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The story of Bertone: the most controversial coachbuilder ever

The beginning of Bertone

Bertone was founded in November 1912, when Giovanni Bertone, then aged 28, opened a workshop specialising in the construction and repair of horse-drawn carriages. He started out with three workers.

At the beginning of the 20th century cars were a rarity in Turin. The traffic on the roads was nearly all carriages, and the ones built by Bertone stood out immediately for their careful craftsmanship, sturdiness and high quality. The experts soon came to recognise the sound of a Bertone going by on the cobbled streets.

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In 1914 Giuseppe, the second son in the Bertone family, was born. Everyone took to calling him Nuccio, the nickname which was to stay with him for the rest of his life, and become synonymous with Italian style throughout the world. But the joy at Nuccio’s birth was overshadowed by the outbreak of the first World War, which spelled hard times for Giovanni Bertone, who was forced to close his shop.

The end of the war, however, signalled a turning point for Bertone: the company expanded and focused its attentions on the motor-car. The new offices at number 119 Via Monginevro opened in 1920 with a workforce of 20.

A year later the first important job arrived: the construction of a Torpedo on an SPA 23S base, immediately followed by a Fiat 501 Sport Siluro Corsa, the first in a long line of high performing sports cars which would come to represent the Bertone name in the years to come.

SPA - 23 S

During the Twenties Bertone formed partnerships with almost all the manufacturers of the day. Turin came to represent the heart of the car industry and Giovanni Bertone began doing bodywork on Fast, Chiribiri, Aurea, SCAT and Diatto chassis. The most important partnerships, however, were those with the two biggest Turin manufacturers: Fiat and Lancia.

Vincenzo Lancia realised straight away that Giovanni Bertone was a skilled craftsman with a great future ahead of him. Affectionately nicknaming him “Bertunot“, he commissioned Bertone to create complete car bodies, above all for the limited series that the companies of the day were not always equipped to produce. This was Bertone’s first opportunity to carry out limited production of special cars on standard mechanical bases, and signalled the beginning of a great career.

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And while these were great years for Bertone himself, they were also fundamental years from a styling point of view: car body shapes were slowly evolving, losing the angular shapes of previous models, with the wings starting to be joined together. Giovanni Bertone produced torpedo and saloon bodies for Fiat and Lancia, and also for Itala, Diatto and SPA. And of course he also worked on commissions for private customers eager for exclusivity. Alongside the sports models like the 1928 Ansaldo 6BS, Giovanni Bertone also designed luxury cars like the Fiat 505 Coupè de Ville and the Itala 51S, both in 1923, and the Lancia Lambda VIII Series in 1928.

Despite the fact that the great depression of 1929 had brought many Turin carmakers to their knees, Giovanni Bertone‘s shrewd management meant that his company was able to carry on creating cars with great appeal. In 1932, for example, he designed the imposingly elegant Lancia Artena. But the most important news for the Carrozzeria came in the following year, 1933, when young Nuccio, then aged 19, officially began working in his father’s company.

In the meantime Bertone began working on commercial vehicles too, and as the business grew, new premises were needed. The company moved to 225 Corso Peschiera. There were now 50 people on the staff.

In 1934 Bertone created the extraordinary Fiat 527S Ardita 2500, which was a real turning point in car design, with some incredible new details such as the stunning front headlights with fairing along the bonnet. The Ardita signalled the start of a new kind of style, which was destined to take off towards the end of the decade, with Fiat and Lancia models which were astounding for their day. Examples were the “six window” Fiat 1500 Aerodinamica, the dignified, opulent Lancia Aprilia Cabriolet and the novel Fiat 1500 Torpedo, with constructional features that had never been seen before, such as the fold-away hood which stowed away entirely inside the car. With his bold innovations and elegant creations, Bertone was beginning to make a name for himself with critics and motoring fans alike.

1937 Lancia Aprilia Cabriolet

At the outbreak of World War II, the car market experienced a sudden, drastic downturn. Almost all the bodywork manufacturers, including Bertone, reacted to the crisis by turning to military vehicles of various kinds (such as the Bertone ambulance on Lancia Artena base).

But times were hard and the scarcity of work was exacerbated by the lack of raw materials and labour, which meant that it was difficult to meet orders from the army. But even with all the problems, production did not cease in the Corso Peschiera factory, with the luxurious Lancia Aprilias and the unique, extremely elegant long chassis Fiat 2800 cabriolet, the only one of its kind, built on commission for race driver and motoring journalist Giovanni Lurani Cernuschi.

