FSO Cars - Historical view

FSO Cars - Historical view
Polski Fiat 125p/FSO 125p
& FSO Polonez

28. November 1967 (learning assembly) Polski Fiat 125p 1300 with 1295 ccm engine, 44 kW/60 KM/5400, 93 Nm/3200, 22 s, 140 km/h, weight 970 kg 75 cars were built in 1967 . January 1968 Start of mass production. November 1968 Bigger waste air exhauster on C-pillars introduced.
1969 Polski Fiat 125p 1500 with 1481 ccm engine, 51 kW/70 KM/5400, 113 Nm/3200, 17,5 s, 150 km/h Oil sump protection and rear brakes protecting shield introduced. PF 125p export to Czechoslovakia, GDR, Hungary.
Start of the Zastava 125pZ 1300 assembly in Yugoslavia with Polish parts . 1970 PF 125p export to Austria, Netherlands, Finnland, France, Lebanon 1971 Second part of the year - start of the PF 125p Kombi 1500 (station wagon) production, L x W x H. 4241x1611x1473 mm, weight 1065 kg, double circuit brake system with rear axle brake compensator. Polski Fiat 125p 1500 with sliding sunroof. June 1971 - Polski Fiat 125p Coupe prototype with plastic body, with 1481 ccm engine, 66 kW/90 KM/6500, 170 km/h, tyres 185/70 SB-13, L x W x H: 4300x1780x1320 mm, weight 990 kg Many changes in mass produced cars such as: steering wheel lock, double circuit brake system with rear axle brake compensator, laminated windscreen (option), gearbox shift on the floor (at first for export only) 1972 Extra shelf between front seats and closed cooling system introduced. Polski Fiat 125p 1300 (sold in France as 125p 1300 Super) with 1295 ccm engine, 48 kW/65 KM/5200 Polski Fiat 125p 1500 with 1481 ccm engine, 60 kW/82 KM/5200 Polski Fiat 125p 1500 with 1481 ccm engine with power reduced to 48 kW/65 KM, compression ratio reduced to 7,2 Polski Fiat 125p in economy version for Polish market only, without: brake servo, bumper tusks, treshold strips, wheel covers, glove box door, mid arm rest, window-sills covers in doors Polski Fiat 125p with 4 cm higher clearance, 15 inch wheels, tyres 155 SB-15, incremented final drive ratio Polski Fiat 125p Pick-up prototype with 540 kg carrying capacity, old type door handles Polski Fiat 125p Ambulance prototype based on the 125p Kombi (station wagon) model. Polski Fiat 125p - glazed wagon for Denmark (based on pick-up version). Polski Fiat 125p right hand drive version, with Italian Fiat 125 dashboard. Since July 1972 gearbox shift on the floor in all built cars. Export to West Germany and Switzerland. 1973 New casette type door handles, new black grill, two-leaf springs and reaction bars in the rear suspension, front headrests as an option, safe rear mirror introduced. Polski Fiat 125p right hand drive version with completely new dashboard (applied in all models since 1975) Polski Fiata 125p assembly factory in Columbia and Egypt. 1974 Safe steering wheel column and wipe-wash interval regulator applied. April 1974 - Polski Fiat 125p shown in New York. Export to the United Kingdom starts. Production of the Polski Fiat 125p Ambulance starts. Short series of the new sport models (planned 500 cars per year): Polski Fiat 125p Monte Carlo with Fiat 132B.000 engine, 8079,5 mm 1592 ccm, 72 kW/98 KM/6000, 165 km/h Polski Fiat 125p Acropolis with Fiat 132B1.000 engine, 8479,2 mm 1756 ccm, 77 kW/105 KM/6000, 170 km/h Polski Fiat 125p Long 6-door limousine with closed body and 6-door cabrio version, wheel base approx. 3400 mm, strenthened body base and suspension, made in short series. Polski Fiat 125p Convertible, 2-door, rear lamps from Russian Lada VAZ 2101, new type of dashboard 1975 Polski Fiat 125p face lifting (known as MR-75), the new front grill, bumpers, rear lamps, side strips, wheel covers, dashboard, headrests in serial equipment. In the end of year bigger waste air exhauster on C-pillars introduced.

