Autobianchi A112 Elegant

Vehicle Overview

The Autobianchi A112 Elegant Zagato was the milanese coachbuilder’s proposal after not sharing the originale restyling. It was unveiled at the following Turin Motor Show, making changes to the exterior and taking care of the interior fittings above all. The rather square bodywork of the A112 suggested to Zagato the replacement of the circular headlamps with others, completely different, of rectangular shape, and this was in fact the most relevant modification. Then, to streamline the side, a lighter colored band was added, applied along the belt line, with a shaded effect. This painting, in addition to giving the car an elegant tone, added a sporty feel, accentuated also by the adoption of alloy wheels, wider than those fitted as standard and with a larger diameter (14 inches instead of 13, and equipped with Michelin XZX tires). The most evident aspect of the transformation, however, was the overall improvement of the internal finishes carried out in order to obtain greater passenger comfort, and obtained by using an appreciable combination of light colored cloth and vinyl leather, with which they were covered interiors. This resulted in a much brighter and more welcoming interior compared to the original version, despite the small space, at least in the rear area. The front seats were very comfortable, with built-in adjustable headrests, with a slightly different shape than those fitted as standard, and ensured better grip especially when cornering, being more enveloping, while a pocket for the back of the back had been added instead small objects. This Autobianchi A112 Elegant Zagato prototype, much more successful than the convertible version (another Zagato’s proposal of that time) was to be used to set up a small series production, which however is not known if it was actually made.