The ultimate italian coachbuilder site
The ultimate italian coachbuilder site
In the postwar years, Fiat was working on an eight-cylinder engine which was internally known as Tipo 106. Dante Giacosa originally designed the engine for a luxury sedan, but then that project stopped. Rudolf Hruska, at the time working at S.I.A.T.A., was given the task to design a car around the V8 engine. Development took place in absolute secrecy. To not stress the experimental department of Fiat, S.I.A.T.A took up the production of the chassis. Styled by chief designer Fabio Luigi Rapi, the Fiat 8V or OttoVù was presented to the Italian press in February 1952 and first exhibited in the following March at the Geneva Motor Show.
The Fiat 8V prototype used an art deco grill that extended into the hood. A second series was made featuring four headlights with some of the later cars have a full-width windscreen. A high-performance coupé destined to compete in the GT class, the 2-litre 8V model, was a departure from the usual Fiat production. It was well accepted by Italian private drivers and tuners and was the car to beat in the 2-litre class, also thanks to the unique versions built by Zagato or Siata. The Fiat V8 had a 70-degree V configuration of up to a 1996 cc of volume, at 5600 rpm the engine produced 105 hp (78 kW) in standard form with two two-barrel Weber 36 DCS carburettors giving a top speed of 190 km/h (118 mph). Some engines were fitted with substantial four-throat Weber 36 IF4/C carburettors offering 120 bhp, but the intake manifold was very rare. The Fiat 8V is the only eight-cylinder built by Fiat. The engine was connected to a four-speed gearbox. The shapes of the car have seen several changes over time: the prototype had an art deco grille that extended into the bonnet. A second series was made with four headlights; finally, some of the latest cars had a large windshield without divisions. Only 114 of this high-performance coupé were produced, 63 of which with a “Fiat Carrozzerie Speciali” body, 34 first-series and 29 second-series. It was made available in different body styles, offered by the factory and by various coachbuilders like Zagato, Pinin Farina, Ghia and Vignale. The production ceased in 1954.
In March 1952, Fiat surprised the world at the Geneva Motor Show with the Fiat 8V. A two-seater sports car that was also designed as a racing car. What was surprising was that Fiat had not shown any interest in re-entering the racing scene up to this point.