Polski Fiat 125p 1500 1975	Polski Fiat 125p Kombi 1500 1975

Polski Fiat 125p 1500 Long, 6-door from early 1976. Still running in Rumia, Poland.
	Another running 6-door car.
	Stretched cars without the third row of seats were also built - in Kombi (station wagon) version.
Such cars were also used for funerals.
Start of the assembly line in Thailand and Indonesia (right hand drive cars). 1976 Immovable triangular front door glasses introduced, central handrest on the rearbank removed, reinforced rear axle and rear wipe-wash in 125p Kombi applied. 500.000 th Polski Fiat 125p leaves assembly line. Attempts to start assembly of 125p in Ireland and Malesia. 1977 Export to Iran. Mass produced cars partially equipped with rectangular headlamps. New oval FSO trademark on the front grill. FSO Ogar 1500 sport car prototype (based on the 125p) with plastic bodywork and 1481 ccm engine, 60 kW/82 KM/5200, tyres 175 SR-13, L x W x H: 4455x x1320 mm November 1977 - April 1978 The first 100 cars of the new FSO Polonez are tested on Polish roads. 3. May 1978 Start of mass production and official premiere of the FSO Polonez 1500 and FSO Polonez 1300 1979 FSO Polonez 2000, sold mostly to government officials, Fiat engine, DOHC, 1995 ccm, 82 kW/112KM, 5 speed gearbox, 12,0s., 175km/h 1980 FSO Polonez 1300 i 1500 3-door, produced in 1980-1983, approx. 300 cars 1981 FSO Polonez in economy version, without: black side rubbing strips between front and end wheel, shining strips on the bumpers, rear wipe-wash, foglamps, luggage facing, rev counter. The simple plastic carpets on the seats and luggage room used. FSO Polonez 1500 X - top version, with AB 1481 ccm engine, 60 kW (82 KM), 5-speed gearbox, final drive ratio 4,3 , radio. Sold to Polish people mostly for US dollars . 1982 FSO Polonez 1500 Coupe with 3-door bodywork, 1481 ccm engine, 60 kW/82 KM, the first FSO model with electronic ignition and fuel economiser owing to supply of pre-heated air to suction manifold , few dozens produced.
1983 Polski Fiat 125p renamed to FSO 125p, after FSO licence rights to FIAT label expired.

FSO 125p - economy version	FSO 125p Pick-up
The new naming system for FSO cars, produced models: FSO 125p: 1.3 L, 1.3 ML, 1.3 ME, 1.5 C, 1.5 L, 1.5 ML, 1.5 MS, 1.5 ME FSO Polonez 1.3 C, 1.3 CE, 1.3 L, 1.3 LE, 1.5 C, 1.5 CE, 1.5 L, 1.5 LS, 1.5 LE, 1.5 X, 2000.

1983 FSO Polonez 1.5 C	1983 FSO Polonez 1.5 LE
FSO Polonez 2.0 D Turbo with Italian VM engine 1995ccm, 62 kW/84 KM/4300, 163 Nm/2500, final drive ratio 3,727, 20,0s, 146 km/h, 7,1/10,6/10,0, approx. 100 cars produced in this specification. 1984 FSO Polonez 2000 Turbo 3-door - rally car, never got rally homologation, bodywork like Coupe version, but without Coupe-like front, 1995 ccm Fiat engine with turbo charger. 1985 FSO Polonez - first 5-door cars with Coupe-like front FSO Polonez Model Year 1985 with Coupe-like front 1986 FSO 125p 1.6 D with 1588ccm Volkswagen diesel engine, 40 kW/54 KM/4800, 100 Nm/2300, 25,2s, 125 km/h, 5,4/9,3/7,4, price in Poland $4500 FSO Polonez - first cars with additional rear-side windows in the C-pillar. FSO Polonez 1.6 LE - 1598 ccm, 64 kW/87 KM/5200, 132 Nm/3800, 155 km/h Two prototypes (blue metallic and red one) of compact class car named FSO Wars 1.3 S with completely new 1290 ccm engine, 45 kW/61 KM/5200, 93 Nm/2800, 150 km/h, L x W x H. 3840x1600x1350 mm 1987 FSO 125p 1.6 ME with Polonez` CB 1598 ccm engine, 64 kW/87 KM/5200, 132 Nm/3800, 157 km/h, very few cars made. Polonez modifications: stamped rear spoiler instead of plastic one, new model labels on the sticking foil, new version coding system, the 'S' should have ment the car with additional rear-side windows in the C-pillar, rule often broken in practice, produced versions: 1,3 SCE, 1.3 SL, 1.3 SLE, 1,5 CE, 1.5 L, 1,5 LE, 1,5 SCE, 1,5 SL, 1,5 SLE, 1,6 SLE, 2.0 SLE The 1987 FSO Polonez 1.5 SLE The third prototype of the FSO Wars 1.1 L with 1100 ccm engine introduced. FSO Polonez 1.5 SLE Turbo with AA engine, compression ratio 8,5, 1481 ccm, 78 kW/106 KM/6000, 180 Nm/3200, 11,0 s, 180 km/h, built in rally version only (N-group), on special request Turbo-kit was installed in mass produced cars. FSO Polonez 1500 Turbo with AA 1481 ccm engine, 140 kW/190 KM/7000, 240 Nm/3200, 8,5 s, 220 km/h, rally version only (A-group specification) 1988 Prototypes of the FSO Polonez in ambulance and van versions based on the FSO Truck (pick-up). Lowered chassis and extra right-side door applied. The 1988 FSO Polonez ambulance prototype The 1988 FSO Polonez van prototype 1989 FSO Polonez with rear lid lowered to the bumper level, new rear lamps, rear wipe-wash placed horizontally, side repeaters placed horizontally near front doors. 1990 FSO Polonez 2.0 SLE - with Ford`s 77 kW/105 KM engine, 12,5 s, 165 km/h

