FIAT'S first commercial vehicle arrived in 1903, only a few years after the company had been established in Turin.

Production of that first model, a 24hp truck, was on a small scale but from 1906 its 18/24hp successor was made in large numbers.

The military's requirements during World War One necessitated a significant increase in the output of vehicles of all types, with FIAT commercials being supplied to the armies of most of the European Allies.

Before then, FIAT had introduced its first light commercial with a proper van body, the Tipo 1F, which was based on the Tipo 1 passenger car chassis.

Ideal for local deliveries, it was favoured by the UK's General Post Office, forerunner of Royal Mail.

FIAT's light vans continued to be based on passenger cars, the most successful of the immediately post-WW2 era being the 1100 ALR, derived from the 1100 saloon.

Successor to the FIAT 1100T, the 238 was introduced in 1967 and produced in various versions - van, truck, chassis cab, minibus...