American Fiat (United States)

The American Fiat was an automobile manufacturer based in Poughkeepsie, New York, operational from 1910 to 1918. It was established as a subsidiary of the Italian Fiat company, with American financing and the majority of its components produced locally. Unlike other American-built versions of European cars, the American Fiat produced models that had no direct equivalents in Italy, allowing for a unique product line.

The first model, the Tipo 54, was introduced in the summer of 1910, featuring a 5.7-litre four-cylinder engine. This was followed in 1912 by the Tipo 56, which was notable for its 8.6-litre six-cylinder engine, making it the largest American Fiat and the only model without a counterpart produced in Turin. The Tipo 56 was built on a 135-inch (3,426 mm) wheelbase and was marketed at prices ranging from $5,000 for a tourer to $6,100 for a landaulette, reflecting its status as a luxury vehicle.

Throughout its production run, the American Fiat also offered other models, including the 4.4-litre Tipo 53 and the 9-litre Tipo 55, which was a four-cylinder vehicle with a shorter wheelbase than the Tipo 56. By the 1917/18 season, the Tipo 55 was the only model listed for sale. Many American Fiats adopted the pear-shaped radiator design that was popularized in Turin, although the traditional Mercedes-style radiator remained available.

Production of American Fiats was restricted to the United States to protect the Italian company's market interests. However, a notable incident occurred in 1917 when a batch of 50 Tipo 55s, originally intended for Czarist Russia, was detained in England due to the Russian Revolution. These vehicles were later re-bodied and sold as 'new 40/50s' in 1920. The American Fiat ceased operations in March 1918 when the factory was sold to Rochester-Duesenberg, which relocated the machinery to their facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey, for the production of aero engines.