After the War

After the war, as the long slow process of reconstruction began in Europe, the big industrial companies gradually upped production levels, and the bodyworks got back to work. During these difficult years Nuccio Bertone created cars like the Lancia Aprilia Cabriolet and the racing Fiat 1100 Stanguellini, cars which were precursors to some of the design trends of the following decade.

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At the end of the Forties, Nuccio Bertone turned to racing, at the wheel of a number of different cars, including a Fiat 500 barchetta he built himself. At the end of the decade the meeting with Vittorio Stanguellini led to the creation of a coupé with a Fiat 1100 chassis which was to be a great success with the public.

The Fifties brought in the first orders from abroad, in particular from MG (TD Cabriolet) and Bristol in 1952. The following year Nuccio Bertone designed the prototype for the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint, which was presented at the 1954 Turin Motor Show. A production of 1000 was originally planned, but in the end nearly 40,000 vehicles were made between 1954 and 1965.

Photo courtesy of bonhams.com

The relationship between Bertone and Alfa Romeo reached its creative peak with the Berlinetta Aerodinamica Tecnica (BAT) concept cars which pushed back the boundaries of car design and aerodynamics: the BAT 5 (1953), the BAT 7 (1954), and the BAT 9 (1955). Research into aerodynamics culminated in the production of the Abarth 750 Record in 1956, built on a Fiat 600 chassis and tested on the high speed track at Monza. This Abarth set an impressive ten world records, including doing 4,000 km at an average of 156.36 km/h and covering 10,125.26 km in 72 hours.

The Success

In the meantime, in 1957 the company expanded to take on the production of the NSU Sport Prinz. The factory in Corso Peschiera started to feel a little small, and work began on a new factory in Grugliasco on the outskirts of Turin. The new premises became operative in 1959, with a workforce of 550.

Fully trimmed bodies of the Alfa Romeo Montreal, Fiat Dino and the 850 Spider

At the end of the Fifties Bertone came up with some sports berlinettas which were to make history, such as the Giulietta Sprint Special, the Aston Martin DB2/4 and the Maserati 3500 GT.

The Sixties were the years of the Italian-style GT. Nuccio Bertone came up with five variations on the theme which would always be dear to his heart, in the shape of five extremely racy GT models: the Alfa Romeo 2600 Sprint, in coupé and cabriolet versions, two Ferrari 250 GTs, one named ‘Wax’ after the commissioning client, and the other for the Maestro’s personal use, the Aston Martin DB4 GT “Jet” and the Maserati 5000 GT.

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At the same time two new industrial partnerships were getting under way, with the work on the Simca 1000 Coupé and the BMW 3200 CS limited series, as was the important but unfortunate ASA 1000, better known as the “Ferrarina“, or “little Ferrari” (as the project originated with Enzo Ferrari), which, despite the high expectations of the public, never made it to the market.

ASA 1000 "Ferrarina" - Photo courtesy of Dirk de Jager

The Iso-Rivolta GT 300 and 340 and the Iso Grifo were also created in this period. Nuccio Bertone also designed a prototype cabriolet of the latter and a racing version known as the A3C. The Grifo years were also the years of the Corvair Testudo, driven personally by Nuccio Bertone to the Geneva Motor Show in 1963. The following year saw the Alfa Romeo Canguro, followed in 1965 by the Alfa Romeo Giulia GT, rightful heir of the Giulietta Sprint.

In the same year Carrozzeria Bertone experienced a major turning-point, with the launch of the Fiat 850 Spider. The commercial success of this model led Nuccio Bertone to increase the company’s production capacity to 120 units per day (between 1965 and 1972 nearly 140,000 were produced). With the 850 Spider the company took a giant leap forward in terms of production volumes, from the 13,000 bodies produced in 1966 to nearly 30,000 in 1968, an increase of 40 percent.

Photo courtesy of Gallery Aaldering

The end of the Sixties saw the beginning of the partnership with Ferruccio Lamborghini that was destined to make history in the car world. The first vehicle to come out of this was the Miura, presented at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show, which reinvented the design concept of a high performance coupé. The Miura was followed by the Marzal (1967) and the Espada (1968). In the same period two other coupés appeared: the Alfa Romeo Montreal and the Fiat Dino Coupé, both out in 1967.

