I restore and repair model cars as a hobby. This morning I received a Dinky Fiat Ritmo...a Strada in the UK. Boom....immediately remembered the ad...and now I found it! Instant nostalgia plunge. Thanks for posting 👏👏👏👏👍
Amazingly I’ve seen two this year. One was in France, looking incredibly rusty and the other was here in Britain at the Festival Of The Unexceptional (a classic car show dedicated to family cars from the 70s and 80s) where it was the 2nd best in show (only just losing to a Chrysler Alpine)
My dad had the original 1979 model, we moved up to a super strada in 1986 , learnt to drive in that one and drove it for a few years before I bought my own first car , fiat uno…. Gorgeous car
This advert was the brainchild of one Mike Banks, a close friend of my father. I seem to recall that it was far longer than all the other adverts and cost Fiat a fortune when it premièred during the break in the middle of the ITN news at 10pm. Could be wrong - I was 14 yrs old at the time and made it my business to be as unimpressed as possible by anything my dad considered cool!
I actually had one of these - a green one. It was a great little car. I must have had a factory dud though - mine never rusted and always started :-) Never had a problem with it.
In early 1983 I remember one of my school teachers having a Fiat Strada since then I can honestly say that I have never seen one since 1985 in north east England
My father had one of those, bought in 1990. It was 1983 1.7 diesel 55 BHP. I learnt to Drive on It. Its been exactly the same spec like seen in this add At bottom platform of transporting truck At the very back. I loved that car... Nice Memories
A charming ad' with heart, by a company that was in dire straits at the time. Odd to think that this might've ended up being like the Austin Metro 'A British Car to beat The World' ad', in being a final concerted effort from a declining company.
The title is "Largo al Factotum", an aria from The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini. Dunno who's singing this version though. This advert must have cost a fortune to make and another fortune each time was aired. Love it !!
I had a 1979 Strada and it was a fun car to drive compared to American made econoboxes, and got better mileage. I never had a bit of trouble with it but the finish was not able to withstand east coast winters and road salt very well. For the era it was great although the Rabbit had greater durability.
Not The Nine O'Clock News did a great spoof of this, showing cars being put together on an automated production line whilst the opera music plays in the background with on-screen captions saying "DESIGNED BY LASERS" and "BUILT BY ROBOTS", ending with footage of a car crashing and flipping over at high speed ("DRIVEN BY ITALIANS")
I was not born when this advert came out but it was featured on Channel 4's 100 Greatest Adverts. Any ideas as to the name of th classical piece in this memorable one?
The joke was always "The car built by Robots ..and driven by idiots." My father had one from I think 1979. I remember taking long road trips in it. So many problems though -- clutch cable snapping, radiator leak, terrible vapor lock in summer. Having to use start fluid or gasoline down carb to get it started. And the rust! My Gd! It must have been in pieces within 5 years. It's like they weren't treated at all. One door almost rusted off. Today's FIATs are 1000% better, fortunately.
Still have mine only got 36000 miles nearly 20 years old and no rust .Its the 2 litre Abarth one It all depends on how you look after a car mine was garaged some time in its life . As for the car being crap you have never driven one and anyway Fiat sold millions and they did not give them away .
Take yourself back 30+ years. How modern the cars, amongst other things looked back in the day....Back to today, one takes technological advances for granted, until the future arrives, and we will be musing over our present level of advancement...
FIAT used Soviet steel to build these cars which wasn't up to snuff at all. I had one in 1986 that rotted so bad the doors literally fell apart. Didn't help we lived in the rust belt either. Otherwise, these were great cars. I literally used $2 worth of gasoline to get me back and forth to work every week.
@@JohnSmith-rw8uh Not just Fiat. Also Peugeot, what's left of Citroen, what's left of Chrysler, what's left of GM's European operations, basically the dregs of the auto industry, and it is headquartered in where? Turin? Milan? Maybe Paris? No, in Amsterdam.
did anyone remember the 2 ronnies doing a spoof of this advert? .... they showed the car being designed on a computer screen, then being built in the factory by robots and then ... a fiat strada driving along a road - it crashes .... the fiat strada, designed by computer, built by robot, driven by an italian! - lol
@Ordre33 Can't remember his name, but it was performed by a tenor from the ENO. Recorded specially for the commercial. The music is Rossini, from the Barber of Seville. It's edited to 2 minutes. Original is over twice as long. One of the better exampled of editing of classical music for commercial use. Usually the music gets butchered.
When I was a kid, Hot Wheels cars were the fastest, Matchbox were the most detailed, and Majorette had the most features like opening doors and trunks.
They sold these right along side the Rabbit in 1982 in Ohio..much cheaper until you drove both..then you didn't mind coughing up the money for the Rabbit...
