Miguel Sánchez
Writing about historic motorsport in Italy, it was quite common to come across references to the brand Autobianchi. Endowed with a very specific personality, various products were tested there and later taken to a larger scale by Fiat.
Something especially evident when we talk about front-wheel drive, in which our protagonist was a pioneer in Italy thanks to the appearance in 1964 of the Primula; one of the most influential cars of the entire 20th century, thanks to its role as a prologue not only for front-wheel drive in the Fiat Group but also for compact cars in general as we understand them today.
An innovative and niche character that ultimately duplicated the very definition of Lancia; absorbed in 1969 by the Agnelli management to ultimately end up sentencing the future of Autobianchi by acting as a clear competitor within the Fiat Group itself.
But let's take it step by step, because in the end it is worthwhile to calmly enter into the history of this company co-founded by Bianchi, Pirelli and Fiat itself at the beginning of 1955. A brand somewhat forgotten in the face of the brilliance of other references such as Alfa Romeo, Lancia or Fiat itself, but which is still worth vindicating today based on its experimental work so important for Italian motorsport.
A STORY BORN ON TWO WHEELS
If you are a cycling fan, you will know Bianchi for its magnificent creations finished in the brand's signature light blue tone. What's more, you probably still have the image of Bianchi engraved on your mind. Marco Pantani on his Mega Pro attacking mountain passes while gripping the handlebars tightly from the bottom; a true icon of two-wheel pedals.
Also, if your desires are towards motorcycling, you may have in mind the 350 Celestial Freccia; one of the most influential designs in history, featuring an ingenious double overhead camshaft with conical pinions that ultimately became an inspiration for motor racing.
What's more, Tazio Nuvolari himself won the 1925 Monza GP on it, wrapped in a leather corset after a fall in which suffered three broken ribs. Another heroic example - be careful with heroism because it is confused with recklessness - at the level of what was signed by the "flying mantuan"in Germany in 1935 or eleven years later with that Cisitalia D46 which he piloted by directly gripping the steering column after having released the steering wheel.
In short, if you are a fan of two wheels, whether with or without a motor, Bianchi stands out as a fundamental reference since its foundation in 1885. A very long history which -note that- also included the production of automobiles since 1903, when Edoardo Bianchi launched his ingenious 8 HP car on four wheels based on a double chassis.
1955, THE FOUNDATION OF AUTOBIANCHI ARRIVES
Bianchi did not do badly with the production of cars. In fact, along with a multitude of simple urban models - with sporty derivations given their lightness - he managed to develop Engines with up to eight cylinders to equip luxury vehicles”Limo” like the 30/35 PS, one step behind the incredible and unattainable Isotta Frachini.
However, the company's situation immediately after the Second World War was not so buoyant. To begin with, its factory in Abruzzi had been bombed to destruction and, in addition, Edoardo Bianchi himself died in 1946. due to a car accident. Management of the brand was then handed over to his son, who had to focus on the production of bicycles and light motorcycles, thus leaving aside the costly task of developing new cars.
In any case, the memory of luxury and quality linked to the brand did not fall on deaf ears, as attracted by this, Pirelli and Fiat founded, together with Bianchi herself, the promising Autobianchi in 1955. An advantageous pact for all parties, and it is not in vain that, while it allowed Bianchi to return to automobile production, Pirelli was able to expand its business channels and Fiat achieved something very interesting: to support a niche reference with which to test innovative designs.
ROLE WITH THE FIAT GROUP AND DEBUT WITH BIANCHINA
A generalist company like Fiat has little room in its range when it comes to introducing niche models. And no, we are not talking so much about sports betting - which can play a role as a "halo models”- as well as disruptive designs in its technological commitment.
That is to say, the average buyer of a generalist brand is not going to risk acquiring technologies that are not thoroughly tested and proven. This is why the creation of Autobianchi was a good idea. something very interesting for Fiat, which poured its most experimental ideas into it before bringing them to the big series in its passenger cars.
The level of finishes was also very high even in its small urban vehicles, which is why cannibalization with Fiat models was impossible since the Autobianchi arrived at dealerships as a kind of "premium range”. In fact this is seen very well in its first model: the Bianchina.
Based on the chassis and mechanics of the Fiat 500, it presented a more marked style as well as a wide range with versions such as the Berlina, Cabriolet, Trasformabile, Panoramica and Furgoncino. A bet much more complete and equipped than the one presented by the Fiat range with a 479 cc engine.
THE EXPERIMENTS BEGIN: STELLINA AND PRIMULA
In 1963 the charming Autobianchi Stellina went on sale. A small convertible based on the Fiat 600, although, to tell the truth, it did not reach the streets so much as a complement to the range of the popular utility vehicle -which also- but as a a commercial essay about the possibilities of a lightweight two-seater with a spider body.
