The Cassino Assembly Plant was built in 1972 near
Cassino to build the
Fiat 126. The Fiat 126 was in production until 2000 and was the last Fiat to fit a
rear engine. In 1974, the Fiat
131 was introduced which stayed in production until 1984. Production of the
Fiat Ritmo, a new Italian mid-size car, was kicked off six years after the plant was opened.
Comau Robogate systems were installed in 1978 in the
Fiat Rivalta plant and in Cassino. This highly automated system was designed to facilitate and speed up the tasks of workers in the Body Shop. The plant was now operating at full capacity. Production of a new car – the
Fiat Regata – started in 1983. Over little more than ten years, the plant had become firmly established in the area and employed many locals. New models were introduced including the Fiat Tipo in 1988. The car had a fully galvanized body and the use of new materials forced to modernize the systems. The model would be a best-seller and up to one thousand cars would roll off the lines a day. Production of the Tempra started one year later. The model came in three versions – sedan, wagon and van, named Marengo – and shared many components with the Tipo, such as the engines, the platform, the doors and the suspension. These models were replaced from 1995 to 1996 by a new family of cars: the
Bravo and Brava, the
Marea and the new
Marengo van. The production lines of the Bravo, Brava, and Marea were pulled down to make way for the assembly lines of the Stilo which started production in 2001. The factory underwent yet another major technological advance when the Robogate was retired and replaced by the Open Gate system, which offered more efficient and accurate side panel welding. The production rate of the plant increased and touched 250 thousand cars a year. == List of current cars manufactured ==