The Bitter SC Coupé was a Ferrari 400 copy assembled in Italy

Vehicle Overview

Unlike the CD, the new Bitter SC Coupé did not have a hatchback, but a notchback with a pronounced trapezoidal line that was clearly reminiscent of the Ferrari 400 designed by Pininfarina and a similar elegance in appearance and detail exhibited. Like this one, the Bitter SC also had pop-up headlights. Bitter’s design was then revised by Opel designers Henry Haga and Georges Gallion. The detailed work on the design and the body structure was finally carried out by Giovanni Michelotti in Turin. All in all, the new car used many Opel parts, which, however, were not easily recognizable from the exterior. Add-on parts such as lights and door handles came from large-scale manufacturers, the rear lights, for example, were taken from the Lancia Beta Montecarlo (and not, as many suspected, from the Fiat X1 / 9), the front light units from the Ferrari Mondial. As with the Bitter CD, the production of the SC was largely outsourced. According to the concept common for small series manufacturers, the body was to be manufactured in an external factory before it was transported to Bitter in Schwelm and assembled there with the drive technology. The body of the CD was manufactured by Baur. However, this path was ruled out for the SC. After the last Bitter CD left the Baur line at the end of 1979, Baur had found an alternative with the production of the BMW M1, which used the company to such an extent that there was no more capacity to build the new Bitter. Erich Bitter therefore moved to northern Italy, where for decades there had been a large number of small, independent coachbuilders that produced bodies for other vehicle manufacturers either by hand or in small series. Initially, the choice fell on the body construction company OCRA in Turin, a comparatively young company with little experience. Between the beginning of 1981 and the spring of 1982, OCRA manufactured a total of 79 bodies, all of which were of poor quality. In view of the use of recycled sheet metal, the cars were extremely prone to rust; some vehicles began to rust just a few months after delivery. In spring of 1982, Bitter terminated the contract with OCRA. Production was then relocated to Carrozzeria Maggiora, also based in Turin, an experienced and renowned company that at the time also manufactured bodies for Maserati and Bristol. Individual vehicles are also said to have been completed at Zagato. The leather for the interior was obtained from SALT in Turin. By the end of 1983, the vehicles were completed at Bitter in Schwelm. However, the small plant soon reached its limits, because usually only one car could be completed there per week.

Technical Specifications

Body

Limited
Year

1981
Make

Bitter
Model

SC Coupé
Coachbuilder

Maggiora
Length (mm)

N/A
Width (mm)

N/A
Height (mm)

N/A
Units built

N/A
Engine Type

N/A
Designer

Henry Haga
Make

N/A
Model

N/A
Cylinder Capacity

N/A
Number Of Doors

N/A
Six Month Rate

N/A
Twelve Month Rate

N/A
Date Of First Registration

N/A
Year Of Manufacture

N/A
CO2 Emissions

N/A
Fuel Type

N/A
Tax Status

N/A
Transmission

N/A
Colour

N/A
Type Approval

N/A
Wheel Plan

N/A
Revenue Weight

N/A
Tax Details

N/A
Mot Details

N/A
Taxed

N/A
mot

N/A
Make

N/A
Cylinder Capacity

N/A
Registration

N/A
Year Of Manufacture

N/A
CO2 Missions

N/A
Fuel Type

N/A
Tax Status

N/A
Colour

N/A
Type Approval

N/A
Wheel Plan

N/A
Revenue Weight

N/A

Bitter SC Coupé

Vehicle Overview

Technical Specifications

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Bitter SC Coupé

Vehicle Overview

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