1953 Fiat 8V Coupe

The first of Fiat's famous 8V 'Otto Vu' Berlinettas was introduced at the Geneva Salon in 1952 and, over a period of two years, 114 examples were produced. A variety of Italian coachbuilders were contracted by Fiat to body these cars, including Ghia, Vignale and Carrozzeria Zagato.

This Fiat is one of 34 Otto Vus built by Zagato and the only example with right-hand drive. It remained unsold until 1955 when Idelbe Vallaguzza of Milan purchased the car and arranged for Ottavio Guarducci to drive it in various races in Italy, including the Targa Florio and the Coppa Inter-Europa. The car later passed through a number of different owners before it was acquired by Andrea Zagato, who drove it in several Mille Miglia retrospectives. It was bought by the current owner in 2012.

Fiat completed this 8V on October 6th of 1953 and delivered to Milanese coachbuilder Zagato as a bare chassis. Zagato clothed this vehicle in lightweight berlinetta with clean features and uncluttered lines and the rare, flat dashboard used only on the earliest examples. The car was originally finished in white and it has the distinction of being the only right-hand drive 8V ever built.

This is a first-series 8VZ fitted with a 1996cc overhead valve 70-degree V-8 engine breathing through Twin Weber 36 DCF3 carburetors and offering 110 horsepower. There is a four-speed manual gearbox and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes.

Upon completion, this 8VZ was delivered to Mrs. Idelbe Vallaguzza and registered in Milan in March of 1955. It competed over the next two years in the most prominent Italian races and hill climbs. It was entrusted to racing driver Ottavio Guarducci and its first outing took place on June 29th of 1955 at the Trieste-Opicina Hillclimb. Guarducci managed to finish in 6th place. On July 10th it raced at the IX Coppa d'Oro delle Dolomiti, one of the oldest and most popular Italian events. Again, it was driven to a respectable 6th in class. On September 11th the 8VZ raced in the VII Coppa Intereuropa at Monza. It wore race number '96' and was piloted by Guarducci to an overall victory. At the Targa Florio in August, the car failed to complete the grueling race.

The next outing for the 8V was in September of 1956 with Guarducci again campaigning the vehicle. It returned to Monza for the running of the VIII Coppa Intereuropa and finished 9th overall and 5th in class. After this race, the car retired from racing and was sold to its second owner in December of 1957 to an Italian resident. It passed to another owner in March of the following year before being acquired by Augusto Bergonzi in June of 1960. Sig. Bergonzi kept the car for approximately 18 months before selling it to a Sig. Brosi of Cremona, Italy.

It is believed the car remained in Italy until the late 1980s when it was acquired by Andrea Zagato, the grandson of Milanese coachbuilder Ugo Zagato and the current CEO of the company.

The car was soon given a thorough restoration with its alloy coachwork being replaced using the same methods and materials that were used by the same firm several decades earlier.

When the restoration was completed, the 8VZ was used by Andrea Zagato in the 1991 and 1992 Mille Miglia Storica. The car was later sold to a collector in Holland before being acquired in the mid-2000s by an Italian enthusiast. The car was kept on the family's estate located on Lake Maggiore.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at Gooding & Company's Amelia Island auction. It was estimated to sell for $750,000 - $900,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for 750,000 inclusive of buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2012