MEET THE COLLECTOR – CRAIG DONALD AND HIS FIAT 132 FLEET

A few classic car enthusiasts accumulate a collection of vehicles that make a Lamborghini Miura appear vaguely ordinary by comparison through a combination of hard work, patience, and dedication. One such connoisseur is Craig Donald and his quintet of Fiats. As he explains, “We have had a 132 2000 in the family since my father bought a new one (on my recommendation!) since 1982. I have owned eight in total but now ‘only’ have five. They have come from various places, mostly the South of England, which was slightly inconvenient to me living in Scotland!”.

For those readers unfamiliar with the 132, it was one of those agreeable cars that somehow failed to create a niche with the Great British Motorist, rather in the manner of a talented actor who spends much of his career in B-films. It debuted in May 1972, replacing the 125. The 132 also served to bridge the gap between the soon to be launched 131 and the 130 Berlina. The first versions had a choice of 1.6-litre and 1.8-litre DOHC power plants, and after a 1974 facelift Motor Sport rather liked the 132, describing it as a “sporting saloon and well contrived family coach combined, it merits attention”.

Yet the 132 never seemed to find favour with the nation’s middle-managers, even after the second upgrade in April 1977. There was also a new flagship - 2000 GLS, the ideal transport for suburban poseurs who wore dark glasses in their local trattoria. The specification included a 1,995cc engine, electric front windows, PAS all-velour trim and even translucent sun visors in dark orange. At £3,950, it was also cheaper than the Ford Cortina 2.0 Ghia Mk. IV.

1981 saw a final facelift as the Argenta - Fiat optimistically claimed that “at the weekend it’s a sports car”. The Croma replaced it in 1985, and any examples of the 132 are now very scarce. In Craig’s words, “The white one was purchased in 2006 from a dealer who had imported it from Switzerland. An Italian gentleman kept it at his holiday home there, as you do!”. Mr. Donald is a long-term Fiat devotee “ever since my father purchased a new 127 Special in 1976”. On the road, he finds the 132 2000 to be “such an engaging car to drive but easy as well (at the time) with power steering, 5-speed box in the manual and wonderful comfy velour seats. That 2-litre twin-cam engine is simply fantastic, sounds incredible and loves being pushed. While not as quick as most modern cars, they can still hold their own!”.

Best of all, the responses to Craig’s Fiats are “All positive! You have to be prepared for long chats when going out or at the petrol pump! They bring a smile, and the “my dad/brother/uncle had one of those”! So many people mistake them for 131’s so frequently that I have to correct them that they are a 132! I usually describe them as a posh 131!” And no Fiat GB commercial could have better described it.

With Thanks To: Craig Donald