See why a Fiat 126 is the BEST car for driving in London! 

If you refuel the Maluch, you will double its value.

Maluch doesn't rust! It is only fully biodegradable.

Difference between Maluch and Maluch Sport model? - Maluch Sport comes with a tennis ball on the tow hook

Maluch can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 2.74 seconds ... ... when in free fall.

- Maluch is a quiet car. - Sure but that's only because your knees are blocking your ears.

Thank you Mat for reminding us about the participation of the great Polish 303 Squadron in defending England. Brave guys.

When I was a kid, the belt in the engine snapped when we were driving on vacation. My dad used my moms pantihose as a substitute and it worked.

This sound! The sound of this Maluch’s engine. The sound of my childhood:)

The flopping down mirror is actually a feature. They were designed that way so they'd fold down after certain speed to improve aerodynamics.

I remember the day they were ceasing the 126 production, Polish Radio 3 had a special about it with a phone in. The listeners were very nostalgic about that funny little imitation of a car. One guy said he and a mate, on student holidays, had travelled vast swathes of Eurasia in it, usually carrying some spare parts and tools with them. Best thing about it was its level of complexity - or rather - lack thereof. One time it broke down somewhere in Kazakhstan, they took the whole engine out and fixed it in a public toilet. He said he was over 190 cm tall and had since had numerous "normal" cars, he still felt very emotional about the Maluch in which he'd travelled so much. Nearly everyone in Poland who remembers the 126, has some stories about them...

This was my family car and we drove if from Poland over the Alps into Italy. Great workhorse and easy to fix. It was only when I got older and when we came back Poland for a visit that I realized how small it truly was. Upon our escape from Poland in 86’ we gave two nuns a ride when we got into Italy, it was tight. But looking back it must have been a scene 4 adults and two children getting out of the Maluch. Good work Mat for getting yourself one and in the process allowing me to remember my journey and allowing me to show my son what the car looked like.

Another funny polish joke about Maluch is that is already started rusting in the catalogue 😂

12 minutes of Matt breaking the rules in his fiat 126

The Fiat 126p used to rust already in the catalogues - that's an old saying my dad used and he owned a 126p in the 80s (fun fact, also in Katowice)

Great that you mentioned Polish Squadron 303. Good work Matt, greetings from Poland :)

Film o Maluchu: ma malucha Polacy: *allow me to introduce myself*

Thank you for bringing back some great memories of my youth! I spent lots of time in a 126p. Here are some ideas of how to enhance your 126p experience: 1. Take it down some dirt/grave/sandy roads, or maybe even on a beach. As it is very light, rear engined, and rear wheel drive, it gets through the loose/sandy stuff surprisingly well, and, in turns with loose surfaces, it is a 911 at 1/10th scale! 2. It is great for chauffeuring a person around: Remove the front passenger seat, and have your distinguished guest enjoy limo-scale legroom without stirring any anti-bourgeois backlash. You can have your luxury cake & eat it too :-). 3. Use it as a nimble in-town transporter: Remove the front passenger seat, slap on a luggage rack, and be the coolest and most effective courier around. The guys/gals from UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc. will turn green with envy, as will the bike courier folks. 4. Get a N126 caravan trailer, hook it up to your 126p (don't forget to gap the rear hood for better cooling) and go on holiday! The folks with the expensive teardrop trailers will match colors with the couriers mentioned above when they see you pull into the campground. 5. The 126p is a great car to teach somebody how to drive with (that is how I learned): It requires precision and concentration, and is great at teaching somebody how to drive by feeling. Also, in most cases, a little slip up at the controls can be compensated for easily and doesn't risk a major accident. It is a great at teaching smooth inputs, because, if you can become a smooth driver in a 126, your should be able to manage any other more modern automobile with aplomb. I hope this helps, and thank you once again for the trip down memory lane!

The Maluch has full approval of Vatican: it is impossible to sin in it.

Hey Matt. True story . Maluchs at one point were so cheap that my friend bought it for 50 zloty which is roughly £10 back in the day .

My dad would drive me around city in his maluch when I was a baby, because apparently I wouldn’t shut up and go to sleep the other way xD.

You can't even imagine what Maluch is for Poland. This car pretty much motorised most of our families back in the day, in deep f* comunism... My dad had 16 of these in his life. Most used in driving school... Had actually mine as well... They had price like a bicycle in my youth, lol xD

„...hold my Żubr” lol

So when is the drag race ?

Drag Race Idea: Maluch vs running Yianni

I drove an FSM Niki in 1991/2 for a few months and loved it. I found 70-kph ( 42-49mph) ok, 90kph (55mph) thrilling... I once wound it out to 112 kph (68mph) on a flat and that was thrilling too, but in the "I'm 19 and nothing can hurt me!" sense... but the time that taught me about being lucky was beyond any thrill and also terrifying. down a very long hill that little Niki got out of hand. it engine braked well enough for the less steep section and then once the steeper remaining decline had begun those little drum brakes went for a holiday. no idea how accurate that speedo is but I turned the engine off after it hit 125kph around a sweeping right hand bend. I figured the engine was the only brake I had and I had two choices. let it spin hard and maybe go beyond redline to destruction, or use the stopped engine's internal inertia to hold it back. I chose pulsing the clutch to spin the engine up then release it to allow the engine to slow, hoping that friction, inertia and compression slowed it. It worked, we got to the bottom of that run (there were 3 on board!) and took a break. I'm sure it would have went much worse if I'd let the motor spin as it wasn't really holding the car back once the thing sounded like hell in a bucket. The damn thing was hurtling down one section of that decline at about 147kph ( too fcuking fast) before it thankfully levelled a little. Yet I have wanted one ever since, and still do to this day.

I remember my parents and me aged 10 travelling from Poland to Italy in that one. I also remember how embarassing it was to be overtaken by trucks on a highway...

This is the best old school Top Gear review I've seen. I love the content Mat! Keep it simple and classy

Once, during a polish university student's holiday (Juwenalia - you can wiki it ;)), me and my friends saw a guy in Fiat 126p trying to move across a river of young people celebrating their holiday. Since everyone was too busy to leave a gap for the guy, me, my friends and couple of friendly students (6 men in total) lifted up the Fiat, moved with it above our heads across the human river, and delivered the car safely on the other bank :D Glory days :)

Screw the ferrari and lambo car vlogs I lile this better

You Sir, are positively bonkers. This car suits you xD 126p is not a car. It is a mobile story writer. When my dad bought it first, it broke down in the middle of a railway crossing on the way home. He bought it when my mom was pregnant, already in the hospital waiting for her term with me :D Later he decided to paint it. His friend who agreed to paint it left the car outside at some point and it started to rain... So for some time we had it piebald orange :3

6:34 Hold my Żubr, hahaha good one mate, for that you get a like, you even said the beer's name correctly

Spent some time in Krakow PL last month, saw just 2 or 3 of these beastirettes. I thought they are already dissolved by the sands of time! Iconic! More vids with Fiat, please)) Greetings from Ukraine.

This is so lovely! I just admire how much fun you've got with the car. My parents used to drive one when I was small. And I saw one in Dagenham last summer. A huge thumbs up for the Polish War Memorial in Northolt!

I’m not polish, but in Serbia we call this car ‘peglica’ which roughly means small clothes iron.

In former Yugoslavia it was a super popular car. It has a nickname "Peglica" [pronounced peglica, not peg-Lica] that means small iron (clothes iron). It is almost exclusively known by this name in that region. Original nick name in the region for the car was Tetrapak (Tetra Pak) as it resembled a carton of milk. After the refreshed model came to Yugoslavia under the designation "Polski Fiat 126P GL". Since PeGLa is a clothes iron and the car is small (ica being a suffix for making something miniature), the car got a nickname Peglica.

i remember when I was young, my mum said you always need two of these ... one for each foot!

Hold my żubr(polish beer) is the best part 😂

Hahaha I can't stop laughing, your pronunciation in polish is so funny :D I love your videos and I am waiting for more!

seeing matts shenanigans treating london like a playground has to be the best content on youtube

The funny story about the Polish 303 squadron was that the British kept doubting their performance with the kill count of German planes. British ministry kept sending officers to observe the Polish pilots in action to see if they are exaggerating. The assigned officers kept going back singing such high praises that in turn they were also mistrusted - resulting in sending another officer to observe... which lead to sending more officers to audit... which brought them back to square one. They had several go before they gave up. "A Question of Honor: The Kosciuszko Squadron: Forgotten Heroes of World War II" written by Lynne Olson and Stanley Cloud is a great book on the subject. Reads like an action novel.

In Croatia we call those "Peglica", meaning a tiny clothing iron!

You have a sticker with a green leaf, it means the beginning driver :)

The level of chaotic energy in this video is just... and the laugh!

I think that it would be interesting to see a drag race between 126p and some old Mini.

What do Maluch and a Mercedes have in common? The crumple zone ends in the engine bay

Greatings from Poland! The motto is: the position of the driver in the Maluch resembles the famous medieval engraving: peasant in pillory.

Hi. You can avoid this sound when put 1 gear if you put 2 gear first. Push clutch,put 2 gear ,it will be synchronized . Put 1 gear. Better for transmission.

When a smart car looks like a SUV vs an avrg "compact" car from the past.

MAD respect for these videos, even though I haven't been born in Poland, you have certainly sparked a feeling of nostalgia, melancholy and pride of my ancestry.

Describe this car in two words: - "Oh, kurwa"

In that Maluch, you drive like Mr Bean would in his Mini

"hołd my żubr" make my day 😂😂👍. 126 is my first car. I love him.

No sayings from me, but my parents are both from Poland and love the Maluch. They loved the video too, it really brought them back.

Back in the day, when you bought the Maluch, instead of giving you a spare key the factory gave you a broom stick.

Some of this stuff is so illegal 😂

Oh dude - me and 3 of my mates in my green Maluch going for camping holiday with BoomBox playing KAliber44 - summer 1997 I think - we had some problems going uphills but this is when `ssanie` was handy .... amazing you are driving the Legend. good luck !

I love this sound of maluch accelerating

Matt - I have a 128 when I was at uni. Great cars. went like the clappers. 1300cc, SOHC and a Weber. awesome.

UK cities look like one of the worst places to drive

Love how humble this guy is driving a little fiat around town. Unlike some other people on carwow

Greetings from Poland xd you made my day :-)

I'm Polish but I drive a classic mini here in the UK. Kind of want a maluch now too...

My Mum had two of these in the 1970s. In the first one we moved from Tadworth, Surrey to South Devon, and us three children and my Mum had to make the journey in a 126 with a very leaky sunroof... on a very rainy day. That journey will stay with me for the rest of my life. Dad, meanwhile, made the same journey by himself in his brand new Vauxhall VX2300, but I doubt he had as much fun. Although, according to your other video on this car, they would have been Polish, they were not badged as 'Polksi Fiat'.

lmaooo reversing through a drive through. I subbed

I almost freaked out when he just carelessly drives into the opposite lane, and there's a car coming towards him. I got it only a couple seconds later.

The trick with fixing Maluch's little foibles is doing it on the side of the road with whatever you can find in the hedge. Once, my dad fixed a faulty thermostat with a small stone on our trip to the lake. It stayed like that for next few months and worked perfectly. Try doing that in the X5

There’s a funny connection between the 303 and Maluch - the person who immortalised the squadron in his 1942 book was Arkady Fiedler, a renowned traveller and travel writer. His grandson, also named Arkady, is known for his affection towards this car and actually drove his Maluch from Egypt to South Africa a couple of years ago. The entire journey was filmed and is available on RU-vid.

Mat i believe those cars are great for a 1.2 16v punto engine swap.

love the fact your driving around where I spent most of my youth, that stretch of the A40 used to be a good bit of road and of course it takes us back home to Walsall.

Did you know that the Maluch stared in an anime called FLCL? :D It appeared in the 5th episode :D I recommend checking it out!

Polski Fiat have "AWR" System - Active Weight Reduction System

Funny little thing... these were also popular in Hungary and now they cost about the same as a mkIV Golf. They were called Kispolszki or "little polski/pole". There's an awesome mod to them: you put in a 1000 cm3 engine in it from a hungarian made Suzuki Swift and it'll fly!

11:30 "My stering wheel is here..." 🤣🤣🤣

I drove one of these around Moscow on a soviet tour. Was a great - albeit slightly nerve racking- experience!

In Hungary we call it "kis polák" means "small Polish" (sort of) or also " kis polszki" which means "small polski". Anyway, Polak Wegier dwa bratanki..

Both my parents had driving license exam in this car. Polish car icon

Maluch, Fiat126p. That brings memories. I had a neighbors, looong time ago, and they had maluch. Father, mother, son, and daughter. 500kg kilograms at least. Every summer they went on vacation in the maluch, and and every summer the whole neighborhood stood in the windows and watched them doing it.

you should go to Poland to a Maluch meet, so you can see what people do to them

When I was 5 I was sleeping on back seat and it got rear ended. You just reminded me of that day. 👍

You made me laugh so hard Mat :))!!!! When I was a child we had one of this magic car , 4 people in and a huge suit case on top and we were ready to go all around Poland , amazing times :) !!!

this reminds me my childhood, i was 14 when ive been driving this beauty Maluch:)

I had few, loved it. Mine was doing around 70mph and was overtaking everything (yes I was stupid). My friends girlfriend pushed out windscreen with her legs while trying to have SSX in on of those. It was pleasure to watch. Thank you for going to Memorial, by grandfathers brother - bombardier was shout down on coast of Holland.

Great video! We'd love to see more of your Maluch! :)

The iconic Polish car! We had it and it took like 12 hours to come from Łódź to seaside!

Poland Stronk!! Thanks for showing the maluch

It's like watching a much more attractive mr bean in his mini!! Love this video 🤣🤣🤣

Now imagine mom and dad with two children going on three weeks vacation. yep. Thats my childhood :)

Haha Polski Maluch!! They say.. you dont need soundproofing in 126p because you stop/plug all the noises with your knees :P Rewelacja! Magnificent Little Comunistic Car 😎😆 And a green leaf for fresh drivers! Pozdrowienia Matt! Best Regards Matt from PL!! You are like Tom Hanks right now - He is also a 126p Fanatic ❤️

You seem to like Polish people thank you Matt! Have you ever been in Poland?

I remember in late 80ties my parents friend form GB came to Poland with his Ford Scorpio. Imagine what did I feel when I was taken for a trip with this Ford when only car that i knew was Maluch 126p. This car always reminds me how we were economically backward those times.

Few jokes about fiat 126: - Why fiat 126p has heated rear window?...so it could warm up your hands when you push it in winter. - Two blond girls coming back to parked "maluch", one open a bonnet and shouts "f.. my engine is stolen!" other one telling her "no worries you have spare one in a trunk". - When "maluch" is fastest?...when on tow. - Why you don't need ear plugs in "maluch"?...because your ears are cover by your knees anyway. - Why "maluch" did not moved forward on green light? ...its engine broke or that was bit of chewing gum on tarmac. - Apparently Polish DVLA will ban seat belts in fiats 126...to many drivers used fiats 126 as back packs. Again lovely "maluch" Matt and respect for short -Poland/UK- history lesson (recently it could be needed for some). Regarding side mirror...two option as usually sticky tape on the bottom or plastic replacement from later model.

Wikipedia says that most of these were produced in a city I was born in. Explains why they were everywhere when I was growing up! My dad was considered posh when he upgraded to VW Polo. Love how much fun you have with it 😄

Why are width restrictions even there like wtf is up with Uk

Your Door mirror is floppy because was build for italian parking. When you will come in Italy you will understeand 😁😁😁

Maluch was a Polish car introduced in the hard times of Poland, when Russians took over the goverment. Many outsiders might think it was life saver for teenagers and people who wants to escape. But little do they know, we were drivings those cars from the mountains on the south to the sea on the north for 8 hours with full family. And It was delightful.

do a fuel run around londun in each of your cars to see what costs you the least amount of money PLZ

Fiat 126 is a great car. In my family we own a '78 Personal4 model. I drove it at 135km/h with 6 friends 😂 and at 140km/h alone😁😱 on a motorway descent. It carries loads in the countryside. We love it😍 and we love the Polish people which has always valued it. Sorry for my English 😉. Ciao 🖐🏻🇮🇹

I've got my history lesson for today!👍😁

Hold my żubr XD Mat I was your fan even before this video now I'm in love with you

In the 80s our family ( my parents, my 3 siblings and I ) used to go on vacation on this car. It was totally jam packed and we were riding on some worst roads you could imagine. We used to sit on packs of clothing and duvets. Or between them. Without air-co in the summer heat. In the middle of the way I was throwing up, my sister was throwing up and so was my younger brother.