The Type 6616 armoured car was a joint development between FIAT and Otobreda, with the former responsible for the hull and automotive components and the latter for the turret and armament installation. The vehicle shares many common components with the Type 6614 armoured personnel carrier which was manufactured under licence in South Korea for the Korean Army.

The first prototype of the Type 6616 was completed in 1972 and after trials a production order was placed by the Italian government for 40 vehicles for the Carabinieri.

Production of the FIAT - Otobreda Type 6616 armoured car has been completed with 300 vehicles built. Production of the vehicle was undertaken in the FIAT (later IVECO Defence Vehicles Division) facilities at Bolzano with the complete turret, ready for installation on the vehicle, being provided by Otobreda.

The all-welded steel armour hull has an escape hatch on either side.

The driver is seated at the front of the vehicle on the right side and is provided with a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the right with an opening in the roof for a passive night driving periscope. To the front and side of the driver are five vision blocks which cover an arc of 200°, the centre three with a wiper blade.

The all-welded steel turret is in the centre of the hull with the commander on the left and the gunner on the right. Their seats, which can be adjusted for height, are mounted on the turret basket. The commander has nine periscopes for all-round observation and a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the rear. The gunner has a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the rear and a periscope sight mounted in the turret roof forward of the hatch cover. The Alenia P204 gunner's periscope has a magnification of x 1 for general observation and x 8 for aiming purposes in daylight (with a 9° field of view). It can be replaced by a P194 image intensifier with a magnification of x 8 and a 7.9° field of view for engaging targets at night. The periscopic head has an elevation of +60° and a depression of -10°. The radio is mounted in the turret bustle.

The engine compartment at the rear of the hull is separated from the fighting compartment by a fireproof bulkhead. The engine is at the very rear of the hull and is coupled to a manual five-speed transmission from which power is transmitted to the two-speed transfer case and then to the front and rear axles by propeller shafts. Both front and rear differentials are mechanically lockable. The planetary final drives, front and rear, consist of epicyclic gear trains in the wheel hubs.

The suspension, front and rear, is of the independent strut and link type with a helical spring and coaxial rubber bump stop. Each wheel station is provided with hydraulic shock-absorbers and anti-roll bars are fitted as standard. The tyres are of the run-flat type and the steering is power assisted.

Optional equipment includes an NBC system, an air conditioning system, a fire extinguishing system and a front-mounted winch powered by a PTO with a maximum capacity of 4,500 kg and provided with 40 m of 12 mm diameter cable.

The Type 6616 armoured car is fully amphibious, propelled in the water by its wheels. There are four bilge pumps fitted, each with a capacity of 180 litres per minute and it is possible to pressurise the submerged mechanical components.

The main armament consists of a Rheinmetall 20 mm MK 20 Rh 202 cannon. The empty cartridge cases are automatically ejected outside the vehicle. A total of 250 rounds of ready use 20 mm ammunition is carried with a further 150 rounds in reserve. Mounted coaxially over the main armament is a 7.62 mm machine gun with 300 rounds of ready use ammunition, and a further 700 rounds carried in reserve. Mounted on either side of the turret are three 76 mm smoke grenade dischargers which are electrically fired from within the vehicle. If required a 106 mm M40-type recoilless rifle can be mounted forward of the commander's position on the turret roof.

For trials purposes, the Type 6616 armoured car has been fitted with a variety of 25 mm, 60 mm and 90 mm two-man turrets. None of these ever entered production and as the production line for the chassis was closed down some time ago it is considered that none of these will now enter production for the Type 6616 application.

Production complete.