1922 FIAT 519 S 4.8

Vehicle Overview

Fiat offered in 1922 a sportier version for the 519. It was lighter, quicker, and built for those who dared more on the road.

The 519 S offered more than just room for four and four doors. Despite its torpedo-style bodywork built by Carozzeria Fiat, it was the equivalent of a modern open-top GT with easier access to the rear seats. Its convex flanks and concave tail made it streamlined and better suited for higher speeds.

In the ’20s, the cars looked very similar to another, but Fiat tried to make things different. It adopted a V-shaped radiator instead of the already established squared ones. Moreover, the central part of the radiator was moved forward like an arrow. Its spare-wheels were on the side-sills, behind the front fenders. An unusual shape for those times was the windshield, which was split in two, with a center pillar moved forward, and the two sides were slightly raked.

Fiat took good care in choosing good material quality for the interior. Fiat offered the car with leather upholstery, silk, or cloth seats. Despite the shorter wheelbase when compared to a regular 519, the S version offered enough interior space and plenty of headroom, especially with its canvas-roof down.

The biggest upgrade for the technical part was the introduction of the power drum-brakes for the entire range. Fiat engineers upgraded the engine as well. It featured an inline-six unit with head valves, while other carmakers were still using the side-valve system. It was paired to a four-speed manual transmission.