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The Lancia Aurelia Fuoriserie

Lancia Aurelia Fuoriserie

The Lancia Aurelia chassis history

From the moment the Lancia Aurelia was unveiled to the public at the Turin Motor Show in April 1950, Lancia put a coachbuilder’s chassis under construction alongside the classic saloon (B10). According to the Turin company’s forecasts, production of this chassis – named B50 (B51 in the version to accommodate heavier bodies) – should reach at least a thousand units. Despite Lancia’s fortunate commercial move, which included three Lancia Aurelia Fuoriserie versions with special bodywork in its price list (the Pininfarina cabriolet and the Stabilimenti Farina coupé both on the B50 chassis and the Viotti ‘Giardinetta’ on the sturdier B51 floorpan), demand, while not despicable, did not live up to expectations. The reasons are to be found in the unexceptional performance (due to the underpowered 1.8-litre engine in relation to the weight) and the very high prices with which these cars face the market (which start at 2.5 million for the Viotti ‘Giardinetta’ but reach as much as 4 million in the ‘fuoriserie’ versions with luxury finishes made by various coachbuilders).

It should be noted that, in addition to the Viotti ‘Giardinetta’, two other Lancia Aurelia Fuoriserie ‘station wagons’ were built – again on the B51 chassis: one in 1950, by Frua and a second in 1951, built by the Monterosa coachbuilder. After the production of 584 chassis (485 ‘B50s’ and 99 ‘B51s’), in 1952 – perhaps a little late – the chassis were fitted with the 2-litre engine that delivered around 70 HP and took on new names (B52 for the normal chassis, B53 for the heavier bodies), but by this time the sector was overcrowded and production numbers were very limited: 184 units (98 B52s and 86 B53s).

In 1954, with the release of the ‘second series’ of the Aurelia with its 2.3-litre engine, the sale of the chassis came to an end. Fourteen were still produced in 1955/56 (called B55 and B56, with the suffix ‘S’ for left-hand drive), but these were either for internal use or bodied as one-offs almost exclusively by Pininfarina, such as the famous ‘Florida’ series. For completeness of information, it should also be mentioned that in 1953 a special B60S chassis was also built, fitted with a B20 type engine and intended for a special car for the State Police. Altogether, therefore, the Aurelia chassis built between 1950 and 1956 reached 783 units.

Aurelia B50-B51

At the same time as the B10 saloon, ‘naked’ coachbuilder chassis for Lancia Aurelia Fuoriserie came onto the market in two slightly different versions: the B50, which we would describe as ‘normal’, and the B51, which was more suited to accommodate heavier bodies. The differences are minimal: the B51 mounts larger tyres and a ‘shorter’ axle ratio. Otherwise, the two chassis are identical and mount the B10’s 1.8-litre engine.

It should be noted that Pininfarina, Stabilimenti Farina and Viotti put into production – albeit in limited quantities – the respective Cabriolet, Coupé and Giardinetta (Station Wagon) versions, which Lancia included in its official price list. The Cabriolet and Coupé are built on the B50 chassis, while Viotti’s Stationwagon is built on the B51. At the end of the day, very few Coupés were built at Stabilimenti Farina, while production of Cabriolets and Giardinettas was more substantial: Pininfarina built just under three hundred cabriolets (265 ‘normal’ and twenty or so in ‘special layout’), while Viotti’s Giardinettas numbered close to fifty (47 or 48 according to sources). The other B50 chassis were used by almost all the major Italian coachbuilders (Allemano, Balbo, Boneschi, Canta, Ghia, Pininfarina, Stabilimenti Farina, Vignale) to make their custom-built cars, while the remaining B51 chassis served as the basis for the saloons made by Boneschi, Frua, Ghia, Pininfarina and a small number of giardinettas made by the Monterosa coachbuilder.

The Lancia Aurelia B51 Giardinetta by Carrozzeria Monterosa

During production, there was only one major change: the increase in the compression ratio from 6.85:1 to 7.00:1.