Astounding, ground-breaking cars, inventing their own language for the design of the future: these were Nuccio Bertone’s trademarks. At the Paris Motor Show of 1968 he presented the Carabo concept car, which was built on an Alfa 33 chassis.

By 1970 Bertone had a workforce of 1500 and the Grugliasco factory covered an area of 267,000 sq.m. The partnership with Lamborghini led to the development of the Jarama and the Urraco. With the astounding Stratos Zero prototype, built on a Lancia Fulvia 1.6 HF base, Bertone came to represent a new point of reference in modern art, as well as on the international car design scene. The Stratos Zero, which was presented at the 1970 Turin Motor Show, went beyond mere questions of style to create a timeless blend of architecture, sculpture and industrial design.

The following year, with some of the Zero’s styling cues as a starting point, Bertone created the Lancia Stratos Stradale, a compact coupé destined mainly for the racing circuit, and which in fact went on to bring home numerous victories in various rally world championships.

In 1972, at the age of 88, Giovanni Bertone passed away. In the same year, as a kind of tacit tribute to the company’s founder, the Maserati Khamsin and the Fiat X1/9 came out. The latter, foreshadowed by the Runabout concept car, was the heir of the 850 Spider, and went on to enjoy the same runaway commercial success. Based on the Fiat 128 chassis, but with a mid-rear engine, the X1/9 went into production in 1972 and 160,000 units had been manufactured by the time production stopped in 1988.

Autobianchi Runabout

Meanwhile Nuccio Bertone‘s prolific drawing board saw a succession of supercars, runabouts and provocative style concepts: the Lamborghini Countach and the Dino Ferrari 308 GT4 (1973), the Audi 50 and Innocenti Mini 90 (1974), the Fiat 131 Abarth Rally (1975) and the prototype Alfa Romeo Navajo (1976).

In the same year, the company began working for Volvo, on the 264 TE. The Volvo 262 C, which was presented at the 1977 Geneva Motor Show, was entirely manufactured by Bertone, from the assembly of the basic body to the fitting of the mechanical components and the road trials. This procedural turning point had a big hand in transforming the company, which was now all set to become a car manufacturer in its own right.

From the beginning of the Eighties the Ritmo Cabrio and the X1/9 were produced and sold directly under the Bertone marque, meaning that the company was now responsible not only for production but also for the sales network and after-sales assistance for the two models.

In 1982 Nuccio Bertone turned out another important design, the Citroen BX. After entering into a joint-venture with Volvo in 1985 the company began production of the 780, an elegant two-door saloon entirely created by Nuccio Bertone, from the formal design of the model to the full production cycle.

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A new commercial agreement drawn up with General Motors Europe in 1987 saw production of the Kadett Cabrio handed over to Bertone. The partnership with Opel continued with the first generation of the Astra Cabrio, and up to the 2000’s with the new versions of the Astra Coupé and Cabriolet.

The end of the eighties saw the Citroen XM, and the Freeclimber off-roader.

Without abandoning its commitment to exploring the new languages of car design, Bertone entered the last decade of the century with its focus very much on technological innovations. Capturing the attention of public and experts alike at the 1992 Turin Motor Show was the aggressively futuristic Blitz barchetta, a showpiece which featured an electric engine and avant-garde construction solutions: a tubular chassis in special steel integrated into sandwich-structure fibre glass panels, bodywork in composite materials and carbon interiors.

In 1993 the Opel Astra Cabrio and the Fiat Punto Cabrio went into production, with the entire production cycle for both cars at the Grugliasco factory: assembly of the bodywork, fitting of the mechanical components, paintwork and fittings. A complete production cycle, ending with the final testing process, which is carried out according to the procedures and standards of the commissioning companies.

Continuing its research into low environmental-impact vehicles, in 1994 Bertone presented the ZER (Zero Emission Record), a futuristic reinterpretation of the unforgettable Abarth 750 Record. Expressly conceived and created to yield the highest performance levels in the electric car sector, the ZER (which boasts a Cx of 0.11) set the world hour speed record (199.822 km in 60 minutes), and broke the 300 km/h barrier, setting a new world speed record for electric cars (with a top speed of 303.977 km/h).