A good example of the experimental character awarded to the brand founded eight years earlier, which would see how in 1965 Fiat itself launched the concept outlined with the Stellina under the skin of the 850 Spider Bertone.
However, the largest test carried out by the Turin conglomerate through Autobianchi took place in 1964 with the presentation of the Primula. A vehicle in whose development Dante Giacosa had the freedom to do what Fiat could not do without further ado: put a front-wheel drive family car in dealerships, thus finally distancing itself from the rear-wheel drive system so common in the Italian brand.
FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE PROBLEMS
This is quite an ambitious feat, since doing so with a generalist model suitable for the intermediate range was not at all easy. For example, although Citroën had already presented its Traction Avant many years before, the truth is that this was not a popular car, at all. On the other hand, the examples shown by DKW -well assimilated by Saab shortly after- were not valid for a generalist family car either, since, with its simple two-stroke three-cylinder engines could not meet the needs imposed by the specifications.
Also what Alec Issigonis did in the Mini from 1959 With a very compact transverse layout, it was not easy to replicate either, as the gearbox was integrated into the crankcase, which made it quite complex. And finally, the model presented by the R4 was not viable for a family car either, since installing the engine behind the front axle would take up too much space in the passenger compartment.
FROM PRIMULA TO A111
Having said all this in relation to other pioneering brands with front-wheel drive, we must also point out how in Italy spear had already begun to install this system on the Flavia and Fulvia.
Now, since this was characterized by technical innovation even at the expense of its profit sheet - in fact it had to be rescued by Fiat itself in 1969– the technical solutions used - the exquisite narrow-angle V4 of the Fulvia, a jewel of transalpine technology, stands out - were hardly credible when applied to a passenger car on behalf of Fiat.
At this point Dante Giacosa had a lot to experience and obviously not a little to lose if his new front-wheel drive failed. Therefore the solution was obvious: use Autobianchi to perform this experimentAn experiment that was perfectly solved thanks to the Primula, one of the most influential cars of the 20th century, both for its traction and for its bodywork, capable of defining what would end up being a C-segment passenger car.
After this - and more than 75.000 units sold - the Primula was replaced by the A111 of 1969. Conceived as a kind of "option"premium” compared to the Fiat 125 of 1967 this one It had the same 1438 cc block that the first 1430 would have in Spain. derived from the Italian 124 Special. Despite its great similarity to the Fiat range -as well as a lack of ambition to renew the leaf springs and rigid axle- it ended its commercial life.
LANCIA ENTERS THE GAME, THE END BEGINS
Given what we've seen in relation to the A111 - of which only a little over 50.000 units were sold - one thinks that Autobianchi already had little space - and even little sense - within the great conglomerate represented by the Fiat Group. And yes, after all, that was the case. The absorption of Lancia left the brand with no room.
A fact confirmed by the fact that the A111 was not continued, its place being taken in the Fiat Group's offering by the first Lancia built under its umbrella: the Trevi from 1972. Having resolved exactly what the hypothetical replacement for the Autobianchi could have meant, this time with the "bialbero" by Aurelio Lampredi in order to reduce costs in what was to be the first step towards the financial recovery of the historic Italian house.
That said - and in the spirit of fairness - the truth is that Lancia's entry into the scene did justify the end of Autobianchi because, after all, Lancia had been signing an innovative character and with a certain luxury - exactly the same coordinates under which our protagonist was born - for decades. In short, under the direction of the Agnellis Lancia left no room for Autobianchi.
Y10, THE LAST CHAPTER
Continuing with the use of Autobianchi as a test bench, in 1969 Fiat tested with the A112 what two years later would become the 127; responsible for putting an end to the rear engines so often used by the Italian manufacturer in its most basic models since the 500 and 600 of the XNUMXs.
That small utility vehicle also came to sell more than 250.000 units until the mid-eighties, even becoming the basis for Abarth's first intervention after its integration into Fiat during the summer of 1971: a splendid and furious sports car in urban format that could well be considered one of the clearest precedents for the current "hot hatch".
However, its success did not ensure the continuation of Autobianchi, as when the Y10 - already with Fiat's new FIRE engine - replaced it in 1985, this new model It was sold as Lancia or Autobianchi depending on the market.. In the case of the premises under the brand created in 1955, after all, it had little standing abroad.
At this point, Lancia finally took over the management of Autobianchi's media, making it disappear completely as a commercial reference in dealerships. A slow and agonising end for the company where Fiat - and more specifically Dante Giacosa - tested some of its fundamental designs.
PS Take a look at the cover image, specifically the driver. If you are a F1 fan, you will surely recognise the wearer of such sideburns, right?