The success of these Lancia Aurelia Fuoriserie chassis is good but not exceptional: the relatively modest engine power (which penalises performance) and the prices charged by coachbuilders, which are rather high and in some cases reach costs that are double of the standard saloon, have held back their spread.

Aurelia B52-B53

In 1952, perhaps a little belatedly, Lancia fitted the Aurelia chassis to be supplied to coachbuilders with the more powerful 2-litre engine already adopted on the B21 saloon. The new chassis, thus equipped, were named B52 and B53: the B52 replaced the B50 and was the normal chassis, while the B53 replaced the B51 and was the one intended for the bulkier and heavier bodies.

These two-litre engine chassis – the production of which did not even reach 200 units – were used, like their predecessors, by the most renowned Italian coachbuilders and also by some foreign coachbuilders (such as the Swiss Beutler and Worblaufen). On the B52 chassis, Pininfarina built, among others, almost all of the famous PF200s, while the 1952 Vignale coupé designed by Giovanni Michelotti (and built in several, even slightly different, examples), and the Ghia-Boano Junior, a coupé that came in two versions, are worth mentioning: the first, of 1952, rather conventional, and the ‘Boano-Junior 2’ of the following year, which instead caused a sensation due to the boldness of its line (of the front in particular). It should be noted that this last ‘Junior’, built by Ghia, was also the design of Gian Paolo Boano, the son of Felice Mario Boano. Father and son, ousted from Ghia in 1953, opened their own coachworks the following year. The B53 chassis – on which Viotti still built a few “giardinettas” and which other coachbuilders used for larger cars – was also used for the proposal of a military torpedo that the Italian Army rejected in favour of the corresponding model on an Alfa Romeo 1900 chassis.

Aurelia B60S

It is reported that in 1953, Lancia built a single speciment numbered B60S-1001, a special chassis with independent four-wheel suspension (therefore similar to the B52), fitted with a B20 type engine (whose displacement cannot be defined with certainty, which was probably 2 litres but theoretically could also have been 2.5 litres). This chassis appears to have been intended for a special police car, built to ministerial specifications.

A car built on the bodywork of the Aurelia berlina (type B21/B22) was in the Italian State Police force at the time. A picture of this car appears on page 17 of issue 31 (year 1990) of the Italian magazine ‘Ruoteclassiche’. Of course it is not certain that this berlina corresponds to the B60S chassis.

Aurelia B55-B55S-B56-B56S

In 1954, when the ‘second series’ of the Aurelia saloon with the 2.3-litre engine came out, construction of the chassis (B52, B53) for the coachbuilders ended. In the following two years (1955-56), however, according to Lancia’s production records, 14 chassis with the 2266 cm³ engine were still being built. This very limited production is marked by the initials B55 and B56, which, as in the case of the earlier B52 and B53, identify two chassis differing from each other only in the value of the axle ratio adopted. Basically, these B55 and B56 chassis (B55S and B56S if left hand drive) are used for “internal use” by the company or as the basis for some very special Pininfarina creations: a B55 chassis (with a shortened wheelbase) that gives rise to the last coupé of the PF200 series, a B56 chassis that is bodied as a limousine, plus 4 or 5 B56 chassis that house the bodies of the “Florida” series. It should be noted that two chassis from this series were also sold to Ghia, which made a coupé and a limousine. The one-off ‘Florida 2’ released in autumn of 1957, Battista Farina’s personal car, was instead built on the first Flaminia-type chassis.

Pininfarina's Cabriolet

The first (together with Stabilimenti Farina and Carrozzeria Viotti) to use the B50 chassis, Pininfarina already exhibited its ‘cabriolet’ at the Turin Motor Show in May 1950. This beautiful and harmonious creation by the already famous coachbuilder from Turin, entered the official Lancia price list, but Pinin Farina reserved the right to built the speciments ‘directly’ with special finishes expressly requested by the customer. And so it will be: many Aurelia B50 Pininfarina cabriolets will have different details to those on the ‘official’ version (more refined interiors, special leather, different instrumentation design, different headlights, additional chrome, electro-hydraulic devices for opening and closing the upholstered soft top, more wraparound bumpers, concealed external handles).