In 1994, Carrozzeria Bertone became the first manufacturer in Italy to be awarded ISO 9001 quality certification. Meanwhile Nuccio Bertone did not turn his back on a past dedicated to bodywork and continued to design working prototypes: the Karisma (1994), a four-seater berlinetta on a Porsche base, the Kayak (1995), a coupé on a Lancia K base, the Slalom “coupé de chasse” on an Opel Calibra base, and the Enduro 4×4, an SUV on a Fiat Brava floorpan.

On 26 February 1997, on the eve of the Geneva Motor Show, Nuccio Bertone passed away, leaving the world to grieve “one of the greatest coachbuilders of the century, and international Maestro of Italian style” in the touching words of Fulvio Cinti, motoring journalist and car historian.

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After the passing of Nuccio Bertone, Bertone continues with an exploration of state-of-the-art technologies such as drive-by-wire. It has been manufacturing the new generation of the Opel Astra Coupé since 1999, and the Opel Astra Cabrio was added in 2000, both designed by Stile Bertone in Caprie. Bertone also produces the C1 scooter for BMW, opening a brand new chapter in the history of individual mobility.

The decline of Bertone

Fiat’s decision not to continue with the convertible version on the New Punto, however begins to create difficulties, which continued with the lost of orders from German car manufacturs and the missed agreement for the production of the Alfa Romeo GT.

Bertone designed the New Panda in 2003, but it is the only important project of that period, together with the 2000 Mazda Neospace concept car, the 2003 Changhe Ideal for the Chinese subsidiary of Suzuki and the Chery A1 of the 2007. On the other hand, concept cars continue to flourish, essential to try to attract new customers, with an increasingly international vision. In 2000 the Slim electric car was built, in 2001 the Filo (Opel), in 2002 the commemorative Novanta (Saab 9-5), in 2003 the Birusa (BMW Z8), in 2004 the Jet2 (Aston Martin Vanquish), in 2005 the Villa (Cadillac SRX), in 2006 the Suagnà (Fiat Punto), in 2007 the Barchetta (Fiat Panda) and in 2008 the BAT 11 (Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione). The total lack of orders to feed the production lines of the Grugliasco factory, leads after the failure of several negotiations, to cede the plant to Domenico Reviglio’s Keiber Group in 2008, the operation, however, is contested by the court and Bertone declared bankrupt. The factory was subsequently purchased by the Fiat Group and transformed into the Grugliasco Automotive Workshops, where Maserati models are produced.

Lilli Bertone tries to relaunch Caprie’s Bertone Stile, under the guidance of the stylist Jason Castriota who presented the Mantide which was based on a Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. The following year, Castriota leaves Bertone, replaced by Mike Robinson, who presented the Pandion, based on a 8C Competizione in occasion of the Alfa Romeo centenary. Followed by the Jaguar B99 in 2011, the Nuccio (for the company’s centenary in 2012), and the Aston Martin Rapide Jet 2+2 for a private customer in 2013. The only order for a car manufacturer, however, was the concept car C51X car and the D50 sedan for the chinese brand BAIC : not enough to survive. In 2014, therefore, also Bertone Style closes.

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One of the subtle pleasures that the study of history offers is the discovery of the debatability of a common belief, of a consideration accepted supinely out of mental habit.

Italy witnessed the emergence of a wide variety of automotive companies, especially between Turin and Milan, at the beginning of the last century. However, over the following decades, these companies gradually disappeared, culminating in recent years with all surviving brands converging under a single entity: Fiat. This phenomenon has seldom been compared to another, equally significant but fundamentally different occurrence, namely the proliferation of automotive coachbuilders. Unlike the automotive companies, the coachbuilders did not experience a similar disappearance, but rather a gradual consolidation, with some even transforming their operations into robust industrial entities.

From Flourishing Diversity to Consolidated Excellence

As the onset of the First World War loomed, approximately fifty coachbuilders emerged in the bustling regions between Turin and Milan. Similarly, another fifty establishments emerged during the interwar period, followed by an additional twenty-five from the post-war era up to the 1960s. Today, only a handful of names remain, predominantly acquired by foreign funds or companies such as Italdesign, Pininfarina, Touring Superleggera, Zagato, and the new Ares Design from Modena, all of whom continue to champion the legacy of Italian design excellence.

