Wow... only one attempt to identify!?
The green car posted above is a 1952 Fiat Otto Vu (8V), bodied by Zagato. Of the 114 8Vs produced, some Zagatos were as pictured, and some were "second design" to meet GT racing rules of the day - with higher cabs and a different, 4-headlight front end. And some of the 114 8Vs were bodied by Vignale. So my chances of finding one of the 1st design Zagato 8Vs is pretty slim. So much for that dream, I guess
Quote:
In that era, Fiat was a pioneer at coupling interesting chassis with unusual powertrains. In the early 1950s Fiat stunned the Italian automotive community with its 2.0-liter V8, an engine built to race.
Maserati, Ferrari and Lancia were highly regarded in auto racing during this period, and it was into this contentious field of Italian carmakers Fiat ventured with the odd and controversial Otto Vu. But The Otto Vu’s aerodynamic shape was the result of extensive wind tunnel testing, which would translate into rewarding returns at the track when it won the Italian Championship in 1954.
The 8V incorporated a 70-degree V design that produced 105 hp. This seems meager by today’s standards, but the 8V performed quite well in a vehicle that weighed just 2000 pounds.
The chassis and suspension provided handling that can only be described as poetry. On tight and twisting roads, the car had no equal. Which is why the Otto Vu proved such a challenge to the Maseratis and Ferraris of the day.
The Otto Vu was Fiat’s sole V8-powered car, and it symbolizes the company’s racing triumph, brief though it was.
|
Maybe I'll settle for one of these. Plenty of them still available at reasonable prices!