All in all, it seems that Pininfarina built just under three hundred cabriolets: 265 that could be described as ‘normal’ and around twenty with ‘special fittings’. Some of these examples (however a limited number of units) were built on the basis of the B52 chassis with a 2-litre engine released in ’52.

The main technical characteristics of this version are: B10 type engine with a 1755 cm³ displacement and 56 HP power, platform chassis, 291 cm wheelbase, 475 cm length, 165 cm width, 150 cm height, 10.90 m turning circle, 165×400 tyres (inflation pressure 1.50 kg/cm2, both front and rear), weight in running order 1240 kg, maximum speed around 130 km/h. Among the features of this special “almost custom-built” version are the aluminium bonnet and boot lid, lightened doors, curved windscreen, heater, aerator, cigar lighter, ashtray, radio on request: these are features that, however, can also be found on the standard B10 saloon.

A Lancia Aurelia B50 Cabriolet in "Lusso" Trim

And here we come to the sore point, the prices: the first price list (May 1950) speaks of 2,600,000 Lire, rising to 2,885,000 Lire the following year. But these prices (taken from Lancia’s price list, therefore referring to cars in ‘normal’ trim) rose to over 4 million lire for ‘cabriolets’ in ‘Lusso’ trim (in 1951, for example, a Cabriolet Lusso cost 4,189,000 lire)

The Giardinetta by Viotti

Convinced, not wrongly, that the Aurelia was hardly suited to a ‘station wagon’ bodywork (which at the time was the typical livery of the farmer’s or fruit and vegetable wholesaler’s car), Gianni Lancia ended up acceding to the request from some of the company’s major Italian dealers and allowed the Viotti coachbuilder to make a few dozen ‘station wagons’, even including this special version in the official price list. This ‘station wagon’ was presented shortly after the launch of the first Aurelia, the B10 (which took place in the spring of 1950) and was distinguished by the name ‘giardinetta’, a term ‘invented’ by Vittorino Viotti, who patented it and forced even the mighty Fiat to use the term ‘giardiniera’ to identify the station wagon version of its little 500-Topolino.

Like Pininfarina’s cabriolet and the Stabilimenti Farina coupé, Viotti’s giardinetta was therefore included in Lancia’s official price list, with a price of 2,250,000 lire in 1950, rising to 2,508,000 the following year, when all Italian cars went up in price.

The Lancia Aurelia B51 Giardinetta by Viotti at the 1951 Turin Auto Show

This original creation, which is characterised by the wooden panels on the sides, is mounted on the special B51 chassis that Lancia made available and which substantially differs from the B50 in the adoption of oversized tyres (185×400, with inflation pressures of 1.40 kg/cm2 at the front and 1.60 kg/cm2 at the rear) and a ‘shorter’ axle ratio.

In the three-year period 1950/52, around fifty ‘Giardinettas’ were built, two (or three) of which were on the B53 chassis with 2-litre engines. It should be noted that, of these fifty or so Giardinettas, just over half (around thirty) had wooden panelling covering practically the entire doors, while around twenty had panelling covering only the upper half.

Although it was a model that Lancia itself listed, not all the examples built had identical finishes. The Viotti ‘giardinetta’ weighed 1250-1300 kg and had a top speed of around 125 km/h (133 km/h with 2-litre engine, B53 chassis).

