Coriasco

Introduce

Est. 1920

Giovanni Coriasco opened a workshop in via Moretta, in Turin, and began to build part of bodies for Ceirano, Fiat, Chiribiri, Diatto and Itala in 1925 and finished bodies later. After the closing of many car brands in Turin and with the outbreak of the 1929 crisis, he found more profitable to concentrate his production on commercial-vehicle bodies. He brought his son Giuseppe into the business and incorporated the enterprises in 1938. After the WWII, the Coriasco brothers moved into a new factory in via Salabertano 80, in Turin and they reorganized the company as "Carrozzeria Coriasco Autoveicoli Industriali" in 1948. From this point on, Coriasco began a good cooperation with Fiat thanks to their aquired capacity to produce any types of commercial vehicles. Obviously they didn't disdain order for small series of cars, in some cases also designed by Michelotti. After the founder's death in 1961, Giuseppe Coriasco led the business for ten years without making waves. Suddendly, in 1971, he surprised the world by re-entering the passenger-car field with a coupè and a station wagon on Fiat 127 platform. A new factory was built in 1970 at Pianezza (TO), 14 km West of Turin, with capacity to build school buses and tourist buses. Later production models included the Fiat Fiorino pick-up and Fiorino Farm, Fiat Ritmo pick-up, and a camper on the Fiat 242 van chassis.  Giuseppe died in 1989, age 81. Since 1986, the company was led by Cesare Bruno, who joined Coriasco in 1978, armed with a master in business administration and economics. He immediately set up a separate branch, Coriasco Style, to operate as car stylist, prototype builders, and manufacturers of finished bodies in small series. One of its most popular activities was making luxury interiors for popular cars such as Fiat Tipo and Autobianchi/Lancia Y10.