This Wonderful Wood and Wicker Wagon Was Made for the Boss of Fiat in 1974

Running a car company comes with a long list of “heavy lies the crown” pros and cons. On one hand, getting caught behind the wheel of a competitor’s car usually sets off a five-alarm panic in the marketing department. On the other hand, you’ve got enough power and money to commission one- and few-off models. That’s exactly what former Fiat boss Gianni Agnelli did in the early 1970s. He wanted a wagon that didn’t exist, so he asked Fiat to build it for him. Four examples of the 130 Familiare were made, and the one that Agnelli owned is for sale.

Born in 1921, Agnelli was the grandson of Fiat founder Giovanni Agnelli, and he ran the family business for 30 years starting in 1966. Fiat was independent at the time, so his company-car choices were relatively limited; He notably couldn’t find a wagon that was big, luxurious, and powerful enough to suit his needs. He asked Fiat’s Centro Stile design department to step in. Designers started with a 130, which was the biggest and most expensive car in the range, and turned it into a wagon with an elegant, boxy silhouette and wood-look exterior trim.

Agnelli reportedly played a big role in creating his à la carte wagon. He requested silver paint, the aforementioned wood-look panels, a roof rack with a cool-looking wicker basket, and, oddly, an asymmetrical third brake light added to make life easier for the security team that followed him. Fiat outsourced production to an Italian coachbuilder named Officina Introzzi. Agnelli took delivery of the 130 Familiare in 1974, kept it in St. Moritz, Switzerland, and used it mostly to go skiing. Three more wagons were built (including one for Agnelli’s brother).

RM Sotheby’s, the auction house selling the 130 Familiare, says power comes from a 2.8-liter V6 engine, though the “3200” emblem on the hatch suggests it’s the 3.2-liter V6 that was also available. Regardless, the six spins the rear wheels via a three-speed automatic gearbox.

Agnelli kept the 130 Familiare until 1985. The wagon then went through the hands of several private owners, and it has appeared at several big-name events in recent memory, including the 2014 Villa d’Este Concours d’Elegance and the 2022 edition of The Ice at St. Moritz.

Bidding opens on April 20, 2025, and the 130 is offered with no reserve so the highest bidder will take it home. Don’t let the Fiat emblem on the grille fool you into thinking it’s going to sell for a few thousand bucks. RM expects the wagon to go for anywhere between €170,000 and €300,000 excluding the buyer’s premium, figures that convert to about $185,000 and $327,000, respectively, at the current conversion rate.

Yikes! That’s a lot of money for a 1970s Fiat—and I say this as the proud(ish) owner of a 1970s Fiat. For context, RM sold a 1973 Fiat 130 Coupe that looks like it was in exceptional condition for 17,250 Swiss Francs (about $20,000) in 2023, and a gorgeous, V6-powered 1967 Fiat Dino went for $81,200 in 2021. Then again, this isn’t an ordinary 1970s Fiat, so it may very well be worth supercar money. The market will decide.

Two other cars owned by Agnelli are looking for a new home via an RM auction that opens on April 20. The man clearly liked wagons: He took delivery of a new, Zagato-built Lancia Thema Familiare in 1985. It’s one of two units built, and it could sell for up to €160,000 (about $175,000). Finally, we have a 1986 Fiat Panda 4×4 that Agnelli bought new to use in Switzerland and kept for 15 years. It was recently given a complete restoration, according to the auction description, and it’s presented as “arguably the finest Panda 4×4 in existence.” Which might be true, it looks pretty much new, but RM expects that the little hatchback will sell for up to $44,000. Stop the world; I’d like to get off, please.

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