The Coupé by Stabilimenti Farina

Stabilimenti Farina (owned by Battista ‘Pinin’ Farina’s older brother Giovanni) built a beautiful coupé on a B50 chassis, which was added to the Lancia price list at the same price as the Pininfarina cabriolet (2,600,000 in 1950, 2,885,000 in 1951). Despite the purity of its lines, only a few units of this coupé would be produced, partly because the Turin-based coachbuilder was in crisis due to a lack of management turnover (Giovanni Farina was over 65 and retired to the countryside, his son Giuseppe, known as Nino, devoted himself to professional motor racing, and the other, Attilio, seemed to show no particular flair for creativity) and closed its business in 1953.

The 'PF 200' by Pininfarina

At the 1952 Turin Motor Show, built on a B52 chassis, the first PF200 was released, a showy roadster-spider created by Pininfarina, which immediately made headlines for the boldness of its lines. One of the aesthetic features that most struck enthusiasts and connoisseurs was undoubtedly the front air intake-grille, which was practically round in shape. But Pininfarina’s creation also stands out for the shape of the tail, which is very long and contributes to increasing the already generous dimensions of the body, so that overall the car is close to 5 metres long. This first PF200 was followed by others, including coupé editions (the first coupé was shown at the 1952 Paris Salon). These examples resemble the initial one, although each of them also has variants of a certain weight. From what can be deduced from some pictures, the PF 200s have the gearstick control on the central lever and not on the steering wheel. According to the latest news it appears that Pininfarina built a total of eight PF200s, half of which were coupés.

Photo courtesy of Bonhams

At the Turin Motor Show in spring 1953, a PF 200 spyder was exhibited that differed from the ‘parent’ car of the year before in the front end (bumpers positioned more externally, under the headlights, directional flasher mounted above the mudguards, air-intake grille no longer perfectly round but elliptical in shape and with the outer edge no longer chrome but in body colour) and in the area behind the doors, where one notices the inclusion of the ventilation grille (which had already appeared on the coupé version).

The last version of the PF200 spider appeared in the autumn of 1953, at the Paris motor show; the changes concerned the outer edge of the front air intake-mask – again elliptical in shape – which was now again chrome-plated, the application of deflectors to the doors and finally the abolition of the ventilation grille that had previously been fitted to the side, immediately behind the rear wheels. At the Paris Motor Show in the autumn of 1954, a new version of the PF 200 coupé appeared, differing above all in the rear, where the rear window was recessed into the bodywork. The roof of the car is then joined to the tail by two ‘fins’ that have an albeit tenuous function as directional stabilisers.

The last PF200 coupé – built on a shortened B55 chassis – was exhibited at the Turin Motor Show in April 1955. It followed the previous models but featured a pavilion cut that ‘anticipated’ what Pininfarina would propose years later on the Ferrari 250 GT coupé 2+2 and the Flavia Coupé.

The PF200s were not built for direct market placement; the intention of the manufacturers (Lancia and Pininfarina) was to have a show car, out of the ordinary, to be exhibited at the various international shows and salons (for advertising-promotional purposes) and to be entered in the numerous concours d’elegance that were very much in vogue at the time, but the car was nevertheless appreciated for its originality by members of the entertainment world, who came forward to take possession of it: one PF200 was certainly bought by the Italian actor and singer Renato Rascel.

The 'Florida' by Pininfarina

The first Florida, a blue and white coupé destined to make history and become a legend, was built on the B56-1002 chassis: it was a fabulous car, with a line that was certainly innovative, even if it was partly influenced by North American trends of the time. The fittings are luxurious and the finish impeccable. Pininfarina’s new creation also introduced the horizontal radiator grille to Lancia: in truth, innovative front grills – abandoning the usual Lancia scheme with the vertical shield – had already appeared on two examples made by Stabilimenti Farina and Boneschi in 1951, but these cars passed almost unnoticed, unlike the Florida, which immediately hit the headlines.

The first example of the Florida series, the coupé, was unveiled at the 1955 Turin Motor Show.

