Video: Tiny Fiat 126p rally cars are epic
I don't know whether to describe this action as epic or hilarious. Epically hilarious? Hilariously epic? Regardless, there is so much to like in this compilation of Fiat 126p rally cars flat-out, their air-cooled inline twins buzzing away like strimmers tackling a particularly knotty clump of weeds.
Why 126p? This action is taking place in Poland where 3.3 million of the tiny city cars were produced under licence from Fiat. In fact, Fiat made less than half as many and ended production in 1993. The Tychy plant in Bielsko-Biała, Poland carried on cranking them out until the year 2000. A cultural icon in Poland, the 126p is given the affectionate nickname of 'Maluch' or 'little one', the name even finding its way onto their tailgates officially from 1997.
There is nothing respectful about the way the cars in this video are being treated however as they are absolutely thrashed on tarmac, gravel and even snowy rally stages. Rear-wheel-drive and with the engine behind the rear axle they are almost constantly sideways and if they seem to have that cliched 'go kart handling' well that's because that's almost exactly the same layout as an actual go kart. Polish racing legend Krzysztof “Szaja” Szajkowski once said, “God did not invent a car for it to be front-wheel-drive,” and looking at this, we couldn't agree more.
Welcome to Goodwood Elevenses, a mid-morning helping of motoring-related amusement to help break up your day. Watch the last video: Crazy 100mph desert racers
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