FSO Polski Fiat 125p History

On 22 December 1965 the Polish government signed a licence agreement with Fiat, giving FSO rights to produce the Fiat 125 body paired with mechanicals from the earlier Fiat 1300/1500. The first 75 cars were assembled by late 1967; full-scale production began in 1968. The resulting car was marketed as the 'Polski Fiat 125p' — 'p' for Poland — and quickly became the backbone of domestic Polish transport during communist-era shortages.

FSO continuously developed the 125p beyond the original Italian brief: a five-door station wagon (Kombi) was added in 1972, and a two-door pickup derived from the Kombi entered production in 1975. Special twin-cam variants (using 1600 cc and 1800 cc Italian engines) were homologated for international rallying. As Western exports followed, the car briefly held the title of the cheapest new car available in the UK and Irish markets.

By 1991 the platform was roughly 30 years old and the body 24; the final 125p rolled off the Żerań line on 26 June 1991, the 1,445,689th unit built. The car had by then been renamed FSO 1500 and then FSO 125p as Fiat withdrew branding rights, but it was long nicknamed 'Duży Fiat' (Big Fiat) to distinguish it from the smaller FSM-built Fiat 126p.