FIAT Regata 1984-1989 Photos, engines & full specs

By the mid-'80s, the compact sedan segment was growing, and the market started to turn its attention toward vehicles such as the Audi 80, Volkswagen Jetta, Renault 18, or Ford Escort Sedan/Orion.

Fiat made a plan, took its Ritmo hatchback, and transformed it into a three-box vehicle with a trunk in the back instead of a sloped tailgate. As a result, in 1984, the Italian carmaker introduced the Regata at the same time as the facelifted Ritmo.

It was very easy to notice the two siblings' design similarities, starting with the big, squared headlights. The wedged-shaped bodywork with some rounded corners over the hood and wheel-arches were typical for that era. In 1986, Fiat introduced a facelift for the Regata, which revealed new doors and modified body panels. It sported new handles, which replaced the flush ones from the non-facelifted version.

Inside, Fiat used the same cubist style of the exterior. Unlike its hatchback sibling, it featured a different layout for the instrument cluster. The design team installed the fan controls on the center stack and placed the radio in the dashboard. Its front bucket-seats offered comfort more than side support due to lack of bolstering.

Under the hood, Fiat installed a choice of three gasoline and one diesel engine. Later on, after the facelift, a fuel-injected version provided 101 hp and became the most notorious version of the Regata. Apart from the base, 1.3-liter engine, all the other versions were paired to a five-speed manual gearbox. Unfortunately, the live rear axle with leaf springs ruined the comfort for the rear passengers.