I will buy the new punto evo soon, i 've also had a golf mk2 now also scrapped lasted 20 years and metal fatigue killed it. Lately it drove like a wet noodle. anyway the golf wasn't a nice car to drive. just good to move you from A to B But I never forget my very first car , the fiat ritmo. When i have space and i find one in repairable conditions, be shure it will be mine as oldtimer. Funkiest car I ever had!
@alastair4151 Mine lasted 11,5 years 1987 1998 bought 3rd hand in my student time rode it 1, 5 years and then was scrapped overmiled and wear and tear + rust was to far damaged
Cheap Russian steel means that many rusted before they left the showrooms.The lifespan of these cars was terrible,most were on the scrapyard by 5 -6 years old.
my first ever car was a used fiat strada in vomit orange, it has to be one of the worst cars ever made, absolute fucking rust buckets and heaps of shite ! !
I restore and repair model cars as a hobby. This morning I received a Dinky Fiat Ritmo...a Strada in the UK. Boom....immediately remembered the ad...and now I found it! Instant nostalgia plunge. Thanks for posting 👏👏👏👏👍
Not seen this for years. One of the all time great ads.
Amazingly I’ve seen two this year. One was in France, looking incredibly rusty and the other was here in Britain at the Festival Of The Unexceptional (a classic car show dedicated to family cars from the 70s and 80s) where it was the 2nd best in show (only just losing to a Chrysler Alpine)
My dad had the original 1979 model, we moved up to a super strada in 1986 , learnt to drive in that one and drove it for a few years before I bought my own first car , fiat uno…. Gorgeous car
This advert was the brainchild of one Mike Banks, a close friend of my father. I seem to recall that it was far longer than all the other adverts and cost Fiat a fortune when it premièred during the break in the middle of the ITN news at 10pm. Could be wrong - I was 14 yrs old at the time and made it my business to be as unimpressed as possible by anything my dad considered cool!
I actually had one of these - a green one. It was a great little car. I must have had a factory dud though - mine never rusted and always started :-) Never had a problem with it.
Come on Fiat, please do a 2015 version, if only for the UK! :)
Yes, come on Fiat. We need a new version of this great ad!!
In early 1983 I remember one of my school teachers having a Fiat Strada since then I can honestly say that I have never seen one since 1985 in north east England
most them rust to fuck real shame cause they were good cars
Totally remember these in the US. Loved the hub caps and the door handles. The vent on the hood too
Ruined by rhe useless US security laws, with bigger bumpers and less power, but i love this car, especially the first series
@stevieg2087 They did a spoof where everyone in the factory was called 'Bob'. The gag was "Hand built by Roberts"
...plus another parody that ended with "driven by italians" XD.
My father had one of those, bought in 1990. It was 1983 1.7 diesel 55 BHP. I learnt to Drive on It. Its been exactly the same spec like seen in this add At bottom platform of transporting truck At the very back. I loved that car... Nice Memories
Great advert for an unfairly forgotten car, of which there are less than 80 roadworthy examples in the UK.
And 10 years later in 2018 this has fallen to 3.
It's called Largo al Factotum and is from Rossini's opera Il Barbiere di Siviglia.
A charming ad' with heart, by a company that was in dire straits at the time.
Odd to think that this might've ended up being like the Austin Metro 'A British Car to beat The World' ad', in being a final concerted effort from a declining company.
The title is "Largo al Factotum", an aria from The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini.
Dunno who's singing this version though.
This advert must have cost a fortune to make and another fortune each time was aired. Love it !!
I had a 1979 Strada and it was a fun car to drive compared to American made econoboxes, and got better mileage. I never had a bit of trouble with it but the finish was not able to withstand east coast winters and road salt very well. For the era it was great although the Rabbit had greater durability.
Amazing Spot !!!!! The Fiat Strada-Ritmo is a Fantastic Car !!!
Awesome ad.
"FIAT PLEASE DO A NEW ONE LIKE THIS WITH AN UP-TO-DATE CAR"
I remember this ad wonderful music. 80s
@col2006ie Actually, it was filmed largely while the factory was closed (due to a strike about the new technology).
Not The Nine O'Clock News did a great spoof of this, showing cars being put together on an automated production line whilst the opera music plays in the background with on-screen captions saying "DESIGNED BY LASERS" and "BUILT BY ROBOTS", ending with footage of a car crashing and flipping over at high speed ("DRIVEN BY ITALIANS")
I was not born when this advert came out but it was featured on Channel 4's 100 Greatest Adverts. Any ideas as to the name of th classical piece in this memorable one?
uhegbu
Largo al factotum
The joke was always "The car built by Robots ..and driven by idiots."
My father had one from I think 1979. I remember taking long road trips in it. So many problems though -- clutch cable snapping, radiator leak, terrible vapor lock in summer. Having to use start fluid or gasoline down carb to get it started. And the rust! My Gd! It must have been in pieces within 5 years. It's like they weren't treated at all. One door almost rusted off. Today's FIATs are 1000% better, fortunately.
