four of Humber Motor Company Limited’s registered trademarks (Sceptre, Hawk, Super Snipe, Snipe) were renewed with the Intellectual Property Office (IPO). The Humber name and logo are also registered trademarks There is a continuing interest in Humber and the vehicles that it produced. There are very active web-pages frequented by the fans of, and owners of, Humber vehicles. 1919–1939 Rootes Brothers 1945–1967 There
8918-401: Was signed with Fiat in Turin . The 1950s to the mid-1970s saw a sharp increase in production of motorcycles, bicycles and mopeds. Even though Puch was a part of Steyr-Daimler-Puch, it still manufactured products under its own name, as well as for Steyr-Puch and other companies. Puch gave up racing in the 1950s and split-single production ended around 1970. The late 1950s saw strong sales of
9016-423: Was substantially increased but Commer did not return to profit. The bicycle business improved but motorcycles did not. Humber cars, the product being as the chairman put it of a distinctive class, were more influenced by conditions than were mass-produced vehicles. Humber he described as one of the oldest and best known higher grade cars. The chairman, Stanley Brotherhood , told a special meeting of shareholders of
9114-479: Was surplus labour. Jaguar solved their expansion problem by buying Daimler and its Coventry plant with experienced workforce but Rootes selected a greenfield site by Pressed Steel body works near Glasgow airport in Scotland, at Linwood near Paisley. The new factory was officially opened in May 1963 and the new rear-engined Hillman Imp went on sale the next day but there were difficulties with industrial relations and, soon,
9212-611: Was the G.55 fighter, which arrived too late and in too limited numbers. In 1943, the year Benito Mussolini was overthrown, the National Liberation Committee removed the Agnelli family from leadership roles in Fiat because of its ties to Mussolini 's government. They were not returned until 1963, when Giovanni's grandson, Gianni , took over as general manager until 1966, and as chairman until 1996. In 1970, Fiat employed more than 100,000 in Italy when its production reached
9310-557: Was the Strada , in February 1979. Sales in the US fell accordingly, from a high of 100,511 cars in 1975 to 14,113 in 1982. Accordingly, Fiat left the United States car market in 1983, although the Spider and the X1/9 continued to be sold in small numbers with Pininfarina and Bertone badging respectively. In January 2009, the Fiat Group acquired a 20% stake in US automaker Chrysler LLC . The deal saw
9408-429: Was the second generation of Humber Sceptre, a variant of their Rootes Arrow model. The marque was shelved in 1976 when all Hillmans became badged Chryslers . The Hillman Hunter (another Arrow model) badged Chrysler until production ceased in 1979 when Chrysler's European division was sold to Peugeot and the marque renamed Talbot . The Talbot marque was abandoned at the end of 1986 on passenger cars, although it
9506-561: Was to be merged into a new Netherlands-based holding company Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (FCA). On 1 August 2014, Fiat S.p.A. received the necessary shareholder approval to proceed with the merger, which became effective on 12 October 2014. FCA then merged with the French manufacturer PSA Group in 2019, with the new conglomerate being named Stellantis in 2020. Fiat's main market is Europe, mainly focused on Italy. Historically successful in building city cars and Superminis, currently Fiat has
9604-513: Was to open sale negotiations with Chrysler Corporation . He died in December 1964. Chrysler took control in 1967. The last of the traditional large Humbers, the series VA Super Snipe (fitted with twin Stromberg CD 100 Carburettors) were sold in 1968, when Chrysler ended production. Several V8 models had been in pre-production at this time, but were never publicly sold. Several of these test examples survive today. Humber's and Rootes' last new car
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