Fiat is a major automotive player in Europe and South America with its range of small, city friendly vehicles, but what does its name mean?
The Italian brand is typically spelt Fiat, but the name is actually an acronym and is sometimes styled as FIAT. The letters stand for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino or Italian Automobile Factory of Turin.
Despite the connotations of its name, Fiat now operates plants throughout all of Italy, as well as Poland, South America, Central America, China, and North America.
After its takeover of Chrysler in 2010, it now also owns these brands: Alfa Romeo, Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati and Ram. It also owns a majority share in Ferrari, but will soon begin handing its shares over to Fiat Chrysler’s own shareholders.
