Rear Engine V8 5MT discovery: Isotta-Fraschini Tipo 8C Monterosa

Kinja'd!!! "AMC/Renauledge" (n2skylark)
11/08/2013 at 12:19 • Filed to: Lost Cars, Isotta-Fraschini

Kinja'd!!!3 Kinja'd!!! 3
Kinja'd!!!

I'm a major auto enthusiast. People usually come up to me at parties and play "I'll ask you about any car ever and you can tell me about it." Fun for everyone ensues. Every now and then, however, I discover that my vehicle awareness is incomplete. This shouldn't be surprising, since I was born in 1983, post DeLorean DMC-12. However, a new discovery is always a fun and fascinating thing for me.

Kinja'd!!! Kinja'd!!!

When I discovered Avions Voisin a few years ago, I was absolutely elated. Beautiful old luxury cars they were, and I'm a beautiful old luxury car fan to my core. The !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! has haunted my dreams ever since. So lovely.

Kinja'd!!!

So you can imagine my surprise and joy when I !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! I hadn't realized that IF was still building cars in the Postwar era. When I found the article online, my realizations were confirmed, as IF's last production car, the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , rolled out in 1934. They continued making trucks, however. During the War, IF engineers planned the company's re-entry into the luxury car market. The car they had in mind was a rear-engine (Lampredi water-cooled 3.4L V8), 5-speed manual, rubber-suspended, 6-passenger beauty on a 122" wheelbase. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , they built five prototypes: A Carrozzeria Touring-bodied coupe and sedan, the Boneschi-bodied convertible sedan, the Zagato-bodied sedan:

Kinja'd!!!

And another sedan referred to on Wikipedia as a "Streamline":

Kinja'd!!!

Apparently, true production never started, and the company continued building trucks only until the lines stopped for good in 1955. Only the Touring coupe and Boneschi convertible apparently survive to this day. Pity. They are quite beautiful.

Kinja'd!!! Kinja'd!!! Kinja'd!!!

The next attempt to revive the storied Isotta-Fraschini marque would be the Audi A8-based T8/T12 from the 1996-98. It didn't get off the ground, either.

Do any of you know anything more about the Tipo 8C Monterosa. Like maybe why they never got around to producing them?


DISCUSSION (3)


Kinja'd!!! zadtheinhaler > AMC/Renauledge
11/08/2013 at 12:54

Kinja'd!!!0

Kinja'd!!!

With a few modernizing touch-ups, this could sell today I think. Nice lines!


Kinja'd!!! AMC/Renauledge > zadtheinhaler
11/08/2013 at 12:58

Kinja'd!!!1

I agree.

Plus, notice that huge sunroof. Pretty freakin' awesome!


Kinja'd!!! philipilihp > AMC/Renauledge
10/30/2014 at 10:05

Kinja'd!!!0

Kinja'd!!!

Oh my that is beautiful! This is more or less how the panamera should have looked, line-wise.