Ceirano [1] / Welleyes (Italy) - AllCarIndex

Ceirano was an Italian automobile manufacturer active from 1901 to 1904, based in Turin. The company was founded by Giovanni Batista Ceirano, who was the eldest of three brothers involved in the early Italian automotive industry. Prior to establishing Ceirano, Giovanni opened a bicycle shop in Turin in 1880, where he produced cycles under the name Welleyes. This name was later used for his first automobile, built in 1899, which was designed by Aristide Faccioli.

The initial vehicle produced by Ceirano was a rear-engine, single-cylinder two-seater that utilized a belt drive system. This design caught the attention of the newly formed FIAT group, which acquired it and modified it for production as their first car. Following this, Ceirano sought to create a new model based on Renault's design principles, incorporating front-mounted single-cylinder engines from Aster or Dion and employing shaft drive.

In 1903, Faccioli, who had joined FIAT, returned to work with Ceirano and designed a four-cylinder car for the company. However, in 1904, Giovanni Batista's younger brother, Giovanni Ceirano, left to establish his own company, which later produced the JUNIOR and, from 1906, the S.C.A.T. Giovanni Batista reorganized his operations under the name S.T.A.R. to manufacture the RAPID model. The Ceirano brand, though short-lived, contributed to the early development of the Italian automotive landscape.