Fiat 128 Original Italian Generation Sport Coupé SL 1290 cc Engine
The 1,290 cc engine application in the Sport Coupé SL.
Application and chronology
The 1,290 cc engine was the larger option in the Fiat 128 Sport Coupé SL. Introduced in November 1971, the Italian Sport Coupé was replaced by the 3P in 1975. These are vehicle-range milestones, not precise engine-production dates.
Engineering and specification
The application belonged to the 128’s transverse, front-wheel-drive engine family, with four cylinders and a belt-driven single overhead camshaft. Stellantis Heritage quotes 75 hp for the coupé’s 1,290 cc engine, against 67 hp for the Rally application. Its account does not identify the power measurement standard; these figures should not be extended to every export specification.
Position in the range
Both S and SL trims offered both engine sizes. SL meant Sport Luxury, rather than a separate engine specification. Alongside the 1,116 cc option, the larger engine expressed the 128 family’s development into a dedicated sporting coupé.