Hino – Contessa Sprint 900

Vehicle Overview

Like other Japanese brands that encountered difficulties to create their design, Hino joined forces with the Italian bodybuilder Michelotti. Based on the Contessa 900, this elegant 2 + 2 coupé was presented at the Turin Motor Show in 1962. It was again shown in New York in the spring of 1963 and then in Tokyo the same year. The left steering wheel was a sign of the strong desire to eventually export this model to europe and the U.S.. The mechanics are borrowed from the basic sedan, but reviewed by the italian Nardi, the 893 cc engine develops 45 hp at 5,500 rpm. A limited production of 1000 copies was planned in Italy but the production cost were prohibitive. Unfortunately, it remained a one off, but it can be considered as a prototype for the later Contessa 1300. Forgotten for many years, it was found and restored in the early 2000s.