Fiat is an automobile brand that originated in Italy. Today it is owned by the Stellantis company, based in the Netherlands.
The original Fiat company was founded in Turin in 1899 by a group of 30 investors led by Giovanni Agnelli, an Italian industrialist and socialite. The name Fiat is an acronym of _F_abbrica _I_taliana _A_utomobili _T_orino. 
The Fiat company quickly established itself as a manufacturer of luxury automobiles for the international market. Fiat models won many early automobile races and became popular with automobile enthusiasts. The company manufactured its first aircraft engine in 1908. It introduced the world’s first diesel-electric locomotive in 1922. In the early 1930’s, Fiat began producing small automobiles that ordinary car buyers could afford.
