Benvenuti amici!
A few entries past, I wrote about the ABARTH-Giannini rivalry (and my desire to see the modern 500T marketed as a Giannini 500TV). Those carrozzerias, or coach builders, enjoyed long and mutually beneficial relationships with FIAT S.p.A., while the runabout market took root & grew worldwide. In fact, one did so well the Agnellis bought the company and the 'Scorpio Rising' badge is inseparable from that of its parent company.
But there were other carrozzerias building MODern Art on Wheels for the Italo-global automotive legend. There was a time the notoriety of these brilliant houses of design genius rivaled the fame of the source of their commissions. That time seems to have all but passed. Matt DeLorenzo, former Road & Track Editor-in-Chief, speculated the end of the Carrozzeria Age in a 2012 piece published by AutoBlog. To his credit, several Italian design houses & coach builders no longer exist. But I would like to believe there is still a place for these kinds of exciting & innovative industrial art groups.
Gruppo Bertone, Carrozzeria Pietro Frua, Carrozzeria Ghia Torino, Carrozzeria Francis Lombardi, Carrozzeria Pininfarina S.p.A. and Carrozzeria Zagato Srl Milano have designed and/or built many of the most breathtaking coaches of and for any brand from the moment they hit the auto show circuit, the street, the track or… in some cases… the beach. This entry will focus on those houses and some of the special models they brought to market. Read on.
Gruppo Bertone, most beloved by many FIATisti for their design and later work manufacturing the 1972 X1/9, was founded in 1912. But the first Bertone-designed FIAT was the 1921 501 Sport Siluro Corsa. This would be their first high performance sports car… the herald of what would scribe the family name on the hearts of Italian automobile aficionados. Some of the next major steps for the group were the FIAT 527S Ardita 2500, the FIAT 1500 Aerodinamica and the FIAT 1500 Torpedo.
Following the WWII, the Bertones would continue their focus on performance cars. Sporty continues to be the calling card of Bertone design style. It is the single most distinguishing factor between the offerings of the design house and that of its carrozzeria comrades & competitors.
In 1965, the House of Bertone introduced the Seicento-based FIAT 850 Spider and the company found themselves reaching new levels of popularity as well as entering a new era in design & manufacturing. Gruppo Bertone continues today as a design house marque.
These carozzerias are very easily mistaken for one another. This is mostly due to don Pietro Frua selling his thirteen years young carrozzeria to Ghia, in 1957, and being appointed their Design Chief. The earliest known example of Frua design is the 1946 FIAT 1100C Spider. Carrozzeria Ghia, with don Frua at the design helm, also produced several memorable concepts for FIAT… their hometown hero. The designs from Frua | Ghia are whimsical.
In 1973, Ghia was sadly reduced to a top trim level at Ford Motor Company. But the absurdly exclusive spirit of true Ghias lives on through surviving carrozzerias… such as Castagna Milano.
Perhaps the best known Italian design house, Pininfarina is named after its founder… Battista 'Pinin' Farina. Since 1930, the industrial art maestro has been consulting, designing and building for some of the top brands in Italy, France, the USA, China and Korea. The Farina family business sets the gold standard for industries beyond automotive and has influenced industrial design for decades. Don Battista broke away from his father's business, Stabilimenti Farina, and began the founding process of his own in 1928. The first known builder to use the unibody technique, don Farina hit the ground with all four wheels leaving dust in their wake.
At the end of Italy's involvement in the WII, Pininfarina would introduce what would be credited with formally establishing the brand… the Cisitalia 202 Coupé… and the world of automobile design would never be the same. Even today, their performance models are always tempered with the Farina touch of undeniable elegance.
Two is company and three… according to Bertone & Pininfarina... is better company. In the opinion of this fan, no self-respecting FIATista would leave Zagato off their list of Top 5 design carrozzerias. Setting up his own automobile & aeronautical repair shop, don Ugo Zagato aimed to learn from both industries and combine them to create what he thought a motorized coach should be… light & fast. It comes as no surprise, then, that Zagato often teamed with don Karl 'Carlo' Abarth to create some of the fastest (and wildest looking) FIATs of their time.
The market has most certainly changed. As the, now, very much global business forces automakers to find more efficient & affordable ways to bring their investments in industrial design to showrooms. Ofttimes, localization is the most effective approach to achieving this. Carrozzerias have been purchased or left to close their doors in the process. But the burning heart of the Italian coach builder has not stopped beating.
