Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A SS Cabriolet

Vehicle Overview

Like its contemporaries, Hispano-Suiza and Rolls-Royce, Isotta-Fraschini built engines for the new-fangled aircraft industry and were favoured with Government orders for their aero engines, providing the motive force for Mussolini’s indomitable Savoia-Marchetti seaplanes. Chief Engineer, Giustino Cattaneo, focused on a one model policy for Isotta-Fraschini in the 1920’s, launching the world’s first production straight-eight motor car, the Tipo 8, in 1920. This mirrored the then current one-model policy of Rolls-Royce in England. The early Isotta engines featured push-rod operated, overhead valves and had a capacity of 5.9 litres. Manufacturing standards were of the highest order, 80hp was produced and sophisticated, mechanical, servo-operated, four-wheel brakes were a modern luxury. In 1924 the revised Tipo 8A was introduced, which featured a 7.3-litre engine producing around 115bhp – making it the most powerful straight-eight in production – and Isotta’s highly regarded three-speed synchromesh transmission. Improvements to the chassis and suspension were implemented also. The 8A was unashamedly expensive and Isotta-Fraschini controlled with care a select list of favored customers. Conceived as a chauffeur-driven luxury conveyance, the Tipo 8 was aimed at the United States market where it was the choice of such world-famous film stars as Rudolph Valentino and ‘It Girl’ Clara Bow. Other Isotta owners included press baron William Randolph Hearst (Orson Wells’ real-life model for ‘Citizen Kane’) and world heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey. As with all luxury automobiles of this era, for those with the greatest resources or desire for performance and individuality there options beyond even the standard 8A, these they designated as their Spinto or Super Spinto, the phrase appropriately translating as ‘racy’ or ‘driven’, these featured twin carburettors and higher compression engines developing 150bhp and rear axle ratios for higher speeds. Some where built on shorter wheelbase chassis frames, although the coachbuilders preferred the standard chassis on which to practice their finest art. In the USA, where Isotta Fraschini was the second most popular foreign make after Rolls-Royce, the price of an 8A exceeded even that of a Duesenberg Model J. The chassis alone was priced at $9,750 while coachbuilt models could cost upwards of $20,000. With one third of all Tipo 8 production going to the United States, the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the ensuing Depression hit Isotta hard. Alongside Isotta’s Milan homebase were two extremely high quality coachbuilders, who as in Paris for the likes of Figoni & Falaschi were able to provide the company and its clientele with coachwork designs of the calibre of chassis they clothed, those were Carrozeria Italiana Cesare Sala and Carrozeria Castagna & Co. The latter was established by Carlo Castagna in 1906, and was a family run concern, he taking care of the business and finances in which he had his greatest skills, while the craftsmanship of design and construction fell to his son Ercole. By the later part of the 1920s, Ercole’s younger brother Emilio became chief designer. While Castagna was certainly noted for their work on Alfa Romeo, Fiat, OM, Bianchi, Lancia and Mercedes-Benz, it is probably most synonymous with Isotta, and exquisite designs such as the car we present here aptly display why. Incredibly well proportioned, with an extended scuttle and long bonnet, the low profile of its windscreen and roof is accented by the high waist moulding along the side of the body. The rear of the car is highlighted by a spine in its centre, and discreet collapsible trunk rack.