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Fiat have chosen this
week to
revive one of its much loved and successful historical
names, the Campagnola, for Iveco's new light off-road vehicle: the
original Fiat
Campagnola was introduced in 1951 and continued in
production for more than three and a half decades; many
of the 40,000 Campagnola jeeps that were built during
that period remain as robust workhorses today.
The
Campagnola was a bold new design from Fiat when it was
presented in 1951 and it followed the design of the original 'Willy's'
Jeep in using a front mounted engine, four wheel drive
and an open bodywork. The ladder-frame
chassis was fitted with
independent front suspension and a live rear axle,
whilst the drive system was permanent to the rear wheels
with a selectable front wheel drive. Two individual
front seats and two double-bench seats (one along each
side) provided seating for six.
It was powered
by a 1901cc four cylinder petrol engine (derived from the
engine in the 1900) with 53bhp driving through a four speed
transmission. Combined with a reduction box, this setup
provided exceptional off-road ability. The version produced
for the military was known as the AR51 and featured a range
of modifications, mainly to simplify the product.
In 1953 a diesel
engine, still of 1901cc but with indirect diesel injection
and 40bhp (derived from the engine in the 1400), was added
to the range. At the same time various revisions were
carried out on both the new diesel and the petrol.
Two years later the
Campagnola A was introduced. The petrol version benefited
from a more powerful engine, producing 63bhp, thanks to a
higher compression ratio, whilst the diesel engine increased
its output slightly to 43bhp. Detail improvements to the car
were also introduced such as a demister for the windscreen
and a change to the lighting. The military version became
the AR55, with a lower power version of the new engine, with
56bhp. The range received minor detail again in 1959, with
no change in definition except for the military version
which became the AR59.
In 1960 the
Campagnola B arrived. This was an improved diesel version
(the Campagnola A continued as the petrol with no change)
with a revised engine producing 47bhp and a variety of other
minor changes. The final diesel version was the Campagnola
C. Introduced in 1968 this had an engine with a displacement
of 1895cc and a power output of 47bhp. Total
production of the Campagnola until 1973 was 7,783 diesel engined examples, and 31,293 petrol engined ones.
In 1974 the all
new Campagnola was released, launched in a rather low-key
way at the Belgrade Motor Show of that year. This used a
1995cc engine derived from that in the 1.8-litre 132,
modified to increase its capacity and to have a single cam
in the block. The resulting engine produced 80bhp and drove
through a similar layout to the old car, four speed
transmission, permanent rear wheel drive, selectable front
wheel drive, and a reduction box.
Independent
suspension for all four wheels (with torsion bars front and
rear) and a load-bearing bodyshell were used. Unusually a
double front passenger seat, combined with the driver and
four in the rear, provided seating for seven. Numerous
typical off-road extras were standard or optional, such as
locking differentials on both axles, adjustable lights,
various tyre sizes, etc. Given the low
production volumes of the car, assembly was by Pininfarina
at the Grugliasco factory.
In 1976 three additional
variants joined the range. The standard length car became
available with a hard top as well as the original canvas
roof, and a version with a stretched bodywork (an extended
rear overhang allowed for three seats on each bench, giving
a total seating
capacity of nine people) was introduced, both with a soft
and a rigid roof. The roof in both long and short versions
was a metal affair, with side windows, fixed to the body by
bolts, and hence removable.
The military
version of the Nuova Campagnola emerged in 1976, hence known
as the AR76, and featured numerous options designed to
optimise its capability off-road. It also featured a
slightly less powerful engine with 75bhp.
1979 saw the Nuova Campagnola receive diesel engines, a 2-litre (with
60bhp) and a 2.5-litre (with 72bhp), both made by Sofim. At
the same time all the models (including the petrol engined
variants) received a five speed gearbox, the limited slip
differential became standard at the rear (previously an
option, it remained optional for the front axle) and a
variety of other minor improvements. The military version
became the AR76A.
Production in
Italy continued until 1985, although odd vehicles emerged
from the plant until 1987. The Campagnola
was also assembled in Yugoslavia by Zastava in the early
1950's. All the parts were sent from Turin by train, with
only final assembly carried out locally. These vehicles were
also exported, getting as far as India.
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