Photo courtesy of Lopresto Collection

In 1955 two 4-door Florida cars were built on the B56 platform (one probably with chassis B56-1003, the other with chassis B56-1005) plus one on a B56S chassis (i.e. left-hand drive, probably chassis B56S-1006). The ‘4-door’ was shown to the public for the first time at the Paris Salon in autumn of 1955. The last 4-door Florida (with right-hand drive) was displayed at the Geneva motorshow in March 1956. A month later, at the Turin motorshow, the first Flaminia prototype appeared, clearly derived from this last Florida but ‘tamed’ to make it more suitable for mass production. An important structural modification that distinguishes the Flaminia prototype from the Florida lies in the central pillar inserted between the two side doors, a variant that became indispensable to stiffen and reinforce the whole car: torsion problems had already arisen in the first ‘4-door Florida’, so much so that in subsequent cars an attempt was made to partially remedy the problem by inserting a reinforcement bar behind the front seat. On the basis of the data presented so far, the Florida built would be 4, of which 1 two-door, 2 four-door right-hand drive and 1 four-door left-hand drive. It should be added, however, that some sources also speak of a right-hand-drive four-door with chassis B56-1006. Counting this Florida would bring the total to five.

The last of the Florida’s – with an original four-door coupé bodywork, the two rear doors (rather small) made practically invisible by the absence of opening handles – was again the work of Pininfarina, named ‘Florida II’ and displayed to the public for the first time at the Turin motorshow in autumn of 1957. This car – representing the ‘prototype’ of the Flaminia coupé that came out exactly 12 months later – was built on the mechanical basis of the Aurelia with a 2.3-litre engine using a B56S floorpan, probably built in 1956 and lying unused in the factory. One or two Floridas (according to various sources, probably the left-hand drive Florida chassis 1006 and/or the Florida II) were for years the personal cars of Pininfarina (at the time still Battista Farina, known as Pinin, since it was only in 1961 that the surname was changed to Pininfarina, thanks to a decree of the President of the Republic ‘in consideration of the high social and industrial merits’).

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One of the subtle pleasures that the study of history offers is the discovery of the debatability of a common belief, of a consideration accepted supinely out of mental habit.

Italy witnessed the emergence of a wide variety of automotive companies, especially between Turin and Milan, at the beginning of the last century. However, over the following decades, these companies gradually disappeared, culminating in recent years with all surviving brands converging under a single entity: Fiat. This phenomenon has seldom been compared to another, equally significant but fundamentally different occurrence, namely the proliferation of automotive coachbuilders. Unlike the automotive companies, the coachbuilders did not experience a similar disappearance, but rather a gradual consolidation, with some even transforming their operations into robust industrial entities.

From Flourishing Diversity to Consolidated Excellence

As the onset of the First World War loomed, approximately fifty coachbuilders emerged in the bustling regions between Turin and Milan. Similarly, another fifty establishments emerged during the interwar period, followed by an additional twenty-five from the post-war era up to the 1960s. Today, only a handful of names remain, predominantly acquired by foreign funds or companies such as Italdesign, Pininfarina, Touring Superleggera, Zagato, and the new Ares Design from Modena, all of whom continue to champion the legacy of Italian design excellence.

What accounts for this discrepancy, particularly within the same timeframe and geographic area, namely the Turin region? One would logically assume that the same forces driving the emergence and subsequent decline of numerous automotive factories would also impact the birth and closure of many coachbuilders.

In the 1930s, as the aftershocks of the American economic crisis led to the downfall of illustrious automotive brands unable to compete with Fiat’s dominance, Garavini, a modest artisanal coachbuilder, unveiled the breathtaking Fiat 508 Cabriolet. This cabriolet by Garavini swiftly became emblematic of sportiness, elegance, charm, grace, and affordability. Carrozzeria Garavini’s craftsmanship extended beyond Fiat vehicles; they collaborated with Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Itala, Bugatti, Delahaye, Citroen, boasting clientele including the King of Belgium, Menelik, Emperor of Ethiopia, and even a Maharaja, for whom they crafted an Isotta Fraschini featuring an ivory steering wheel and a gold-plated engine.