What accounts for this discrepancy, particularly within the same timeframe and geographic area, namely the Turin region? One would logically assume that the same forces driving the emergence and subsequent decline of numerous automotive factories would also impact the birth and closure of many coachbuilders.

In the 1930s, as the aftershocks of the American economic crisis led to the downfall of illustrious automotive brands unable to compete with Fiat’s dominance, Garavini, a modest artisanal coachbuilder, unveiled the breathtaking Fiat 508 Cabriolet. This cabriolet by Garavini swiftly became emblematic of sportiness, elegance, charm, grace, and affordability. Carrozzeria Garavini’s craftsmanship extended beyond Fiat vehicles; they collaborated with Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Itala, Bugatti, Delahaye, Citroen, boasting clientele including the King of Belgium, Menelik, Emperor of Ethiopia, and even a Maharaja, for whom they crafted an Isotta Fraschini featuring an ivory steering wheel and a gold-plated engine.

Garavini was not alone; numerous other coachbuilders thrived during the golden age of Italian coachbuilding, from Stabilimenti Farina to Castagna, from Balbo to Touring, Allemano, Vignale, Zagato, Francis Lombardi, Fissore, Savio, Boneschi, Boano, and beyond.

Fiat's Paradox: The Lifeline for Italian Coachbuilders

Only Italian coachbuilders seemed to flourish, while foreign counterparts – some renowned names like Labourdette, Saoutchik, Figoni and Falaschi, Chapron, Van den Plas, Mulliner, Fleetwood, Le Baron, Rollston, Graber – mostly faded away by the 1950s.

Hence, the explanation must lie within Italy itself, specifically with Fiat. Despite often being associated with the decline of numerous automotive manufacturers, Fiat paradoxically played a crucial role in the survival of many coachbuilders.

Towards the end of the 1930s, most car manufacturers ceased producing chassis, a vital component for coachbuilders, opting instead for monocoque construction. This shift significantly increased costs for coachbuilders, leading many to struggle.

However, Fiat continued to offer chassis, even when it became economically burdensome. This availability allowed Italian coachbuilders to remain operational. As the automotive industry moved towards monocoque designs, coachbuilders survived only where there was a partnership with a factory willing to supply mechanized platforms and support sales.

The importance of this partnership cannot be overstated. While competing automotive brands required independent sales networks, coachbuilders benefited from utilizing the factory’s sales channels. This unique dynamic turned what would have been a differentiation challenge in a competitive market into a unifying and economically beneficial relationship between factory and coachbuilder.

Evolution of Italian Coachbuilding: Creativity in the Face of Industrialization

Of course, nothing unfolds arbitrarily. At the core lies the ingenious inventiveness and creativity of Italian coachbuilders, alongside distinct historical and economic conditions. In the early automotive era, Italy, though not a frontrunner, kept stride with other European automobile-producing nations like France, Germany, and Great Britain. However, as automobiles transitioned from elite novelties to industrial products, Italy lagged behind. Its market resembled that of a less affluent nation, unprepared for such costly commodities. Meanwhile, other countries, including the United States, recognized the vast commercial potential of motor vehicles and geared up to offer comprehensive products.

In this shift, the aesthetic intricacies of automobile design took a backseat to factors like reliability, affordability, and mass production. The skilled artisan coachbuilder, proficient in various crafts like saddle-making, bodywork, painting, and upholstery, was gradually supplanted by efficient machinery capable of mass-producing car parts in a fraction of the time. While industrialization adopted a pace akin to Charlie Chaplin’s “Modern Times,” automobiles became commonplace commodities.

In contrast, Italy retained a relatively underdeveloped motorization landscape, which, while presenting challenges, also served to preserve the craft of coachbuilding. Despite Italy’s slower adoption of automobiles on a mass scale, its coachbuilders continued to cater to discerning clients with their exquisite and refined products, largely undeterred by the changing industrial landscape.

The Fiat Carrozzerie Speciali Department

Within the rich collaboration between Fiat and coachbuilders lies a lesser-known period spanning from 1910 to 1931. During this time, a “Fiat Bodywork Department” (Carrozzerie Speciali) operated from its headquarters on Via Madama Cristina in Turin. This department housed sections for body framing, metalworking, finishing, and notably produced elegant and sophisticated body styles with grandiose names of foreign origin: Run-about Courreuse, Gun boats, Double Phaeton Embouti, Landaulet Limousine, Coupé Berlina, Char à Bancs. Adorning the establishment’s façade was the name “Carrozzeria Italiana J. Rothschild & Fils” – a French coachbuilder that had established a presence in Turin.

