Fiat 131

Generations: nothing to compare between years of body

The Fiat 131 has 1 generation. Years: 1974-01-01 to 1985-12-31. Body: Sedan. Catalogue count of modifications: 26; this page compares the 12 versions listed with full rows. Restyling is not a separate generation here. You are not choosing “which generation”; you are choosing which of these 12 rows.

The Fiat 131 has 1 generation. Years: 1974-01-01 to 1985-12-31. Body: Sedan. Catalogue count of modifications: 26; this page compares the 12 versions listed with full rows. Restyling is not a separate generation here. You are not choosing “which generation”; you are choosing which of these 12 rows.

What does not change between rows: Gasoline fuel type, 4 cylinders, Inline layout, boost No, RWD, 50 L tank, Independent, spring / Dependent, spring, Disc / Drum. Engine position is not measured. Those constants mean the extra you get from a bigger-named version is engine output, gearbox, and (sometimes) a higher listed top speed — not a different drivetrain architecture.

Specs table: all 12 versions, distinguished by power

Same catalogue names appear more than once. Distinguish them by horsepower.

Power per litre: what the extra displacement actually buys

Specific output (hp per litre of the listed displacement):

• 1.3 MT 55 hp / 1.301 L ≈ 42.3 hp/L — lowest in the table.
• 1.3 MT 65 hp / 1.301 L ≈ 50.0 hp/L.
• 1.3 MT 78 hp / 1.301 L ≈ 60.0 hp/L — strongest 1.3, and among the highest specific figures in the model.
• 1.4 MT 75 hp / 1.370 L ≈ 54.7 hp/L.
• 1.4 MT 70 hp / 1.438 L ≈ 48.7 hp/L — more cubic centimetres (137 cc more than the 1370 cc 1.4) but 5 hp less than the 75 hp 1.4, so the larger 1.4 is the weaker tune.
• 1.6 MT 75 hp / 1.581 L ≈ 47.4 hp/L.
• 1.6 MT 85 hp / 1.585 L ≈ 53.6 hp/L.
• 1.6 MT 97 hp / 1.585 L ≈ 61.2 hp/L.
• 1.6 MT 98 hp / 1.585 L ≈ 61.8 hp/L — highest specific output in the list.
• 2.0 MT / 2.0 AT 113 hp / 1.995 L ≈ 56.6 hp/L.

Reading that as a buyer: stepping from the 1.3 MT (55 hp) to the 1.3 MT (78 hp) keeps 1301 cc and adds 23 hp (+42%). Stepping from the 1.6 MT (75 hp) to the 1.6 MT (98 hp) keeps ~1.58 L and adds 23 hp as well (+31%). The 2.0 MT adds 15 hp over the 98 hp 1.6 (113 − 98) but needs 410 cc more (1995 − 1585). The 2.0 is the most powerful car, not the most densely tuned one.

The 1.6 MT (75 hp) and the 1.4 MT (75 hp) share 75 hp / 55 kW at 6000 rpm. The 1.6’s listed torque is 125 Nm at 3000 rpm versus 112 Nm at 2750 rpm on the 1.4 — 13 Nm more, 11.6% more torque, on 211 cc extra (1581 − 1370). If you want 75 hp with the higher listed torque, the 1.6 MT (75 hp) is the one; if you want 75 hp with 3 valves per cylinder, compression 9.9, and Central injection (single-point or single- point), that is the 1.4 MT (75 hp) or 1.4 AT.

Performance and mpg: what is measured, what is not

0–100 km/h: not measured on all 12 versions. Do not rank sprint from this catalogue.

Fuel consumption (city / highway / mixed) and mpg: not measured on all 12. Eco class and CO2: not measured. You cannot pick an “economy” Fiat 131 from these rows.

Top speed, where listed:

• 1.3 MT (55 hp): 140 km/h
• 1.4 MT (70 hp): 150 km/h (+10 km/h vs 55 hp 1.3)
• 1.6 MT (75 hp): 160 km/h (+20 vs 55 hp 1.3; +10 vs 70 hp 1.4)
• 1.6 MT (85 hp): 160 km/h — same listed top as the 75 hp 1.6, despite 10 hp more
• 1.6 MT (97 hp): 170 km/h
• 1.6 MT (98 hp): 170 km/h — 1 hp more than the 97 hp 1.6, same 170 km/h
• 2.0 MT (113 hp): 175 km/h — 5 km/h over the 170 km/h 1.6s, 35 km/h over the 55 hp 1.3

Not measured: 1.3 MT (65 hp), 1.3 MT (78 hp), 1.4 MT (75 hp), 1.4 AT, 2.0 AT. The automatic 2.0 therefore cannot be ranked on top speed against the 2.0 MT.

The 85 hp 1.6 MT versus the 75 hp 1.6 MT is a useful honesty check: +10 hp, same 160 km/h, same Carburetor, same Manual 4, same RWD. The extra 10 hp does not buy a higher listed maximum on these two rows.

Dimensions and weight: same blanks on every row

Kerb weight: not measured. Gross weight: not measured. Weight per horsepower: cannot be calculated. Ground clearance: not measured. Wheel sizes: not measured. Tank: 50 L on every version. Chassis and brakes: the same English labels on every version. A heavier-sounding engine name does not come with a measured weight change in this data.

