Cisitalia

Italy, 1946 – 1965

Cisitalia SpA, Turin

Piero Dusio’s brainchild was the Italian equivalent of Amedée Gordini’s special Simcas in that it made use of Fiat 1100 mechanical components. The first Cisitalia cars were single-seaters with multi-tubular space frames, transverse leaf ifs, torsion bar and coil rear suspension, magneto ignition and 3-speed gearbox. With 60bhp available, 110mph were claimed and some 40 of these Cisitalia cars were sold in 1946 at the equivalent of £1.000.
Special races were staged for these Cisitalia cars, not only in Italy but also in Egypt. Nuvolari drove a Cisitalia sports version into 2nd place in the 1947 Mille Miglia. Cisitalia touring versions carried elegant coupé bodies – foreshadowing Italian preeminence in the post-war GT field – semi-elliptic rear springs and a choice of 50bhp or 60bhp engines.
In 1948-1949 a talented team – Ferry Porsche, Carlo Abarth and Hruschka – evolved an ingenious Cisitalia 4x4 1½-litre car for Formula 1. The 4 ohc, 300bhp flat-12 engine was rear-mounted, tankage was lateral as on later GP Lancias, and there was a 5-speed gearbox. However, Cisistalia ran out of money before the GP car had run under its own power, and in 1949 Dusio transferred his entire operation to Argentina. Though the Autoar produced in that country wore a Cisitalia badge, its basis was Willys Jeep and in 1950 it was announced that production of the basic 1100cc Cisitalia coupés was to be resumed in Italy under new sponsorship. Though Cisitalia cars were made intermittently until 1965, the firm never recovered its former position. In 1952 a bigger Cisitalia coupé model was announced, with a 2.8-litre 4-cylinder ohc BPM marine engine and gearbox in unit with a De Dion back axle; 160bhp and 137mph were claimed, but this made little impression, any more than did a transformation of the Fiat 1900 with sports saloon bodywork and an ugly ‘waterfall’ grille. In 1954 the principal offering was a 70bhp Cisitalia version of the ‘1100’ with wire wheels and overdrive, of which about a hundred Cisitalia cars were made. This had evolved by 1957 into the 1248cc Cisitalia Volo Radente, but no cars were produced between 1958 and 1961 and the last Cisitalia cars, known as Cisitalia Coupé Tourism Specials, were only 750cc and 850cc derivatives of the rear-engined Fiat 600 and not outstanding in any way. 

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; MCS
The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@postwarclassic.com