Fiat 2300 and 2300S Coupe (1961 – 1968) Review

The Pininfarina-syled Fiat 2300 saloon was a very convincing crack at the executive car market by its maker. It was technically advanced, with power-assisted disc brakes all-round and a twin-carburettor straight-six, which was both powerful and refined. It was the first Fiat offered with a fully automatic transmission, which replaced the interesting Saxomat clutch as an option in 1966. Outside of Italy, it lacked any form of commercial success, though - perhaps setting the precedent for unsuccessful big Fiats to come.  

The Coupe was something else entirely. Styled by Ghia’s Tom Tjaarda, the 2300S Coupé was very much a grand tourer, even featuring electric windows and long-legged autostrada gearing. Its 2.3-litre six-cylinder engine delivered plenty of power and had been further boosted by twin carburettors. However, true to form, the 2300S wasn’t a big seller, and remains one of the lost cousins of Fiat history - despite it looking like the right product for its time. .