Corsa Race Car

The Maharaja of Patiala ordered this Fiat after seeing a similar 1.5-liter Fiat race at Monza in 1920. He requested artillery wheels, but the car arrived in India with wire wheels too weak for the local roads, so it was sent back to Turin for wheel replacement. The Maharaja was a keen supporter of the British Empire, contributing to the war effort during the Great War and being involved with many British charities. He was equally well known for his many accomplishments in India, including captaining the Indian cricket team in 1911. He was married 10 times and had 88 children, but was perhaps most famous for his passion for motor cars. He had 44 Rolls-Royces, all specially built for him. The Fiat 501S Corsa was among a few non-Rolls-Royce motor cars in his collection. Its subsequent history is not well known, but in the 1970s it was found in very bad condition with a tree growing through the cockpit. Its current owner has completely restored the car and its first visit to the United States was its attendance at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.