The 130 represented Fiat's failed attempt to play a leading role in the luxury "3-litre" sector, competing with Mercedes, BMW and Jaguar. The failure of this car, born in 1969 and discontinued in '76, was due to a variety of factors. The first impact on the market, always decisive for the future fate of a car, was suicidal due to the limited power of the 2800cc 6-cylinder: just 140 HP, compared to the highest weight in the category, 1615 kg. The error was serious, so much so that Fiat immediately took action, recovering 20 HP by modifying the compression ratio, and then, in 1971, raising the displacement to 3200cc, in order to also improve the elasticity and smoothness of the drive. Furthermore, the engine, designed specifically for the 130 by Aurelio Lampredi, one of the most brilliant Italian engine designers, was noted, as mentioned, for its weight and poor aerodynamics, as terribly thirsty, so much so that it competed in this field with Ferrari and Lamborghini. The fact that this V6 would never appear again in any of the Group's cars would seem to confirm that it was not one of the best creations of the Livorno engineer. In 1971 the beautiful coupé designed by Pininfarina debuted, but soon after the great energy crisis arrived, which had an effect similar to the meteorite on the dinosaurs, wiping out many flagships. It was not only because of the tripled cost of petrol, a problem that buyers of these cars could probably overcome, but also because of the sense of social condemnation that one felt when sitting behind the wheel of a car that 4 km per litre. Furthermore, in the same year 1969 Fiat acquired Lancia, more out of necessity to ensure that it did not end up in other hands than out of express desire. It was clear that by history and tradition it would be the Chivasso brand that would take charge of the Group's flagships in the future, using technical choices such as front-wheel drive that could not have been developed as evolutions of the ultra-classic 130 platform. It is no coincidence that the 130 did not benefit from any further evolution, inevitably losing ground to competitors who were constantly updating their technology and style. Are we therefore talking about a wrong car? Absolutely not, because the 130 concentrated within itself many qualities of the extraordinary Italian automotive tradition, which made it superior to its foreign competitors in various respects. Despite the traditional layout, it was better on the road than the German ones, braked well, offered excellent comfort, had very elegant interiors and enjoyed more than good general reliability. Driving it, it still conveys something beautiful and majestic. In particular, the coupé was a revelation for the modernity of its interior colors and for the very pleasant drive it leaves you feeling. Unfortunately, the 130 is little remembered today, very often only for being the car of the Moro kidnapping, and it is an extraordinary shame that no follow-up was given to the Opera prototype, a four-door sedan developed from the coupé, which could have been a beautiful second series, undoubtedly more fascinating than the even more unfortunate Lancia Gamma. Claudio Pavanello Visit our website: www.automoto.it Subscribe to the channel: / redazioneautomoto Facebook: / automoto.it Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/automoto_it... Twitter: / automoto_it TikTok: / automotoit Whatsapp: https://bit.ly/47CNr3k