Garavini was not alone; numerous other coachbuilders thrived during the golden age of Italian coachbuilding, from Stabilimenti Farina to Castagna, from Balbo to Touring, Allemano, Vignale, Zagato, Francis Lombardi, Fissore, Savio, Boneschi, Boano, and beyond.

Fiat's Paradox: The Lifeline for Italian Coachbuilders

Only Italian coachbuilders seemed to flourish, while foreign counterparts – some renowned names like Labourdette, Saoutchik, Figoni and Falaschi, Chapron, Van den Plas, Mulliner, Fleetwood, Le Baron, Rollston, Graber – mostly faded away by the 1950s.

Hence, the explanation must lie within Italy itself, specifically with Fiat. Despite often being associated with the decline of numerous automotive manufacturers, Fiat paradoxically played a crucial role in the survival of many coachbuilders.

Towards the end of the 1930s, most car manufacturers ceased producing chassis, a vital component for coachbuilders, opting instead for monocoque construction. This shift significantly increased costs for coachbuilders, leading many to struggle.

However, Fiat continued to offer chassis, even when it became economically burdensome. This availability allowed Italian coachbuilders to remain operational. As the automotive industry moved towards monocoque designs, coachbuilders survived only where there was a partnership with a factory willing to supply mechanized platforms and support sales.

The importance of this partnership cannot be overstated. While competing automotive brands required independent sales networks, coachbuilders benefited from utilizing the factory’s sales channels. This unique dynamic turned what would have been a differentiation challenge in a competitive market into a unifying and economically beneficial relationship between factory and coachbuilder.

Evolution of Italian Coachbuilding: Creativity in the Face of Industrialization

Of course, nothing unfolds arbitrarily. At the core lies the ingenious inventiveness and creativity of Italian coachbuilders, alongside distinct historical and economic conditions. In the early automotive era, Italy, though not a frontrunner, kept stride with other European automobile-producing nations like France, Germany, and Great Britain. However, as automobiles transitioned from elite novelties to industrial products, Italy lagged behind. Its market resembled that of a less affluent nation, unprepared for such costly commodities. Meanwhile, other countries, including the United States, recognized the vast commercial potential of motor vehicles and geared up to offer comprehensive products.

In this shift, the aesthetic intricacies of automobile design took a backseat to factors like reliability, affordability, and mass production. The skilled artisan coachbuilder, proficient in various crafts like saddle-making, bodywork, painting, and upholstery, was gradually supplanted by efficient machinery capable of mass-producing car parts in a fraction of the time. While industrialization adopted a pace akin to Charlie Chaplin’s “Modern Times,” automobiles became commonplace commodities.

In contrast, Italy retained a relatively underdeveloped motorization landscape, which, while presenting challenges, also served to preserve the craft of coachbuilding. Despite Italy’s slower adoption of automobiles on a mass scale, its coachbuilders continued to cater to discerning clients with their exquisite and refined products, largely undeterred by the changing industrial landscape.

The Fiat Carrozzerie Speciali Department

Within the rich collaboration between Fiat and coachbuilders lies a lesser-known period spanning from 1910 to 1931. During this time, a “Fiat Bodywork Department” (Carrozzerie Speciali) operated from its headquarters on Via Madama Cristina in Turin. This department housed sections for body framing, metalworking, finishing, and notably produced elegant and sophisticated body styles with grandiose names of foreign origin: Run-about Courreuse, Gun boats, Double Phaeton Embouti, Landaulet Limousine, Coupé Berlina, Char à Bancs. Adorning the establishment’s façade was the name “Carrozzeria Italiana J. Rothschild & Fils” – a French coachbuilder that had established a presence in Turin.

However, this department’s history merely represents a temporary yet illustrious phase in the ongoing dialogue between Fiat and coachbuilders since the company’s inception. Until 1903, Fiat primarily relied on Carrozzeria Alessio, a licensee of the Weymar patent, for its bodywork needs.

