#FiatBrava

While an ever-increasing number Americans in the second half of the 1970s felt comfortable buying sporty German and Japanese sedans, the idea of relying on an Italian sedan for everyday transportation made sense to a much more exclusive group. For those Americans who craved a commute packed with Italian passion and artistry but needed something with rear-wheel-drive (ruling out the 128 and the Lancia Beta sedan) and cheaper than the Alfa Romeo Sport Sedan, Fiat offered the 131 on these shores for the 1976 through 1981 model years (changing its name to the Brava starting in 1978). As you’d expect, these cars are about as tough to find in junkyards today as Mitsubishi Tredias or Rover 3500s, but I ran across this ’78 in a Denver yard last week.

Nobody rescued the low-mile ’66 Coronet from its date with The Crusher (though as far as I know it’s still alive), but now we’ve got a new Put Up Or Shut Up Challenge!

Not suitably impressed by the recent 446,000 mile Neon? How about a 1980 Fiat Brava with a half-million miles, on its original engine no less! It just goes to show that anything can be kept going forever, with the right attitude, perseverance and a (full time?) dedicated mechanic. 818now.com has the full story on Gil Cormaci (is chauvinism at work here?) and his stereotype defying Fiat that recently rolled over its odometer for the fifth time.