1948 Fiat 1100 S

The 1100 S was Fiat’s first post-war sports car, but it had a strong lineage with the pre-war 508C “Nuova Balilla” 1100, introduced in 1937. The car was intended as a Mille Miglia racer for the 1100 cc class, the most popular at the time. The 1100 S was based on the light and rigid X-member frame of the 1100 B saloon. It featured a tuned engine and a dramatic streamlined body by Fiat which was loosely based on the pre-war 508 CMM, with the peculiar "Gobbone" tail which had proved to be particularly effective for efficiency and helped the car achieve nearly 160 km/h. The two-seater body was produced by Carrozzerie Speciali at Fiat’s own Officine Lingotto under the direction of Giuseppe Cogno. Several of the early cars have a badge with this script on the body. The 1100 cc engine offered significantly more power than its predecessor and produced 51 hp at 5200 rpm. The S-spec engine had different camshafts and valves, a lubrication system with oil cooler, a centrifugal water pump with redesigned radiator and a crankshaft placed on four main bearings. Wind-tunnel testing allowed the 1100 S to reach speeds of 150 km/h, and 1100 S berlinettas took 5th, 6th, 7th and 9th overall positions at the 1947 Mille Miglia, followed by 2nd and 3rd place overall in 1948, with other Fiat berlinettas among the top fifteen. A total of 401 units of the 1100 S were made, but this might be an overambitious number that includes several other body styles. The chassis numbers went, anyway, from 500001 to 500401. Despite the race purpose of the model, many 1100 S were sold to normal customers, convinced by the high speeds, over 150 kph, allowed by the powerful engine. Shortly afterwards, in 1949, the following Fiat 1100 S Berlinetta by Pinin Farina represented the first example of a small-series Pinin Farina car built for Fiat. The 1100 S was later followed by the 1100 E/S, the sports version of the 1100 E saloon.

Chassis 1100S*500135* has participated in two editions of the Mille Miglia; in 1951, finishing 102nd overall and 19th in class; in 1952, finishing 130th overall and 9th in class. In both editions the car was driven by the Vittorio Annoni and Piero Citterio team. There is news of the car competing also at Lecco - Colle di Basilio. Recently chassis 1100S*500135* has faced editions of the Mille Miglia re-enactments. Currently, the car is presented in red livery with light leather interior, has been the subject of a meticulous restoration and has been the protagonist of an article dedicated to it by the Ruoteclassiche magazine no. 181, in January 2004.