The naval engines of the 480 series, produced by FIAT's Stabilimento Grandi Motori starting from 1952, were characterized by the relatively small value of the piston stroke compared to the diameter of the cylinders. This design approach, defined as "short stroke", was chosen to make the use of these engines particularly suitable for ferries and passenger ships, in which the configuration of the various decks is such as to maximize the space on board for increasing the payload. This often implies the reduction of the height of the machine rooms and therefore requires the use of engines with reduced dimensions and masses. Thanks to these characteristics, the 480 series engines had a certain diffusion in the 1950s and 1960s. These engines could be produced with a variable number of cylinders according to operational requirements and were capable of providing a power of 300 HP from each cylinder in the naturally aspirated version. Subsequently, various supercharged versions were developed, featuring a power output of 600 HP per cylinder. The normal operating speed of 270-280 rpm allowed both transmission with direct coupling to the propeller and the use of a speed reducer. The piston on display has been partially sectioned by FIAT for educational purposes.