3.16.2015

Autobianchi: Prestigio. Purezza. Passione.

Benvenuti amici!

One hundred entries! This week, in honor of this benchmark, we focus on the heritage of innovation.

Innovation is difficult. I've always maintained there are only so many new ideas swimming in the river of creativity, at any given time, and all the world fishes from said river. Fishing from the river of creativity is further complicated by the expense of a properly equipped tackle box, one filled with tools capable of hooking a catch worthy of bringing to the mainstream marketplace.


FIAT, always on the cutting edge of automotive development, knows this better than most automakers. Seeking new ways to minimize the astronomical costs of staying on the front lines of invention has forever been… and remains today… an integral element to their success. For forty years (from 1955 through 1995) the automaker found a way, via a partnership with two more Italian industrial dynasties; F.I.V. Edoardo Bianchi S.p.A. and Pirelli & C. S.p.A..




The pairing of FIAT and Bianchi may come as some surprise to most people. FIAT is widely known as a manufacturer of economical runabouts and Bianchi is equally known for being the oldest manufacturer of bicycles… the topnotch variety. But FIAT S.p.A. once manufactured bicycles and Bianchi S.p.A., until their factory was destroyed in the Second World War, manufactured high end coaches. The third partner is, probably, less surprising. Pirelli S.p.A. has always been known as a producer of top grade rubber goods… specifically tires. Their combined effort was an opportunity for each party to capture more market share while minimizing the aforementioned costs of leading their respective industries. They called the new company Autobianchi.


Autobianchi enjoyed the benefit of being new. One could reasonably surmise the only expectation/s from the public, at the time, was that the coaches they produced would be small & somewhat affordable (FIAT) as well as continue a tradition of innovation & prestige (Bianchi). Proposing the relationship with drawings and prototypes in-hand, [Auto]Bianchi entered the market with four Pirellis on the road. The company was further girded with the pure passion of Sr. Dante Giacosa… arguably the most important single figure in history of runabouts. Now, don Giacosa had a proving ground for his inventions as well as a kinship with Bianchi General Manager (GM), Ferruccio Quintavalle. 

It was decided the new marque would produce FIAT-based runabouts with a decidedly keen attention to detail. The first example to make a splash in the Italian market was the Luigi Rapi designed Bianchina. The Bianchina, pictured below, was based on a FIAT that came to market only two months prior… the  Nuova 500. Like the Nuova 500, nicknamed Ciquino, the Bianchina was named for an ancestor model.

Although the FIAT lineage was clear, Sr. Rapi created a much more ornate and upscale version of the famed People's Car. The Cinquecento was marketed as a principle people mover, while the Bianchina was marketed as a second car… presumably for affluent Italians. The additional equipment/features list adding value as well as desirability.

The Bianchina: Adding flash to the People'c Car


Like the legendary Cinquino, the Bianchina was expanded to a full range; the Cabriolet, the Giardiniera, the Panoramica, the Berlina and two van versions. These models would carry Autobianchi through 1963. Six years after the successful launch of the Bianchina, the Milanese company introduced the FIAT 600D-based Stellina. This time the new model would bear no resemblance to the donor car… only sharing its chassis and undeniable Italian-ness.


The Stellina, designed by Tom Tjaarda, is distinguished among all other Italian models & marques by being the country's first ever fiberglass reinforced plastic bodied car. The reinforced panels were mounted on its steel frame. This innovation was reflected in the window sticker price tag. Very few were ever built, and they were only produced two years… when replaced by the somewhat tamer looking and less exclusive Primula.


The importance of the introduction Primula cannot be understated. It marked FIATs return to the front-wheel drive + adoption of Mini's traverse engine configuration, and the first time the company would directly address their British rival. The setup, of course, was introduced to market by British Motor Corporation (BMC)... via the Mini... in 1959. With the 1964 Autobianchi, don Giacosa made some remarkable modifications to (Greek industrial designer) Sir Alec Issigonis' space saving idea. Rather than place the gearbox in a sump, Sr. Giacosa moved it to the end of the engine w/unequal drive shafts. Dante Giacosa would also break from convention when he fitted the Primula with a steel suspension. This meant the rear axle was no longer stationary or 'dead'. These innovations, market tested with the Autobianchi Primula, would quickly become new industry standards. Meeting with favorable reactions, inside & outside Italy, the entire FIAT range would make the move to front-wheel drive and the legacy of this development is found in contemporary FIATs.


Autobianchi would also produce groundbreaking concepts, like the A112 Runabout Bertone. FIAT X1/9 and Lancia Stratos fans will recognize its styling as the basis for their favorite hill climb and rally cars. But, as has always been the case with innovation, the price of staying ahead of the game many a time takes its toll on the brave companies willing to take the bold & necessary chance/s.

Autobianchi Runabout Bertone (1969)

Autobianchi A112 Giovanni Pirinfarina (1973)

As fate would have it, Bianchi finances once again suffered in the '70s and the company was forced to sell its 33% share in Autobianchi to FIAT. This is a development that would, ultimately, result in the marque disappearing… as it was placed under the control of a recently acquired Lancia. Lancia Automobiles S.p.A., a marque also known for innovation, was entering its second rally fame era. The first signs of the impact the pairing would have on the fortune of Autobianchi came in the form of two lazily named models; the A111 and the A112. The A111 was a short-lived entry.

