Zastava Zastava 750 (Fića) History
History
Production of what would become the Zastava 750 began on 18 October 1955 at the Crvena Zastava factory in Kragujevac, initially as a Fiat-badged version of the Fiat 600 built under the licence agreement Zastava signed with Fiat in Turin on 12 August 1954. The car acquired Zastava branding and the designation '750' in 1962.
Powered by a rear-mounted 767 cc air-cooled engine (later upgraded to 843 cc in a higher-spec 750 SE variant), the Fića was Yugoslavia's first mass-produced passenger car and its defining 'people's car' of the post-war decades. Its affordable price, simple mechanics, and low fuel consumption made it the default first car for young families and students across all six Yugoslav republics.
The nickname 'Fića' came from the main character of a comic strip published by the newspaper Borba in the early years of production. By the time the last Fića left the factory on 18 November 1985, 923,487 units had been built — one of the highest production totals of any single car in Balkan automotive history.
Body styles
- Saloon
Notable special editions & performance variants
-
Zastava 750 SE
Higher-specification variant with a larger 843 cc engine and improved interior trim.
-
Zastava 850
Near-identical successor introduced in 1980 with an 850 cc engine, produced alongside the 750 SE until the line ended in 1985.
Related models