1928 Isotta Fraschini 8A SS

The Italian Isotta Fraschini Company manufactured luxury cars, trucks, and marine and aviation engines. The company was founded in Milan on January 29, 1900, by Cesare Isotta and the brothers Vincenzo, Antonio, and Oreste Fraschini. Their earliest automobile built under the Isotta Fraschini nameplate was a 24-horsepower, four-cylinder model that proved its performance through motorsport competition. Larger and more powerful models would carry the Isotta Fraschini banner, elevating the company's reputation and demonstrating their engineering prowess. Among the early accolades was a victory in the 1908 Targa Florio. They were early proponents of overhead camshaft designs (OHC) and one of the first companies to successfully market cars with four-wheel brakes.

Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8 (1919 to 1924)
The Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8 was introduced in 1919, and by this point, the company's reputation for building high-performance automobiles had been well established. The Tipo 8's arrival was significant, as it was the first time a straight eight was used in series production in Italy. The 360.2 cubic-inch (5.9 liter / 5,902cc) straight-eight initially offered 80 horsepower and was paired with a three-speed manual transmission. Horsepower rose and a four-speed manual was added as the years progressed. Built solely as a rolling chassis, bodies were often created by Italy's finest coachbuilders, such as Cesare Sala and Carrozzeria Castagna.

Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A
The Tipo 8A served as a replacement for the Tipo 8 and remained in production from 1924 until 1931. The previous 5.9-liter engine gave way to a 7.3-liter straight-eight that offered 115 to 160 metric horsepower, making it the most powerful mass-produced straight-8 engine in the world. The new model was aimed directly at the lucrative American market, and at one point, the Isotta Fraschini was the most expensive foreign automobile sold in the United States, exceeding event that of a Duesenberg. All Isotta Fraschinis were built with right-hand drive, which made them popular with chauffeurs who could more easily open the curb-side door for their employer.

The Tipo 8A 'S' was an optional, tuned version with the 'S' representing 'Sprinto' or 'tuned'. The Tipo 8A S models often received the short wheelbase chassis, a tuned engine with a higher compression ratio, a higher numerical final-drive ratio, and lightweight coachwork. The company could accommodate the mechanical specifications, but it was up to the coachbuilder to accommodate the lightweight body. Additionally, Some customers preferred the 'S' specification but a longer wheelbase chassis.

The Tipo 8A 'SS', or 'Super Sprint', featured twin carburetors, higher compression engines, and rear axles tuned for higher speeds. Some examples were built on the shortened platform, while others were built on the standard and long wheelbase chassis.

Approximately 950 of the 8A and 8A S models were built.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2024