The ultimate italian coachbuilder site
The ultimate italian coachbuilder site
Vignale was one of the most important Italian coachbuilders. Defined as “the man who sculpted steel”, his success is owed to the designer Michelotti who collaborated with him until 1961.
The Fiat 1100 Elite: Appreciated by the Vip clientele who created unique Ferrari specimens, in the early 50s, Vignale , he widened his gaze towards the cars best known to the public to create special and unique versions in the “Vignale” style. So it was that after the release of one of the cars, intended for the middle class, the New Fiat 1100 103, Vignale also proposed on the sedan, his proposal, which could not be called anything else other than “Elite”, which was well identify the customer target to which this car was intended. Three series of Elite were made, one different for each year: ’55 ’56 and ’57 (which was actually built on the new 103 D). So always designed by the inexhaustible Michelotti, which we recognize for the particular rear tail (which is not that of TV, so to speak), the ’56 version has some unique features such as: The front mask, important, with incorporated two fog lamps, which takes us back to more prestigious cars (Ferrari 212 Inter Vignale ed.). The rear tail with a wave above the line of the rear fins reminiscent of the shapes of some American cars. The specific aluminum side trims for the car. The larger rear window. In the trunk compartment we find the spare wheel under the carpet and the fuel nozzle no longer outside but inside the trunk. The backrest folds back to give more space if you need to load special items. It is said that Michelotti had thought of paintings or works of art (editor’s note) Naturally, the livery of the two-colored metallics immediately customized these creations, separating them from the standard production cars.
The story of Carrozzeria Vignale represents one of the many somewhat forgotten success stories born against the backdrop of an Italy that was torn apart by the Second World War and which, starting from the end of the 1950s, was able to recover enough to know a real miracle. economical just a few years later.
