The ultimate italian coachbuilder site
The ultimate italian coachbuilder site
This 8V model, or Otto Vu in Italian, was built for two years only, in 114 examples, and it remains one of the marque’s most legendary motor cars to this day. It was the star of the Geneva Salon in March 1952, and it goes without saying that this new Fiat got lots of attention from the motoring press. Road & Track called it “the biggest surprise of the year”, and The Motor remarked that “the last thing which had been expected from Italy’s largest car factory was a truly streamlined 2-seater saloon”. With its potent new powerplant, which was clothed by bodies designed by the world’s finest coachbuilders, everyone knew that this was truly a special automobile in every sense of the word.
This Fiat 8V Spider Vignale (chassis number 000050) was exported as a chassis on 8 July 1953 to the renowned Italian coachbuilder Alfredo Vignale. Vignale would work with his stylist, the talented Giovanni Michelotti, to discuss potential designs, and then the two would work together to evolve and “flesh out” a final automobile. This process resulted in Vignale bodying ten 8V chassis, all to Michelotti designs, of which the car here, Fiat 8V Spider Vignale chassis 000050, is the only cabriolet and one of very few open bodies produced for the 8V by any coachbuilder (Zagato made one). The drawing for the cabriolet notes that it was an exclusive design created for a Sig. Leone. It bears a remarkable resemblance to a similar coupé built by Vignale on another 8V chassis, but it has the breezy nonchalance that only a convertible top can offer.
Photo courtesy of RM Sothebys
In March 1952, Fiat surprised the world at the Geneva Motor Show with the Fiat 8V. A two-seater sports car that was also designed as a racing car. What was surprising was that Fiat had not shown any interest in re-entering the racing scene up to this point.
