The design for the Fiat 130 Coupe emerged from the design studios of Pininfarina, and the fruits of their labor is a car that, while some people might not find it to be the most gorgeous car ever built, still possesses elegance and style. Barn Finder Roger referred this sympathetically restored example to us, so thank you so much for that Roger. The Fiat is located in San Francisco, California, and is listed for sale here on Craigslist. The asking price for this rare Italian thoroughbred has been set at $33,975.

The 130 Coupe was introduced in 1971 and remained in production until 1977. It was not a high-volume seller, and throughout its production run, only 4,491 cars were produced. In 1973, Fiat produced 1,344 examples, which is when this car was built. It has spent the vast majority of its life in Italy but was imported into the USA in December of 2017. Prior to leaving Italy, the 130 was treated to some restoration work. The car was stripped and repainted in its original and quite beautiful Mediterranean Blue Metallic, which was then sealed with several coats of clear. All of the external chrome and trim has either been extensively polished, or it has also undergone restoration. The result of all of this effort is a car that is as straight as an arrow and is rust-free. One thing that is a bit disconcerting is the alignment of the headlights. From some angles, they appear to be crooked, while from others they look perfect. I’d actually love to get a look at the car in person, but I think that it is all probably okay.

Opening the hood reveals a beautiful Fiat 3,235cc V6 engine, which sends its official 162hp to the rear wheels via a 5-speed manual transmission. This in itself raises a bit of a mystery, because the owner states that during the entire life-cycle of the 130 Coupe, only about 500 cars were fitted with the manual transmission, while the remainder all featured a 3-speed automatic. I haven’t been able to confirm those figures, but given the fact that the car was designed and built to be used as a luxurious 4-seat Grand Tourer, these figures are certainly conceivable. Hauling things to a stop on the Fiat is the task assigned to 4-wheel power disc brakes. As part of the previously mentioned restoration process, every mechanical aspect of the car has been inspected and checked, and any component, gasket, or seal that was questionable has been replaced. The owner says that the car runs and drives extremely well, with everything working exactly as it should.

The interior of the Fiat provides a sense of occasion for any journey. The car had led a fairly pampered life prior to its restoration, and as a result, the original Pumpkin colored carpet only required a professional clean. The dash has been restored, while the seats wear new covers that have been made and stitched from identical leather to that which Fiat used originally. The car has been fitted with an aftermarket stereo, and I don’t think that the installation of this matches the finish of the rest of the interior. While it might be possible for the 130 to be a 5-seater, the design of the rear seat really means that practically this is a 4-seater. If an additional person were to sit in the rear of the car, that center position does look like it would be pretty uncomfortable. While the Fiat isn’t fitted with air conditioning, the driver’s seat is adjustable for both reach and height, while the car also features real timber trim and power windows. One really interesting little design feature of the 130 Coupe is the interior lighting, which is all accomplished using fiber-optics, which was a state-of-the-art technique when the car was new.

The Fiat 130 Coupe is not only a relatively rare car on the world stage, but it was never imported into the USA. That means that finding one on the market today is a bit like spotting an automotive unicorn. The few that have come onto the market in the past 5-years or so have generally sold for figures of around the $25,000 mark, although the 5-speed manual examples do tend to sell for higher prices. I actually found another example on the market at the moment, and it also features a manual transmission. The asking price for that is similar to this car, which suggests that this car is priced about right. How about it? Do you feel like becoming the owner of a beautiful and relatively rare Fiat 130 Coupe?