1951 Cisitalia 202 Gran Sport Cabriolet

This Cisitalia 202 SC Gran Sport Cabriolet wears coachwork by Vignale and is powered by a 1,089cc FIAT overhead valve inline four-cylinder engine. With a single Weber Tipo 38 DR3 carburetor, it delivers 63 horsepower at 6,000 RPM> There is a four-speed manual gearbox, four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes, and a live rear axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs.

In 1950, this Cisitalia was imported to Uruguay and first registered in 1951 to Carlos Rodriguez Tellecha. It was sold in 1959 to an Air Force major named Alejandro Dighiero, who kept it until 1970, selling it to Rafael Machado. After passing through several Italian collectors, it was purchased by Maurizio Leonesio of Brescia, who entrusted it to Carrozzeria Quality Cars of Vigonza in the early 2000s for restoration. Upon completion, it was shown at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este and, in 2011, it participated in the Mille Miglia Storica.

While on display at the Mille Miglia Museum in 2013, Miami-based collector Leo Schigiel first saw the car and immediately fell in love with it and was able to negotiate its purchase from Mr. Leonesio in 2014. In 2017, Mr. Schigiel exhibited the Cisitalia at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance where it participated in the Post-War Open Class and received a Third in Class award. More recently, it was displayed at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance in March 2018.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2023

The small Italian automaker Cisitalia was founded by the wealthy industrialist and sportsman Piero Dusio in 1946. His first cars were single-seat racers based on the Fiat 500 Topolino, and several were raced as voiturettes. In 1947 Dusio produced his first road car, the Cisitalia 202, the first of which were coupes styled by Pinin Farina. Later, Vignale bodied a small run of lightweight cabriolets, a few of which were built in steel and aluminum, including this car, a second series model. This car is one of six built by Cisitalia and sent to Uruguay in 1950 for Emilio Fontana, the Cisitalia dealer for South America. This is the only 202 SC Vignale convertible of 3 built which were steel and aluminum (a unique convertible/cabriolet). It has a split windshield like in the first series, but with a dashboard, instruments, and other details of the second series cars. The car has a four-cylinder 1100 cc 60 horsepower engine.

Its first owner sold the car to a U.S. Air Force pilot in 1959, who kept it until 1970. Then, in 1986, it was sold to an Italian collector, who brought it home to Italy to be restored. Its current owner saw the car in the Mille Miglia Museum in 2013 and purchased it a year later.