Cisitalia (Italy) - AllCarIndex

Cisitalia SpA was an Italian automobile manufacturer founded in 1939 by Piero Dusio, a former soccer player, in Turin. Originally established as Consorzio Industrial Sportiva Italia, the company initially focused on producing sports equipment. During World War II, Cisitalia shifted its operations to manufacture military uniforms, which proved to be financially lucrative. After the war, in 1946, the company transitioned to automotive production, introducing a Fiat-powered single-seater racing car that was competitively priced.

Cisitalia gained recognition for its innovative designs, particularly with the introduction of the Cisitalia 202 Gran Sport in 1947. This model was available in both coupé and cabriolet forms and featured a pioneering spaceframe chassis, making it one of the first cars to utilize this technology. While the chassis components were largely derived from the Fiat 1100, the engine was tuned to produce 66 horsepower. The 202 Gran Sport was distinguished by its bodywork designed by Pinin Farina, which received acclaim for its aesthetic appeal. However, despite its design merits, the car's performance was limited, achieving a top speed of only 99 mph (160 km/h) while being priced significantly higher than competitors like the Jaguar XK120.

In 1949, facing financial difficulties and ambitious projects that included a grand prix car designed by Porsche, Dusio relocated the company to Argentina. There, he produced vehicles based on the Willys Jeep under the Cisitalia name. Meanwhile, in Italy, Carlo Abarth, who had previously worked on the Cisitalia Grand Prix car, began creating vehicles based on the Cisitalia 202, establishing a separate automotive lineage.

Cisitalia saw a brief revival in the early 1950s, with a consortium resuming production and manufacturing a total of 170 units of the 202 Gran Sport by 1952. The company then introduced a new coupe featuring a basic chassis and a De Dion rear axle, powered by a 2.8-liter four-cylinder marine engine that claimed a top speed of 134 mph (216 km/h). However, this model failed to attract significant interest, leading Cisitalia to pivot towards customizing Fiat vehicles. Ultimately, the company ceased operations in 1965, marking the end of its brief but notable presence in the automotive industry.