The ultimate italian coachbuilder site
The ultimate italian coachbuilder site
The Fiat 750 Riviera Coupé by Carrozzeria Vignale.
The Fiat 750 Riviera Coupé is a charming piece of automotive history, born from the Italian collaboration between Fiat and Carrozzeria Vignale in the early 1960s. In 1960, Fiat introduced a variant of its popular Fiat 600, equipped with a larger 750cc engine, offering a bit more power and performance. This new version caught the eye of Vignale, who saw an opportunity to create a range of stylish and distinctive models based on the upgraded 600. Among these were the 750 Berlinetta, 750 Coupe, and 750 Spider, each bringing a touch of flair to the compact Fiat. The 750 Coupe, with its sleek and compact design, stood out with elegant lines and a sporty yet refined character. This model appealed to those looking for more than just the practicality of the Fiat 600 but also a bit of European style and panache. Vignale’s craftsmanship was evident in the car’s detailed design, which gave the 750 Coupe a unique personality that set it apart from other small cars of the era. A few years later, the German automaker Neckar, a joint venture between Fiat and NSU, began building the Fiat 600 under license. To complement their range and capitalize on the stylish appeal of the 750 Coupe, Neckar introduced the Neckar-Jagst 770 Riviera, which was essentially a rebadged version of the Fiat 750 Coupe. The Riviera name gave the car an even more upscale feel, aligning it with the glamorous, Mediterranean-inspired designs of the time. The Fiat 750 Riviera Coupé and its German counterpart, the Neckar-Jagst 770 Riviera, represent a fascinating moment when Italian automotive design met German engineering, blending style with practicality. While these cars may not have become household names, they still stand as a testament to the creativity and innovation of the era, offering a stylish alternative to the standard compact cars of the time.
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.