However, this department’s history merely represents a temporary yet illustrious phase in the ongoing dialogue between Fiat and coachbuilders since the company’s inception. Until 1903, Fiat primarily relied on Carrozzeria Alessio, a licensee of the Weymar patent, for its bodywork needs.

Carrozzeria Alessio

Marcello Alessio embarked on his career as a laborer at Locati & Torretta, quickly surpassing his mentor in skill and knowledge. Recognizing the burgeoning potential of the automotive market, he ventured out on his own, establishing a small coachworks factory at Via Dell’Orto Botanico 19 (now Via Cesare Lombroso). With immense passion and innovative construction methods, Alessio swiftly rose to prominence, attracting prestigious clientele and earning a reputation as one of Turin’s foremost coachbuilders.

His renown extended beyond serving wealthy private customers, as several new car manufacturers sought his expertise in crafting coachworks. Alessio collaborated with Michele Lanza, producing the Welleyes for Ceirano and crafting bodies for early Fiat models. Additionally, he worked on chassis from various other brands, including Darracq, De Dion-Bouton, Panhard, Mors, and Renault, among others.

Alessio’s success led him to represent French Kriéger and Rochet-Schneider cars, as well as German Mercedes, importing bare chassis and adding his bespoke coach-built bodies. This venture created tension with Fiat, prompting the automaker to shift its body orders to G. Lanza.

Navigating Turbulence: Fiat, Carrozzeria Alessio, and the Carrozzerie Speciali Department

The dynamic between Fiat and Carrozzeria Alessio wasn’t devoid of hurdles. At a pivotal Board of Directors meeting on January 17, plans for the establishment of Carrozzeria Industriale G. Lanza e C. were unveiled by Agnelli. This venture aimed at manufacturing automobile bodies, with Fiat proposed as a key participant to expedite bodywork tasks.

The proposal was met with mixed reactions among board members, with some interpreting it as a retaliatory measure against Alessio’s actions. In response, Agnelli passionately defended Fiat’s stance, highlighting instances where Alessio had diverted potential clients away from Fiat. He argued vehemently against facilitating competitors’ profitability, emphasizing the need to safeguard Fiat’s interests amidst a competitive market landscape.

Despite initial reservations, Fiat’s involvement in Carrozzeria Industriale was solidified, signifying a strategic move to streamline production processes and assert Fiat’s influence in the automobile industry. However, managing this partnership presented its own set of challenges.

Within a year, signs of strain began to emerge. Racca, tasked with supervising Carrozzeria Industriale, resigned from his position, citing issues regarding the autonomy of the managerial role. This development underscored the complexities inherent in navigating partnerships within the automotive sector, where competition and collaboration often intertwine.

In the wake of Racca’s departure, Carrozzeria Rothschild & Fils emerged as a significant player, acquiring Lanza’s operations and establishing a new branch at Via Madama Cristina 147. This transition marked a pivotal moment in the evolving landscape of Turin’s automotive industry.

By 1910, Fiat made a strategic decision to absorb Rothschild, effectively integrating its operations and resources. Consequently, Fiat’s bodywork department underwent a rapid transformation, emerging as a fully functional entity capable of catering to diverse demands.

Initially serving as Fiat’s primary client, the department gradually expanded its clientele to include external firms such as Lancia. This strategic pivot underscored Fiat’s commitment to innovation and adaptability in navigating the evolving automotive landscape.

Despite undergoing various transformations over the years, the bodywork department remained a cornerstone of Fiat’s operations. Its legacy endured through the establishment of the Carrozzerie del Lingotto in the late 1940s, symbolizing Fiat’s enduring legacy and influence in the automotive realm.

Conclusion

In conclusion, thus ended an important chapter in Fiat’s history. However, as we have seen, the productive and diverse relationship between Fiat and numerous coachbuilders continued to thrive, delighting our eyes and celebrating Italian creativity. This collaboration persisted over time, evoking admiration and showcasing the Italian flair for design. Fiat’s adaptability and willingness to collaborate helped keep alive the legacy of Italian coachbuilders, fostering an ongoing blossoming of automotive design. This underscores the crucial role that creativity and innovation play in the Italian automotive landscape.