Turn the clock back two-plus decades, however, and you’ll find Fiat poised for a mainstream push. Though the 131 and Regata’s reliability proved iffy at times, the Uno, Tipo and best-selling Panda proved the marque had the makings of a major player. A sleek new mid-size saloon was surely on the cards.
Arriving in 1990, the Tempra was a solid - if predictable - move from the manufacturer. After all, this was a time when the C-segment ruled supreme, and every carmaker had a point to prove and a family saloon to sell.
The Tempra’s impact in Ireland is perhaps more tangible than anywhere else - while the subsequent Marea/Brava/Bravo trio proved popular worldwide, the Tempra found work as an Irish police cruiser, soon scooping our Car of the Year award in 1991.
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| Seen here in Garda guise (Kinolibrary) |
That’s not to say the car was completely without fault, however. A step up from previous Fiat fare it might have been, but electrical gremlins persisted, coupled with poor visibility from the rear and a thirst for oil.
This clearly wasn't enough to put off this Tempra buyer, however - and they're all the better for it. A rather crusty '94 model, it’s been off the road since at least 2011, with the nearby 131 and Croma becoming fixtures of this corner of Bray.
With a 1.9 litre turbodiesel engine under the lid, this Tempra wasn't exactly brimming with pep, only capable of 90bhp upon release. Still, its galvanised construction's worked a treat in the years since, with its only visible rust the result of a large dent on its rear flank.
It could well be the last of its kind left in the country; though I suspect it doesn’t have long left. Pity.
