1953 Fiat 8V GT Coupe

At the 1952 Geneva Motor Show, Fiat excited the public with a new car developed especially for racing. Powered by a Fiat 2 litre V8 engine, the car was known as the 8V, or 'Otto Vu.' Of the 114 8Vs built, very few received bodywork by Zagato like this example with its distinctive 'double-bubble' roofline. The 8V Zagatos were very successful in racing due to their lighter weight. In 1954, one particular 8V Zagato was campaigned by Elio Zagato himself.

Originally kept as a factory car with coachwork by Fabio Rapi, it was returned to Fiat in February 1954 to be upgraded with twin four-barrel Weber racing carburetors and matching cylinder head. After the original owner passed away, the car was purchased by Esteban Sala Soler, who sent it back to Zagato to be rebodied in 1956. The new alloy body included an oversized hood scoop, side vents, curvaceous bumpers, and Zagato's signature double bubble roof. In preparation for the 8th Rallye del Sestriere, the car was sent again to the Fiat Racing Department, which overhauled the engine and transmission and added an altimeter, lightweight seats, a new dashboard, and alloy replacements for many steel components. The car passed through four more owners before being purchased in 2006 by Strada e Corsa, which began an exhaustive restoration for Belgian collector Jan de Reu. The restoration was finished in 2009.

The Fiat Otto Vu was an exclusive automobile with 114 examples constructed between 1952 and 1954. Believing Ford had the copyright on 'V8,' Fiat instead named its V8-powered automobile the 8V. The 70-degree engine displaced 1,996cc, and with two twin-choke Weber 36 DCF 3 carburetors, it initially produced 104 horsepower at 5,600 RPM. An improved camshaft timing helped output increase to 113 horsepower at 6,000 RPM, later increasing to 125 horsepower following additional modifications (higher compression and revised camshaft timing).

This restored Berlinetta wears coachwork by Zagato and is powered by the uprated Tipo 104.004-specification engine, chiefly characterized by the presence of dual four-barrel Weber carburetors.

This Fiat initially wore first-series factory coachwork designed by Rapi. It was dispatched for delivery in Turin in May 1953 and purchased new by local resident Giuseppe Malinverni. He registered the car in February 1954 with tags reading '214969 TO.' A few years later, it was sold to Spanish national Esteban Sala Soler, who intended to campaign the car in rallies. Soler sent the Fiat to Zagato to receive lightweight alloy coachwork to aid in his racing endeavors. The new body design featured a low nose, an oversized hood scoop for improved intake, bulging non-louvered side vents for better brake cooling, and a double-bubble roof.

This Fiat 8V is one of six Zagato-bodied Otto Vu berlinettas to feature the signature double-bubble roof.

Along with the new body, this Otto Vu received performance modifications from Fiat's competition department that included retuning the engine to Tipo 104.004 specifications. Lightweight seats were installed along with a new dashboard and various alloy pieces, reducing the overall weight of the vehicle. In preparation for mountain driving, an altimeter was installed.

Soler raced this Fiat in late February 1957 in the VIII Rallye Sestrières, a 1,800-kilometer multi-day event. It was entered on behalf of the Spanish Scuderia Barcelona as race #46, and Soler was joined by co-driver Ramón Vilaprino. By the conclusion of the race, the car had finished 3rd in class and 19th overall. This impressive accomplishment was followed by a class victory at the 1958 Rallye Automovilista Iberico.

When the Fiat retired from racing, it was sent to the United States by distributor Otto Linton of Exton, Pennsylvania, from whom the car was purchased by Harold Berger of nearby Gwynedd Valley. By early 1962, it had entered the car of Ed Jurist's Vintage Car Store of Nyack, New York. Karl Anderson of New York City purchased it in April 1962 and kept it for 12 years, selling it in 1974 to Homer Tsakis of Katona, New York. Jere Brown of Oakland, California, purchased it around 1976 and would keep it for three decades.

In 2007, the Fiat was discovered by Lennart and Jurriaan Schouwenburg. After purchasing the vehicle, they sent the Berlinetta to their Dutch restoration shop Strada e Corsa in Haarlem where it was given a comprehensive restoration. Near the close of 2008, it was sold to a collector in Belgium who stewarded the refurbishment of the car. The goal of the restoration was to bring it back to its 1953 configuration. However, a few tasteful mechanical upgrades were added to improve performance and the overall driving experience, including forged pistons, uprated valves, and a limited-slip differential. The work was completed by the spring of 2009, in time to be shown at the Villa d'Este Concorso d'Eleganza, where it was rewarded with a class victory. Another class victory followed at the 2012 Zuote Concours d'Elegance, and it received special prizes at the 2011 Unique Special Ones in Florence and the 2015 Chantilly Concours d'Elegance. Additionally, the Zagato-bodied Fiat was shown at the 2009 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and the 2013 St. James's International Concours. It completed the Mille Miglia Storica three consecutive times - from 2010 to 2012.

The current Northern California owner purchased the Fiat in 2015. Since then, it has received service from The Pit Shop, with work done to improve the car's mechanical performance and cosmetic presentation. (The factory four-speed transmission was removed and replaced with a five-speed unit).

In 2016, the Fiat returned to Pebble Beach, where it earned 2nd in the Fiat Custom Coachwork class.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2024