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Coachwork by Vignale

Ferrari 212 Export
1951 Ferrari 212 Export
Chassis number: 0106 E
Engine number: 0106 E

Ferrari 212 Inter
1951 Ferrari 212 Inter
Chassis number: 0159E
Engine number: 0159E

Ferrari 212 MM
1951 Ferrari 212 MM
Chassis number: 0070M
Ferrari 340 America
1951 Ferrari 340 America
Chassis number: 0140 A
Engine number: 0140 A

Fiat 1400
1951 Fiat 1400
Chassis number: 101*020996
Engine number: 034412

Ferrari 212 Inter
1952 Ferrari 212 Inter
Chassis number: 0289EU
Engine number: 0289

Ferrari 225 Sport
1952 Ferrari 225 Sport
Chassis number: 0160ED
Engine number: 0160ED
Ferrari 250 S
1952 Ferrari 250 S
Chassis number: 0156ET

Ferrari 342 America
1952 Ferrari 342 America
Chassis number: 0232 AL
Engine number: 0232 AL
Lancia Aurelia
1952 Lancia Aurelia
Chassis number: 1072

Ferrari 250 Europa
1953 Ferrari 250 Europa
Chassis number: 0313 EU
Engine number: 0331 EU

Fiat 1100
1953 Fiat 1100
Chassis number: 024545
Engine number: 025389
Fiat 8V
1953 Fiat 8V
Chassis number: 106*000051*
Engine number: 104.000*000073

Fiat 8V
1954 Fiat 8V
Chassis number: 000066
Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith
1954 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith
Chassis number: LCLW14
Engine number: L13C

Maserati 3500GT
1959 Maserati 3500GT
Chassis number: AM101.678
Engine number: 101.678

Carrozzeria, Italian meaning coachbuilder, is an individual or company that bodies carriages or automobiles. The name in German is Karosserie. These skills were needed during the early part of the 1900's to fabricate enclosures for rolling chassis. The materials used were mostly wooden or metal. As the evolution of automobile production evolved, manufacturers brought the design and development in-house, making individual coachbuilders a dying breed.

Unibody construction has mostly eliminated the need for coachbuilders. Many coachbuilders were purchased or merged by the automobile manufacturers. Others became highly specialized and worked on a contract basis, mostly for high priced, luxury automobiles.

Alfredo Vignale was born in 1913 in the country of Italy. During his teenage years he worked for Stabilimenti Farina, managed by Giovanni Farina, the older brother of the famous coachbuilder, Pinin Farina.

By 1946 he had established himself, built a reputation, and opened a shop in Grugliasco, at Via Cigliano, Turin. His first body creation was a 1948 Fiat 500, followed by a Fiat 1100. His work continued, creating bodies for prominent customers such as Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Cisitalia, Fiat, Maserati and Lancia.

His coach-work was mostly for low volume automobiles. By 1961 he had opened a factory in Crugliasco, Turin for the purpose of automobile production. Most were built atop of Fiat chassis. The vehicles produced include the Vignale 125/Samantha, Vignale 1500, and Vignale 850 - to name a few.

At the close of 1969, Alfredo Vignale sold his coachbuilding business to DeTomaso Automobili. By this point in history, Ford owned many businesses, such as Ghia and DeTomas. So essentially, Ford now owned the Vignale business. The factory was used to build the DeTomaso Pantera super car.

Three days after Alfredo Vignale sold his business, he was killed in an automobile accident while driving a Maserati.

Aston Martin is owned by Ford which now owns Ghia. In 1993, at the Geneva Auto Show, Aston Martin unveiled a concept car dubbed the Lagonda Vignale. The name Vignale was able to be used because of ownership. Since that time, the name 'Vignale' has appeared on a Ford concept car.

Q: What manufacturers did Vignale create coachwork for? A: Vignale created coachwork for (at least) the following manufacturers: Abarth, BMW, Cisitalia, Cunningham, Ferrari, Fiat, Lancia, Maserati, OSCA, Packard, Rolls-Royce, Siata, Triumph

Q: What body styles did Vignale create? A: Vignale created (at least) the following body styles: B52 Coupe, Berlinetta, Cabriolet, Continental Coupe, Convertible, Convertible Coupe, Coupe, Geneva Coupe, Roadster, Sedan, Series 2 Convertible, Spider, Spyder, Victoria, Vignale Sedan, Wagon