1991 June The end of FSO 125p production. The end of FSO`s 1295 ccm engine production. The U.K. FSO export temporaly stopped. FSO Polonez Caro - face lifting: new front with headlamps and grill, new front and rear bumpers, steering wheel, new rooflet over instruments FSO Polonez Caro 1.9 GLD with Citroen`s 1905 ccm Diesel engine, 50 kW/68 KM, 120 Nm, 140 km/h The other versions in pricelist: FSO Polonez Caro 1.5 GLE - 60 kW/82 KM FSO Polonez Caro 1.6 GLE - 64 kW/87 KM FSO Polonez Caro 2.0 GLE - Ford`s 77 kW/105 KM engine
FSO Polonez Caro
1992 FSO Polonez 1.5 GLI, 1.6 GLI with single point injection, with or without catalytic converter.
1993 August Polonez after the next face lifting: track of wheels 60 mm wider, fresh air inlet moved from hood to the front of the windscreen, better front and rear wipe-wash kinematics, longer arms and larger wiped area, changes in the dashboard: circular speedometer and rev counter, four instead of two fresh air outlets, illuminated switches and remote headlamps shaft regulator.	The 1993 FSO Polonez Caro
	The 1993 dashboard.
December FSO Polonez 1.4 GLI 16V with Rover 1396 ccm engine, 76 kW/103 KM/6000, 127 Nm/5000, 11,9 s, 178 km/h, with or without catalytic converter. 1994 FSO (Prima) 1.4 GLI 16V - race car with Rover 1396 ccm engine, 92 kW/125 KM/7200, 130 Nm/6000, 205 km/h, took part in Dutch race competitions.
	FSO 1.4 GLI 16V race cars, prepared by Dutch importer in 1994.
The new front seats with more ergonomic shape and new headrests. FSO Polonez Sedan prototype - later produced as the FSO Atu - with 4-door limousine bodywork, with completely new dashboard and upholstery (project by FSO), new rear suspension: rigid rear axle with longitudinal wishbones, reaction bars and coil springs. Rear lamps same as in Caro version.
	The 1994 protype Polonez Sedan
	The new dashboard introduced in 1994 Polonez Sedan prototype
Two prototypes of the FSO Polonez Kombi (station wagon). The next prototype: FSO Analog 4WD, light off-road car with 4-door pick-up bodywork and four wheel drive.
	The 1994 FSO Analog
Export to the U.K. restarted: FSO Caro (Polonez 1.6 and 1.9 D) and FSO Pick-up (Truck). 1995 The next prototype of the 4-door FSO Polonez Sedan introduced on the 1995 Poznan Motor Show - the car had new dashboard (see 1994) and new rear lamps.
	The 1995 FSO Polonez Sedan
	The 1995 FSO Polonez Sedan
1996 February First series of the new FSO Atu 1.6 GLI sold - produced from December 1995 to February 1996. June Mass production of the FSO Polonez Atu 1.6 GLI and FSO Polonez Atu 1.4 GLI 16V, very few cars in FSO Polonez Atu 1.9 GLD specification with Diesel engine. The FSO Atu renamed to FSO Polonez Atu after protests by the ATU insurance company.
FSO Atu 1.6 GLI
Production of the FSO Polonez Caro 1.9 GLD stopped. 1997 21. March FSO Polonez mass production of the new Caro Plus and Atu Plus - the new front grill, bumpers, new dashboard.


summer The export to the Netherlands stopped, the last foreign market for Polonez passenger versions; the last offer in the Netherlands: FSO Prima (Polonez Caro) 1.6 GLI FSO Prima (Polonez Caro) 1.4 GLI 16V FSO Celina (Atu) 1.6 GLI August The first Daewoo-FSO Lanos 1.5 S 4d leaves the FSO assembly line. December FSO Polonez Caro Plus and Atu Plus 1.6 GSI - with multi-point fuel injection, 1598 ccm/62 kW/84 KM, 130Nm, ca. 155 km/h, new door handles introduced. 1998 May The first public show of the station wagon prototype: FSO Polonez Kombi Plus. FSO Truck sold in Italy by Daewoo dealer network. 1999 February The test production of the new FSO Polonez Kombi 1.6 GSi MPI. April The mass production of the FSO Polonez Kombi Plus in passenger (final drive ratio 3,9) and van version (final drive ratio 4,3) with 1.6 engine (MPI). The new steering wheel, arm-rests introduced. Start of sale planned for June 1999.

FSO Polonez Kombi 1.6 GSi MPI	FSO Polonez Kombi 1.6 GSi MPI
May Official premiere of the FSO Polonez Kombi 1.6 GSi MPI on the Poznan Motor Show. 2000 The new shape of the FSO label in the front grill. summer Approx. 200 FSO Polonez cars produced with aircondition, sold in summer months for extra 1200,- PLN (alloy wheels included). 2001 summer Small series of FSO Polonez with aircondition, sold in summer months for extra 1000,- PLN. 2002 the end of first quarter The last passenger FSO Polonez car leaves assembly line. Production has been stopped. Daewoo-FSO did not make any official ceremony of the end of Polonez production. If you are interested in FSO cars - please visit: