The 1200 was not fast enough to be considered a sports car, so Fiat decided to take a short cut to this market by using OSCA's existing twin cam engine design.
Chief engineer Dante Giacosa initiated Fiat's relationship with OSCA in a July 1957 meeting with Ernesto Maserati.
In November 1959 the 1500 Cabriolet appeared with this 1491 cc engine, fitted with twin Weber carburettors and developing 80 CV (59 kW).
The Tipo 118 engine was a close relative of the tipo 372 DS unit fitted to the OSCA's MT4 racing car (as well as the later road-going OSCA 1600 GT2 and SP), although Fiat took over production at their Mirafiori factory - now with a cast-iron rather than the original aluminium block.
OSCA bought engines built by Fiat for their own purposes, and fettled those units further.
The new model was called the Fiat 1500 Cabriolet (tipo 118S) and received a wider (non-functional) air scoop on the bonnet, a rev counter, as well as the larger drum brakes from the larger 1800/2100 saloons, and 15-inch wheels.
In July 1960 the name was changed to "Fiat 1500 S Cabriolet," and it now had disc brakes front and rear.
About 1000 of the OSCA-engined 1500/1500 S models were built.

In mid-1962 this engine was replaced with one bored out by 2 mm to 1568 cc.
The twin-cam four of the 1600 S (tipo 118SA) had 90 CV (66 kW) (100 hp SAE).
These cars received a distinctive, assymmetric air intake until 1963 when the 1600 S was facelifted while the 1200 was replaced by the pushrod-engined 1500 Cabriolet.

In 1960 Pininfarina presented a coupé version of the 1500 Cabriolet.
This model, built in small numbers and sold by Pininfarina themselves, received a smaller windscreen as well as a shortened bootlid to accommodate the larger rear windshield.
It remained a strict two-seater and continued to be built with the 1600 engine and after the range was facelifted in 1963.
Fiat also offered a removable hardtop for the Cabriolets.
The 1200 was not fast enough to be considered a sports car, so Fiat decided to take a short cut to this market by using OSCA's existing twin cam engine design. Chief engineer Dante Giacosa initiated Fiat's relationship with OSCA in a July 1957 meeting with Ernesto Maserati. In November 1959 the 1500 Cabriolet appeared with this 1491 cc engine, fitted with twin Weber carburettors and developing 80 CV (59 kW). The Tipo 118 engine was a close relative of the tipo 372 DS unit fitted to the OSCA's MT4 racing car (as well as the later road-going OSCA 1600 GT2 and SP), although Fiat took over production at their Mirafiori factory - now with a cast-iron rather than the original aluminium block. OSCA bought engines built by Fiat for their own purposes, and fettled those units further. The new model was called the Fiat 1500 Cabriolet (tipo 118S) and received a wider (non-functional) air scoop on the bonnet, a rev counter, as well as the larger drum brakes from the larger 1800/2100 saloons, and 15-inch wheels. In July 1960 the name was changed to "Fiat 1500 S Cabriolet," and it now had disc brakes front and rear. About 1000 of the OSCA-engined 1500/1500 S models were built.
In mid-1962 this engine was replaced with one bored out by 2 mm to 1568 cc. The twin-cam four of the 1600 S (tipo 118SA) had 90 CV (66 kW) (100 hp SAE). These cars received a distinctive, assymmetric air intake until 1963 when the 1600 S was facelifted while the 1200 was replaced by the pushrod-engined 1500 Cabriolet.
In 1960 Pininfarina presented a coupé version of the 1500 Cabriolet. This model, built in small numbers and sold by Pininfarina themselves, received a smaller windscreen as well as a shortened bootlid to accommodate the larger rear windshield. It remained a strict two-seater and continued to be built with the 1600 engine and after the range was facelifted in 1963. Fiat also offered a removable hardtop for the Cabriolets.
Fiat Pininfarina Cabriolet