Fiat City Taxi Prototype

The City Taxi project began with a close study of urban traffic and the practical needs of a public-service vehicle.

From this analysis came a clear set of requirements: the car had to be as compact as possible while maximizing cabin space, provide excellent visibility, and remain accessible, maneuverable, safe, and instantly recognizable.

The resulting prototype, completed in 1968, was unveiled at the Turin Motor Show. Developed by Fiat’s Centro Stile on the platform of the 850 Special Idroconvert—with its semi-automatic transmission and torque converter—the City Taxi featured a short-overhang body and asymmetrical sides.

A large sliding door on the right offered easy access to the passenger compartment, while the driver had a conventional door. The car measured 3,250 mm in length, 1,450 mm in width, and 1,600 mm in height.

The City Taxi was one of the first vehicles conceived specifically for transporting passengers and luggage within the urban environment, and it introduced a number of inventive ideas.

These included a folding auxiliary seat beside the driver, roof-mounted straps for securing luggage, a map pocket integrated into the ceiling, a padded deformable dashboard housing a radio-telephone and taxi meter, a dual-arm vertical-blade wiper, a forced-ventilation system, and an adjustable steering column. The prototype also stood out with its bright orange paintwork.

Manzù’s experimentation with new layouts and technical solutions for the City Taxi ran in parallel with his work on sports cars. From this research emerged two additional projects, both developed into complete models, though neither progressed to a fully mechanical prototype.