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The Fiat 508 Balilla Faux Cabriolet by Stabilimenti Farina.
The 1932 Fiat 508 Faux Cabriolet, custom-bodied by Stabilimenti Farina in Turin, is a striking example of the era’s growing trend toward exclusive, bespoke automobiles. The car was commissioned by an industrialist from Biella who, wishing to replace his aging Fiat 501 Torpedo with something more modern and manageable, chose the newly introduced Fiat 508 Balilla. Although marketed as a “popular” car, the Balilla was still a luxury for most, and the industrialist went a step further by commissioning a unique body from the renowned Stabilimenti Farina coachbuilders. Rather than creating a new design from scratch, Farina elegantly reinterpreted the standard model, producing a “faux cabriolet” with a non-removable green fabric roof, perfectly matched to the dark pine green paint covering both the body and fenders. The car’s silhouette was made sleeker by lowering the body and windows and elongating the doors beyond the seatbacks, creating a more dynamic and less boxy look than the standard model, while retaining its original chassis and mechanics. The overall sense of refinement was heightened by relocating the dual spare wheels from the front fenders to the rear, encased in polished chrome covers. The original bumpers were replaced with round-section ones, and new handles, hubcaps, and chromed headlamp caps were added. Even the “Balilla” script was removed from the radiator, likely considered too ordinary for such a unique build. After the war, the car was left forgotten in a wool mill warehouse owned by the heirs of the original owner. In the late 1960s, it was rediscovered and eventually purchased by a young university student with a passion for rallying. Though the Fiat 508 Faux Cabriolet wasn’t originally among his interests, it was love at first sight. He bought the car with a generous student-friendly payment plan. About thirty years ago, the vehicle underwent a full restoration—mechanics, bodywork, roof fabric, interior, and tires. Today, more than ninety years later, it still shines in the garage of that same owner. It retains its original 1932 license plate and, post-restoration, has been officially recognized by the Italian Fiat Registry.
In the late 1800s, the Farina family, hailing from Cortanze d’Asti, embarked on a journey that would reshape the automotive landscape in Turin. Their story is one of passion, innovation, and resilience—a narrative that laid the foundation for the renowned Società Anonima Stabilimenti Industriali Giovanni Farina.