Gearbox: the real fork besides displacement

Manual, 5 appears on three versions only:

• 1.3 MT (78 hp)
• 1.6 MT (97 hp)
• 2.0 MT (113 hp)

Automatic, 3 appears on two versions only:

• 1.4 AT (75 hp) — same 1370 cc, 75 hp, 112 Nm engine as 1.4 MT (75 hp)
• 2.0 AT (113 hp) — same 1995 cc, 113 hp engine as 2.0 MT

Every other row is Manual, 4.

If you want an automatic Fiat 131, the catalogue does not offer a 1.3 or a 1.6 automatic. The choice is 75 hp 1.4 AT or 113 hp 2.0 AT — a 38 hp gap (113 − 75), same 3-speed Automatic, same RWD. The 2.0 AT’s top speed is not measured; the 1.4 AT’s top speed is not measured either.

If you want five forward gears, you are looking at the 78 hp 1.3, the 97 hp 1.6, or the 113 hp 2.0, all Manual.

Fuel feed and grade: carburetor vs injection vs 92

Carburetor rows: 1.3 MT (65 hp), 1.6 MT (75 hp), 1.6 MT (85 hp), 1.6 MT (97 hp).

Distributed injection (multi-point): 1.3 MT (78 hp), 1.6 MT (98 hp), 2.0 MT, 2.0 AT.

Central injection (single-point or single- point): 1.4 MT (75 hp), 1.4 AT.

The 1.6 MT (97 hp) and 1.6 MT (98 hp) sit 1 hp apart (97 vs 98), share 1585 cc, share 170 km/h, and split on feed and gears: Carburetor + Manual 5 versus Distributed injection (multi-point) + Manual 4. That 1 hp is not a performance step; it is a specification fork (feed and gear count).

Fuel grade 95 is listed on 1.3 MT (65 hp), 1.4 MT (75 hp), 1.4 AT, 1.6 MT (75 hp). Grade 92 is listed only on 1.4 MT (70 hp). Other versions: fuel grade not measured. If the 92 grade is the reason you opened this page, the matching row is the 1438 cc 1.4 MT (70 hp), 150 km/h, Manual 4 — not the 1370 cc 75 hp 1.4.

Which version to choose

Smallest, slowest listed car: 1.3 MT (55 hp). 55 hp, 40 kW, 1301 cc, Manual 4, 140 km/h. Torque, feed, valves, 0–100, mpg: not measured. It is 58 hp and 35 km/h behind the 2.0 MT.

Strongest 1.3, and the only 1.3 with five gears: 1.3 MT (78 hp). 78 hp is 13 hp above the 65 hp 1.3 and 23 hp above the 55 hp 1.3, on the same 1301 cc. Specific output ≈ 60 hp/L. Top speed not measured, so it cannot be claimed faster than the 140 km/h 55 hp car from this table.

The 1.3 with a full torque line: 1.3 MT (65 hp). 100 Nm at 3000 rpm, 65 hp at 5600 rpm, Carburetor, 95, 2 valves per cylinder, Manual 4. Top speed not measured.

Do not confuse the two 1.4 manuals: 1.4 MT (75 hp) is 1370 cc, 75 hp, 112 Nm, 3 valves, Central injection, 95, compression 9.9. 1.4 MT (70 hp) is 1438 cc, 70 hp at 5000 rpm, 92 grade, 150 km/h. The 70 hp car is the larger 1.4 and the slower listed 1.4.

Automatic 1.4: 1.4 AT — same 75 hp / 112 Nm engine as the 75 hp 1.4 MT, Automatic 3 instead of Manual 4. Top speed not measured.

Torque-focused 75 hp: 1.6 MT (75 hp) — 125 Nm vs 112 Nm on the 75 hp 1.4, 160 km/h listed, Carburetor, 95, Manual 4.

1.6 with the same 160 km/h but more power: 1.6 MT (85 hp) — +10 hp, same 160 km/h as the 75 hp 1.6.

1.6 with 170 km/h: 1.6 MT (97 hp) (Carburetor, Manual 5) or 1.6 MT (98 hp) (Distributed injection (multi-point), Manual 4). Difference: 1 hp, different feed, 5 vs 4 gears, same 170 km/h.

Most power and highest listed top speed: 2.0 MT (113 hp), 1995 cc, Manual 5, 175 km/h, Distributed injection (multi-point), 2 valves per cylinder, 113 hp at 5600 rpm. Torque not measured. Versus the 98 hp 1.6: +15 hp, +5 km/h, +410 cc, and a fifth gear the 98 hp 1.6 does not have.

Automatic with the same peak power as the 2.0 MT: 2.0 AT (113 hp), Automatic 3. Top speed not measured — do not assume 175 km/h.

Reliability / problems: this catalogue does not list failure rates, rust scores, or known defects. Those searches cannot be answered with numbers from these rows.

Bottom line in one sentence: with one generation and one chassis, buy the 1.3 MT (55 hp) only if 140 km/h and 55 hp are enough; buy the 1.3 MT (78 hp) if you want the densest 1.3 and five gears; buy the 1.4 AT or 2.0 AT if you need Automatic; buy the 1.6 MT (97 hp) or 1.6 MT (98 hp) if 170 km/h is the target without a 2.0; buy the 2.0 MT if the catalogue’s maximum — 113 hp and 175 km/h — is the point of the car.