Carrozzeria Alessio

Marcello Alessio embarked on his career as a laborer at Locati & Torretta, quickly surpassing his mentor in skill and knowledge. Recognizing the burgeoning potential of the automotive market, he ventured out on his own, establishing a small coachworks factory at Via Dell’Orto Botanico 19 (now Via Cesare Lombroso). With immense passion and innovative construction methods, Alessio swiftly rose to prominence, attracting prestigious clientele and earning a reputation as one of Turin’s foremost coachbuilders.

His renown extended beyond serving wealthy private customers, as several new car manufacturers sought his expertise in crafting coachworks. Alessio collaborated with Michele Lanza, producing the Welleyes for Ceirano and crafting bodies for early Fiat models. Additionally, he worked on chassis from various other brands, including Darracq, De Dion-Bouton, Panhard, Mors, and Renault, among others.

Alessio’s success led him to represent French Kriéger and Rochet-Schneider cars, as well as German Mercedes, importing bare chassis and adding his bespoke coach-built bodies. This venture created tension with Fiat, prompting the automaker to shift its body orders to G. Lanza.

Navigating Turbulence: Fiat, Carrozzeria Alessio, and the Carrozzerie Speciali Department

The dynamic between Fiat and Carrozzeria Alessio wasn’t devoid of hurdles. At a pivotal Board of Directors meeting on January 17, plans for the establishment of Carrozzeria Industriale G. Lanza e C. were unveiled by Agnelli. This venture aimed at manufacturing automobile bodies, with Fiat proposed as a key participant to expedite bodywork tasks.

The proposal was met with mixed reactions among board members, with some interpreting it as a retaliatory measure against Alessio’s actions. In response, Agnelli passionately defended Fiat’s stance, highlighting instances where Alessio had diverted potential clients away from Fiat. He argued vehemently against facilitating competitors’ profitability, emphasizing the need to safeguard Fiat’s interests amidst a competitive market landscape.

Despite initial reservations, Fiat’s involvement in Carrozzeria Industriale was solidified, signifying a strategic move to streamline production processes and assert Fiat’s influence in the automobile industry. However, managing this partnership presented its own set of challenges.

Within a year, signs of strain began to emerge. Racca, tasked with supervising Carrozzeria Industriale, resigned from his position, citing issues regarding the autonomy of the managerial role. This development underscored the complexities inherent in navigating partnerships within the automotive sector, where competition and collaboration often intertwine.

In the wake of Racca’s departure, Carrozzeria Rothschild & Fils emerged as a significant player, acquiring Lanza’s operations and establishing a new branch at Via Madama Cristina 147. This transition marked a pivotal moment in the evolving landscape of Turin’s automotive industry.

By 1910, Fiat made a strategic decision to absorb Rothschild, effectively integrating its operations and resources. Consequently, Fiat’s bodywork department underwent a rapid transformation, emerging as a fully functional entity capable of catering to diverse demands.

Initially serving as Fiat’s primary client, the department gradually expanded its clientele to include external firms such as Lancia. This strategic pivot underscored Fiat’s commitment to innovation and adaptability in navigating the evolving automotive landscape.

Despite undergoing various transformations over the years, the bodywork department remained a cornerstone of Fiat’s operations. Its legacy endured through the establishment of the Carrozzerie del Lingotto in the late 1940s, symbolizing Fiat’s enduring legacy and influence in the automotive realm.

Conclusion

In conclusion, thus ended an important chapter in Fiat’s history. However, as we have seen, the productive and diverse relationship between Fiat and numerous coachbuilders continued to thrive, delighting our eyes and celebrating Italian creativity. This collaboration persisted over time, evoking admiration and showcasing the Italian flair for design. Fiat’s adaptability and willingness to collaborate helped keep alive the legacy of Italian coachbuilders, fostering an ongoing blossoming of automotive design. This underscores the crucial role that creativity and innovation play in the Italian automotive landscape.