Abarth-Fiat 1100 S 1950-1952

Mille Miglia cars

In 1947, Fiat enriched the 1100 range with an original and sleek sports berlinetta with sophisticated mechanics, produced in a few hundred units. The rare car - which belongs to the Heritage Collection - is exhibited at the Centro Storico Fiat.

Dante Giacosa oversaw the design of the Fiat 1100 S at the end of the Second World War, taking inspiration from the pre-war 508 C Mille Miglia. The result was a body with aerodynamic lines so refined that it was completely without bumpers and equipped with a fairing that covered the rear wheels. The tail was tapered, but the peculiarity lies in the nose, with the grille divided into three parts distinguished by chrome strips with a horizontal trend on the sides and vertical in the center, creating those sequences of parallel and transverse lines that would become the characterizing stylistic element of the 1100 S.

If the design manifests the racing nature, the mechanics are certainly no less, indeed. To handle the significant increase in power, the 1089 cm3 in-line four-cylinder is equipped with an oil radiator and a centrifugal water pump. The camshaft is driven by gears. The result is remarkable: the power reaches 51 horsepower at 5200 rpm, which with the approximately 825 kg dry weight pushes the Fiat 1100 S up to 150 km/h.

The results are not long in coming. At the 1947 1000 Miglia, four 1100 S “berlinettas” are among the top ten overall: they take fifth, sixth, seventh and ninth place.

The crews that stand out in this feat at the glorious Brescia race are all Italian: Capelli-Gerli fifth, Della Chiesa-Brandoli sixth, the expert mechanic preparer “Pasqualino” Ermini seventh and Balestrero-Bracco ninth. The 1100 Ss left their mark not only for their sporting successes, but also for the unmistakable line of their nose that would make them famous for many years, up to the present day.

At the 1948 Mille Miglia, the results improved further: the Apruzzi brothers took the Fiat 1100 S to the third step of the podium, but three other Fiat berlinettas were among the top fifteen overall.

The Fiat 1100 S had 401 examples produced from 1947 to 1950, but, as with many cars that were used intensively in the competitions of those years, only a few "survived". The rare example owned by Heritage is normally on display at the Centro Storico Fiat in Turin.