Celebrating the Art of Italian Coachbuilding
Celebrating the Art of Italian Coachbuilding
The Moretti 750 Alger Cabriolet
The Moretti 750 Alger Cabriolet was a limited-production open automobile constructed by Moretti in Turin between 1954 and 1955. It was derived from the company’s 750 series of small-displacement touring cars, and specifically intended for warm-climate markets including the Mediterranean and North Africa. The model name “Alger” refers to the capital of French Algeria, a principal export destination during the period. The vehicle was also referred to as the “Alger-Le Cap,” suggesting a conceptual link between North African and sub-Saharan motoring. The chassis was based on the standard Moretti 750 platform, incorporating a steel tubular frame with mechanical components derived from Fiat sources. The engine was a 747 cubic centimetre overhead-valve inline four-cylinder unit, producing approximately 27 to 30 horsepower depending on carburetion and final tuning. Power was delivered through a four-speed manual gearbox to the rear axle. Suspension featured independent components at the front and a live axle at the rear. Braking was by hydraulic drums at all four wheels. The coachwork was fabricated by Moretti’s in-house carrozzeria. The body was constructed primarily in aluminium and configured as a two-door cabriolet with cut-down sides, a low windshield, and a folding fabric roof. The front fascia incorporated an enlarged grille aperture and simplified brightwork. The vehicle’s proportions were compact, with emphasis on lightness and simplicity. The design is not attributed to a specific stylist but conforms to Moretti’s broader aesthetic conventions of the period. Production of the Alger Cabriolet consisted of an initial pre-series of five units, followed by an estimated production run of approximately 200 examples. No chassis numbering scheme specific to the Alger variant has been published. One example was displayed by Moretti at the 1954 Turin Motor Show. Four examples are known to survive, all in private collections. At least one was recovered in original condition following decades of storage in a covered enclosure. The Moretti 750 Alger Cabriolet represents a class of postwar small-displacement open cars designed for leisure and regional export. It reflects the practice of adapting standard mechanical platforms for local conditions through limited-series coachwork. Its rarity and modest specifications place it within the lower-displacement, light touring segment of 1950s Italian automobile production.
Moretti Motor Company was founded in 1925 by Giovanni Moretti in order to design and build motorcycles, both of his own design and with agreements with other companies. Using the same motorcycle engines, Giovanni Moretti also dabbled in microcars in the late 1920s and early 1930s…