Brilliant ad!
Still have mine only got 36000 miles nearly 20 years old and no rust .Its the 2 litre Abarth one It all depends on how you look after a car mine was garaged some time in its life . As for the car being crap you have never driven one and anyway Fiat sold millions and they did not give them away .
fredrich99 The 130tc was a bit different.1st time the Abarth badge arrived in the UK officially.
Take yourself back 30+ years. How modern the cars, amongst other things looked back in the day....Back to today, one takes technological advances for granted, until the future arrives, and we will be musing over our present level of advancement...
FIAT used Soviet steel to build these cars which wasn't up to snuff at all. I had one in 1986 that rotted so bad the doors literally fell apart. Didn't help we lived in the rust belt either. Otherwise, these were great cars. I literally used $2 worth of gasoline to get me back and forth to work every week.
Look like advert for the vintage RENAULT 18 and vintage Mercedes commercial.
The AD is Way better than the Car.
A pile of rotting feces is way better than the car.
@@5610winston at least fiat still exist, the english owned car industry doesnt
@@JohnSmith-rw8uh Last I saw, the Italian car industry appears to be owned by Stellantis, except for the part that is owned by Volkswagen.
@@5610winston stellantis is the fiat group ..Vw own 2 companies
Unlike the pom one which is dead .
@@JohnSmith-rw8uh Not just Fiat. Also Peugeot, what's left of Citroen, what's left of Chrysler, what's left of GM's European operations, basically the dregs of the auto industry, and it is headquartered in where? Turin? Milan? Maybe Paris? No, in Amsterdam.
did anyone remember the 2 ronnies doing a spoof of this advert? ....
they showed the car being designed on a computer screen, then being built in the factory by robots and then ... a fiat strada driving along a road - it crashes ....
the fiat strada, designed by computer, built by robot, driven by an italian! - lol
That was Not The Nine O'Clock News, not The Two Ronnies
@Ordre33 Can't remember his name, but it was performed by a tenor from the ENO. Recorded specially for the commercial. The music is Rossini, from the Barber of Seville. It's edited to 2 minutes. Original is over twice as long. One of the better exampled of editing of classical music for commercial use. Usually the music gets butchered.
Built by robots....driven by....me!
I'll have an orange one,please.
@TitchTV that toy Strada was made by a French toy company called Majorette. I still have a toy orange strada.
When I was a kid, Hot Wheels cars were the fastest, Matchbox were the most detailed, and Majorette had the most features like opening doors and trunks.
The Ritmo is very wonderful car
There was something lovingly ugly about the Sr1 Strada. My maths teacher had a blue one and l loved her for it so l used to enjoy her lessons more.
They sold these right along side the Rabbit in 1982 in Ohio..much cheaper until you drove both..then you didn't mind coughing up the money for the Rabbit...
Disappointingly though the Rabbit can't hop over obstacles.
I remember that too. I wonder if anyone has posted that clip?
I may have this. I'll post if I can find it.
Quite agree with you, I used to work on the Stradas, they would rust in front of your eyes.It's predecessor the 128 was far better.
I will buy the new punto evo soon, i 've also had a golf mk2 now also scrapped lasted 20 years and metal fatigue killed it. Lately it drove like a wet noodle. anyway the golf wasn't a nice car to drive. just good to move you from A to B
But I never forget my very first car , the fiat ritmo. When i have space and i find one in repairable conditions, be shure it will be mine as oldtimer.
Funkiest car I ever had!
whats the music to this advert called ??
@WAYNE1977100 Yeap remember it well. Will have to find one on ebay.
it looks like a honda today g
Any left at all anywhere now
the end result : something youd see poking out of a skip XD
@olliedann Explorer and Firefox are crashing whenever I try to post a video response, so I'll have to put the link here -
v=FU-tuY0Z7nQ
FIX IT AGAIN, TONY!
@alastair4151 Mine lasted 11,5 years 1987 1998 bought 3rd hand in my student time rode it 1, 5 years and then was scrapped overmiled and wear and tear + rust was to far damaged
Do you work in the industry too now?
@SIRSMITH08 its ok ive got it thxs
I have one that doesn't rust. Oh, wait...
You couldn't kill these
Cheap Russian steel means that many rusted before they left the showrooms.The lifespan of these cars was terrible,most were on the scrapyard by 5 -6 years old.
my brother had a navy blue one and it lasting for yrs...he put about 200k miles on it..A great car but I heard others were POS's....
strada?????looks like fiorino.................
largo al factotum(rossini) great aria,great advert,crap car
my first ever car was a used fiat strada in vomit orange, it has to be one of the worst cars ever made, absolute fucking rust buckets and heaps of shite ! !
rubbish car ... good advert though
Great ad. Shit car.