Fiat 126 Poker

The Fiat 126 Poker is a rare and distinctive chapter in the long lineage of Fiat-based coachbuilt vehicles. Conceived in the late 1970s by Carrozzeria Fissore, the Poker reimagined the humble Fiat 126 as an open-top utility vehicle with a purposeful yet playful character. With its minimalist bodywork and airy design, the Poker reflected a philosophy rooted in simplicity, leisure, and utility—qualities that have allowed it to remain intriguing long after its brief production run ended. Carrozzeria Fissore, known for its expressive and functional interpretations of existing platforms, envisioned the Poker as a vehicle suited for unpaved roads, summer outings, and coastal use. It featured a squared, utilitarian body with exposed hardware, tubular door frames, and a canvas roof. The layout was straightforward: a lightweight structure designed around practicality, but with unmistakable charm. The flat panels and open configuration gave it a visual lightness, while its compact dimensions retained the maneuverability of the Fiat 126 on which it was based. Though designed in Italy, the Fiat 126 Poker was not built there. Production was undertaken by Autokinitoviomihania Ellados (Car Industry of Greece), a short-lived Greek manufacturer that saw in the Poker an opportunity to supply a low-cost, adaptable vehicle to a market underserved by international automakers. Assembly began in 1978 and ended in 1984, with just 253 units produced. These were made primarily using Fiat-supplied mechanical components, while the body was locally constructed under Fissore’s design license. Its commercial life was short, but the Poker remains a compelling object of its time—a product of creative design, modest ambition, and a brief moment in which automotive experimentation found space on Europe’s periphery. It never sought to be mainstream, and perhaps that is its lasting appeal. Like the beach cars of the 1960s or the lightweight specials of earlier decades, the 126 Poker evokes a sense of freedom and ingenuity, distilled into an unusually elegant utility form. Today, surviving examples are few. Yet the Fiat 126 Poker endures as a quiet tribute to coachbuilt originality, offering a glimpse into an era when cars could still be both humble and unique.