Autobianchi

Italy,1957 to date

(1) Autobianchi SpA, Milan, 1957 – 1968

(2) Fiat SpA (Sezione Autobianchi), Milan, 1968 to date

Edoardo Bianchi was a cycle manufacturer who graduated to cars via the inevitable motor tricycle, his earlies efforts being in the De Dion Bouton idiom with single-cylinder De Dion engines and tubular frame. A 942cc unit featured in his 1903 Bianchi models, but serious manufacturer dates from the company reorganization of 1905. Production was on a modest scale and had petered out (in favour of trucks and motorcycles) by the time Italy entered World War 2 in 1940.

These engaged Bianchi’s attention in the immediate post-war years, a projected Bianchi S9 replacement only reaching the prototype stage in 1950. The revival of a private-car production resulted from an infusion of Fiat and Pirelli capital in 1955, and when the Autobianchi Bianchina appeared at the 1957 Turin Show it was revealed as a deluxe rolltop convertible edition of Fiat’s new 2-cylinder air-cooled 500. By 1963 quite a wide range of bodies was available on the Bianchina chassis, but Fiat were now in sole command, and henceforward Autobianchi’s role was to be that of a forcing house for new Fiat ideas. 

A sports convertible development of the 600, the Autobianchi Stellina for sale in 1964, made little impression, but the Autobianchi Primula introduced later that year anticipated Fiat’s own 128 with its transversely mounted 1221cc 1100D engine driving the front wheels. Other featured were cooling assisted by an electric fan and all-disc brakes. A 1352cc Autobianchi sports coupé followed in 1965, and Fiat 124 engines were standardized on 1968 Autobianchi models. In March 1968 the Autobianchi company was finally integrated into Fiat, and though a rear-engined sports coupé of OSI design got no further that the Turin Show, the way was paved for the Fiat 127 in 1969 with the Autobianchi A112 for sale, a boxy little fwd saloon using the 903cc 850 coupé engine. Autobianchi also took over the production of Fiat 500 station wagons, which henceforward assumed their name. In 1970, 130.000 Autobianchi cars were made, four times as many as in 1964. The original Bianchinas were phased out, though in their place came an extension of the basic fwd theme, the Autobianchi A111 on 128 lines, but with 1438cc pushrod engine. New for 1972 was an ‘Abarthized’ Autobianchi A112 with 58bhp, 982cc engine.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; MCS

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