I’ve always really liked the Fiat 126, Fiat’s “modernization” of the old 500 if you’re willing to accept that modernity just means swapping bubbly shapes for boxy shapes. I find them wildly appealing little cars, full of odd decisions and clever engineering and a certain kind of extremely budget-conscious charm that never fails to get me. This video by UK-based car-reviewer Mat Watson is a fairly straightforward video of a man just pleased with his car, and I think it’s great.
Also interesting: it was published on my birthday! Maybe Mat knew I’d like watching him point out the weird heater controls and tortured trunk of the 126, and made this for me as a secret birthday gift, even though I’m pretty sure he doesn’t know or give a rat’s ass about me?’
Anyway, here’s the video:
What I like is the level of detail he goes into, showing all the mundane bits that would have me enrapt were I to claw my way into the actual car. Stuff I so far have yet to have a chance to really poke around at, like, as I mentioned, the heater controls:
…and a nice shot of the engine bay:
…and, of course, that absurd little trunk:
Later versions of the 126, the 126 BIS, managed to make a viable rear hatch area by laying the engine on its side, and the amount of room freed up is really impressive:
Honestly, the transition from 126 to 126 BIS may be the most impressive opening-of-space in any car with the same body, ever. Maybe I should make that its own post? Forget I said it.
Our buddy Mat also has a follow-up video, explaining why this tiny little Italo-Polish box makes such a fantastic London car:
Even if you don’t live in London, something many Americans can claim, it’s still a great little video to watch.
Anyway, none of this is earthshaking, but I personally found these videos oddly soothing, and I suspect you might, too.
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