Romeo Ferraris Srl Milano is one of the most exciting things happening on the car culture scene. Their brilliantly outrageous takes on FIATs and ABARTHs rival those of their Bertone & Zagato ancestors. We can see the influence they are having on hot hatch style and performance.
Exhibit A: The first modern 500 to take place in the Gumball 3000 Rally was a Ferraris work of industrial art. The ABARTH division of FIAT S.p.A. answered with the ABARTH 695 Biposto Official Car of Gumball 3000 2014. Need further proof of Romeo Ferraris level of awesome? Check out their website and Facebook page to learn more.
We can help these brave bastions of passion live on by continuing to support them in communicating our interest in the availability of their offerings. Their price tags may not fit into the budget of every fan, but their spirit keeps mainstream designers and 'garagisti' on their toes. And that's good for every petrol head on the planet.
A few entries past, I wrote about the ABARTH-Giannini rivalry (and my desire to see the modern 500T marketed as a Giannini 500TV). Those carrozzerias, or coach builders, enjoyed long and mutually beneficial relationships with FIAT S.p.A., while the runabout market took root & grew worldwide. In fact, one did so well the Agnellis bought the company and the 'Scorpio Rising' badge is inseparable from that of its parent company.
FIAT | ABARTH: A Perfect Match
Carrozzeria Piancenti | Italia
Carrozzeria/Gruppo Bertone | Torino
Following the WWII, the Bertones would continue their focus on performance cars. Sporty continues to be the calling card of Bertone design style. It is the single most distinguishing factor between the offerings of the design house and that of its carrozzeria comrades & competitors.
FIAT 500 | Barchetta
FIAT | ABARTH 1500 Biposto
FIAT 850 Spider
FIAT | ABARTH 1000 OT Spider
FIAT | Dino Coupé
FIAT X1/9
Carrozzeria Pietro Frua | Torino
Carrozzeria Ghia | Torino
FIAT 500 Frua
FIAT 1500 GT Ghia
FIAT 500 + 600 Jolly Ghia
Carrozzeria Francis Lombardi
Gone long before its time, Carrozzeria Francis Lombardi was active from 1950 through their closing in 1973. Don Lombardi focused exclusively on luxury versions of already well-established production models. On his 'greatest hits' list are; the FIAT 1100, the FIAT 1400, the FIAT 1800 and the FIAT 2300 limousine… the world's first 'Popemobile'. Lombardi also focused on 4-dr versions of established FIATs. They (the 600, 850 and 127) carried the Lucciola monicker. But the most successful Lombardi design was the FIAT 500 'My Car'.
Carrozzeria Pininfarina S.p.A.
At the end of Italy's involvement in the WII, Pininfarina would introduce what would be credited with formally establishing the brand… the Cisitalia 202 Coupé… and the world of automobile design would never be the same. Even today, their performance models are always tempered with the Farina touch of undeniable elegance.
FIAT 1100TV GT
FIAT 1300/1500
FIAT 2300 S Coupé
FIAT 124 Spider
FIAT | Dino Spider
FIAT | Dino Ginevra
The House of Farina has consistently created brand defining and industry inspiring designs. Their signature style can be easily identified in many disciplines. Visit the Pininfarina S.p.A. site & Facebook page to learn more.
Carrozzeria Zagato Srl | Milano
FIAT 500B | Panoramica
FIAT | ABARTH 500 Coupé
FIAT | ABARTH 750 GT
FIAT | ABARTH 850 Record Monza
FIAT 500 Z-ECO
FIAT 500 Coupé Zagato
In the present day, and likely into the future, Zagato Milano continues to offer designs that evoke the feeling of speed… even when parked curbside. I, for one, would not have it any other way.The market has most certainly changed. As the, now, very much global business forces automakers to find more efficient & affordable ways to bring their investments in industrial design to showrooms. Ofttimes, localization is the most effective approach to achieving this. Carrozzerias have been purchased or left to close their doors in the process. But the burning heart of the Italian coach builder has not stopped beating.
Romeo Ferraris Srl Milano is one of the most exciting things happening on the car culture scene. Their brilliantly outrageous takes on FIATs and ABARTHs rival those of their Bertone & Zagato ancestors. We can see the influence they are having on hot hatch style and performance.
Exhibit A: The first modern 500 to take place in the Gumball 3000 Rally was a Ferraris work of industrial art. The ABARTH division of FIAT S.p.A. answered with the ABARTH 695 Biposto Official Car of Gumball 3000 2014. Need further proof of Romeo Ferraris level of awesome? Check out their website and Facebook page to learn more.
FIAT | ABARTH Cinquone
Vivere.Amare.Guidare.
Ciao!
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