Ipothesi was a concept car created by Open Design, a studio based in a villa on a hill in Turin, and shown to the public for the first time at the 59th Salone internazionale dell'Automobile in 1982. The studio's chief designer was Aldo Sessano, who had trained at Fiat before establishing himself as an industrial designer. Open Design presented two models made from Epowood plastic at the show, with Sessano stating that their construction had cost around 100 million lire (about 100,000 DM). The Ipothesi, displayed on the stand of the paint manufacturer Glasurit, was based on the Fiat Ritmo and proposed a wedge-shaped alternative to that car's angular design, featuring a rounded front and softer lines. Flush-mounted glass helped reduce aerodynamic drag and, in turn, fuel consumption.
Its styling was distinctive: the A-pillar and rear roof supports were covered in glass, while a tapering central pillar visually divided the side of the body. The lower flank consisted of a dark-colored protective bumper strip that matched the front and rear treatments. Pop-up headlights were unusual for a car of this popular class. Despite appearing noticeably more stretched than the Ritmo, the Ipothesi was only about 5 cm longer.
The concept was built as a five-door, five-seat semi-fastback saloon model, mechanically based on the Fiat Ritmo 125 TC with its 1995 cc, DOHC four-cylinder engine producing 125 hp at 5800 rpm and 172 Nm of torque at 3500 rpm. It had a wheelbase of 245 cm, track widths of 145.5/142 cm, and an overall length of 399 cm.
