The Fiat 308 was an intercity coach produced from 1971 to 1978. It was the second Fiat bus, after the 306, designed as a bus rather than derived from a lorry, and it was built at the CANSA works in Cameri, near Novara, as well as supplied as a bare chassis to independent coachbuilders.
Fiat 308 at a glance
| Type | intercity coach |
|---|---|
| Production | 1971–1978 |
| Assembly | CANSA, Cameri (Novara), Italy |
| Predecessor | Fiat 309 |
| Engine | 9,819 cc six-cylinder diesel, type 8200.12 |
| Power | 194 hp |
| Transmission | four- or five-speed manual |
| Layout | engine in the middle of the frame |
| Length | 9.5 m (308), 10.2 m (308L) |
| Seats | 43 + 1 in the 308L |
| Bodywork | CANSA works body, or Menarini, Orlandi, Padane and others |
The article is based on one source, the Italian Wikipedia entry for the Fiat 308. No free photographs of this model were available.
History of the Fiat 308
A bus designed as a bus
Fiat designed the 308 in the early 1970s to replace the Fiat 309. It was only the second bus from Fiat Veicoli Industriali, after the 306, that was not derived from the mechanicals of a lorry, as had been customary until then. It was produced in intercity and gran turismo forms and assembled at the CANSA plant in Cameri, in the province of Novara.
Engine and chassis
The 308 used the 8200.12 engine, a six-cylinder in-line diesel of 9,819 cm³ producing 194 hp, coupled to a four- or five-speed manual gearbox. Its distinguishing feature was the position of the engine in the middle of the frame, a layout known in Italy as a sogliola, a sole.
Versions and use
The 308 was sold as a complete vehicle and as a bare chassis for coachbuilders; among the firms that bodied it were Menarini, Dalla Via, Orlandi, Garbarini, Barbi, Padane and Minerva. Two lengths were catalogued: the 9.5 m 308 and the 10.2 m 308L, the latter with 43 seats plus one. Both were diesel-engined and offered in intercity and gran turismo trim. The model was widely used in Italy, where its versatility suited operators of every kind, and many examples were converted into driving-school vehicles once their line service ended.
Design and features
- Purpose-built bus chassis: the second Fiat bus not derived from a lorry.
- Mid-mounted engine: the 9,819 cc diesel sat in the middle of the frame in the sogliola layout.
- Coachbuilder chassis: sold bare to Menarini, Orlandi, Padane, Minerva and others.
- Two lengths: the 9.5 m 308 and the 10.2 m 308L with 43 + 1 seats.
Fiat 308 versions
- Fiat 308: 9.5 m intercity and gran turismo coach.
- Fiat 308L: 10.2 m version with 43 + 1 seats.
- Chassis for coachbuilders: bodied by Menarini, Dalla Via, Orlandi, Garbarini, Barbi, Padane and Minerva.
The 308 replaced the Fiat 309 and followed the Fiat 306 in Fiat’s bus range, alongside the earlier Fiat 410. More vehicles are in the Fiat collection.
Sources
- Fiat 308, Italian Wikipedia: production dates, engine and gearbox, versions and coachbuilders