Autobianchi A111

Marketed as a family car, and being the largest of any previous Autobianchi, the A111 was… to many… and unworthy successor to the beloved Primula. Production of the ill-fated model ceased in no more than three years.

However, Autobianchi would follow up their first ever failure with another hit, the A112. Again, FIAT would directly address a segment rival… Innocenti Mini. And, again, the Italian automaker would capture the market and hearts of Italians.

Autobianchi A112

The A112, as any Autobianchi worth its weight should be, was exciting. Its styling was small & sporty, and corresponding ads sold that look in an equally inspiring manner. An ABARTH version quickly followed and further cemented the A112 as an enthusiasts model. The world was changing and, for better or for worse, Autobianchi was changing with it.

Autobianchi A112 ABARTH

In the mid '70s, marketing of the A112 shifted from Autobianchi to Lancia. In 1986, it was replaced by the FIAT Panda-based Lancia Y10 (now, known as the Lancia Ypsilon). Finally, in 1996, the Autobianchi name faded into automotive history. This fading has caused a rift in the Lancia camp. The Ypsilon is very much what made Autobianchis successful, but the model does little to nothing to feed the flame of Lancia rally enthusiasts. It's an unexpected development, filled with drama, controversy and intrigue… perhaps worthy of the Autobianchi of old.


Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

3.08.2015

FIAT at Work: In The City

Benvenuti amici!

For some time, I've been asked if and/or when I intended to write about the FIAT S.p.A./EXOR business with less sex appeal than some better known mechanical creations introduced by the Italian automaker. To most, FIAT is Spiders, Sports Coupés… cool & unique runabouts, family wagons and Multi Purpose Vehicles (MPV). To some, FIAT is even Compact Utility Vehicles (CUV). But FIAT is also nautical, aviation, trains, agricultural and construction machinery. The month of March marks the end of 'seasonal death' & the renewal of life. Working people, from the sparsest rural areas to the densest cities, kick their labor into high gear. In some parts of the world, their work is done with machinery… machinery that also comes from our brand of choice.

Disclaimers: 

1) I am neither an expert nor am I a follower of this area of the Agnelli business. But I believe it is important to make some attempt to include it on this blog… to add some small record of this important part of the FIAT life experience. You may be a little surprised to learn FIAT is at all involved in the work we do at the business end of our commute. 

2) I have chosen to exclude military use vehicles, despite recognizing there were… no doubt… many innovations sponsored by the Axis & Allied sides of the world wars. The work vehicles, listed here, are only meant to give a small glimpse into the historical depth of FIAT activity in these transport segments.


With those declaimers out of the way, allow me to explain what you can expect to find in this entry. Two phases of activity & vehicles are represented here, as the third phase of FIAT Industrial life, CNH Industrial, is relatively new. That chapter has yet to be written.

So, sit back and prepare to (hopefully) learn a bit more about the incredible motorized journey of this Italian dynasty. Read on...

FIAT Veicoli Industriali (FVI) - Established 1903, Defunct 1974

The beginning of Agnelli activity in industry came near as quickly as they put their countrymen on the road (and track). The truck models, of course, were based upon the technological advancements made with their standard people movers. Each new model was purpose-designed and engineered. The first work vehicle produced by FIAT was based on a coach specifically multi-use designed. That's right, folks, shared platforms are not a new concept and the Italians have been creating vehicles on this engineering philosophy from the start.

FIAT 24hp: 1903

From 1903 to 1925, FIAT offered no fewer than sixteen different civil models; trucks & buses. Italy's undeniable place in the new industrial age was forever written set in stone, scribed on paper and etched in metal. There was still much to do. From the time FVI was founded until it was merged with Officine Meccanniche, Lancia Veicoli Speciali, Magirus (German) and Unic (French) to form IVECO, in 1975, FIAT introduced nearly seventy different civil models; tractors, trucks, buses & trolleys. Below are some of the earliest examples of  three of said segments.

FIAT 505F: 1923

FIAT 635R: 1931

FIAT 2472 Viberti: 1958

IVECO (Industriali Veicoli Corporation) - Established 1975

In order to gain market strength, by combining efforts/specialties, three FIAT-owned Italian brands merged with industrial companies from two foreign countries; one from France and one from Germany. The new Torino-based company would share platforms and technological innovations to prop up their respective national motorized industries. Their geographic locations made/make business in Western & Eastern Europe an easy operation. 

Today, IVECO is a brand under which various light, medium and heavy vehicles are sold, since 2012 it has been solely controlled by CNH Industrial (another FIAT S.p.A./EXOR holding). Here are some examples of current FIAT and IVECO industrial models. While parent company names, the styling and sizes have changed quite a bit, the goal remains true to the dream of FIAT S.p.A. founder, don Giovanni Agnelli.

FIAT Doblò a/k/a RAM ProMaster

IVECO Daily Van

IVECO Indicar Mago 2 Midibus

IVECO TurboCity-U 480 Bus

IVECO EuroCargo 

IVECO Stralis

IVECO EuroStar

IVECO Trakker 4x4 Rally Truck

IVECO Magirus Super Dragon X8

IVECO Autokran

Just as we saw FIAT do in personal transport vehicles they did in agriculture, construction and mass transit. The company has always sought the most efficient way to mobilize everyday people. Be it Africa, America, Asia, Europe or Oceania, FIAT is there... helping us get to work and helping us work more effectively. Now, get out there and enjoy your commute. Maybe, you can grab yourself a cappuccino along the way.

IVECO Massif

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@