Siata(Società Italiana Auto Trasformazioni Accessoriin EnglishItalian Car Transformation Accessories Company) was an Italian car tuning shop and manufacturer founded in 1926 by amateur race car driver Giorgio Ambrosini.
 | |
| Industry | Automotive |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1926 |
| Founder | Giorgio Ambrosini |
| Defunct | 1970 |
| Fate | ceased production |
| Headquarters | Turin,Italy |
| Products | Automobiles |
Siata initially sold performance parts to modify and tune cars manufactured byFiat.After World War II, the company began making its own sports cars under the Siata brand until its eventual bankruptcy following thefirst Arab oil embargoin the mid-1970s.
History
editFirst production models: 1948-1952
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Production of the Siata's first wholly original design the Siata Amica began in 1948 and continued through 1952. The Amica was powered by a Fiat 500 cc engine capable of producing 22 horsepower with an optional 750 cc unit producing 25 horsepower. The Amica was available in both two-seater convertible/spider and coupé configurations.[1]
A specially modified Amica known as theFiat Siata 500 Pescarawon the 1948Italian Road Racing Championshipfitted with a five-speed manual gearbox and a modified 500 cc engine producing 40 horsepower. Only two 500 Pescaras were ever built with only one surviving model. The surviving car also competed in the 1991 Historic Millie Miglia.[2]
Daina and 300BC
editTheDainawas based on heavily modifiedFiat 1400mechanics; the frame was reinforced and shortened while the engine was tuned by Siata. The Daina could be had with a 1.4L (1,395 cc), 1.5L (1,500 cc) or 1.8L (1,817 cc)overhead valveI4 engine,all of which were sourced fromFiat.From 1950 to 1958 there were approximately 50DainaSeries cars produced. However, only a few of the Series were produced after 1953. About 20 Daina Sport (coupes) are thought to have been built, only six are known to exist today. A cabriolet version called the Gran Sport comprised most of the Daina Series cars. The Gran Sport had a steel body with an aluminum hood designed byStabilimenti Farina(3 all-aluminum-bodied Gran Sports were made as well) but when they closed in 1953, Bertone took over production with a coupe model of their own design called the "Sport".
Following the Amica, Siata introduced the 300BC Barchetta Sport Spider in 1951. The Barchetta Sport Spider was designed by Mario Revelli de Beaumont and built byBertoneandRocco Motto.Around 50 production models were created and predominantly featured either a 750 ccCrosleyor 1100 ccFiatengine. During this time Siata also created theCucciolo( "puppy" ) motor sold in kit form byDucatiand later used to power Ducati's first complete mopeds and motorcycles starting in 1952.
8V Fiat engine and the 208S: 1953-1955
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Siata introduced the208Sin 1953 featuring Fiat's 2.0 liter8Vengine. 35 cars were produced between 1953 and 1955 priced at 5300 dollars and available in both convertible and hard top. The car rose to prominence after actor and race car driverSteve McQueenpurchased model BS523 from Los Angeles-based Siata importerErnie McAfeein the mid-1950s. McQueen reportedly re badged the car with Ferrari emblems and dubbed the car his "Little Ferrari".[3]
End of Siata: 1968-1975
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In 1968, after a detailedmarket researchamong Italian youth, Siata launched theSiata Spring,asports carbased on parts fromFiat 850,with a front end styled byEnrico Fumiain 1966.[4]The Siata Spring was produced until 1970, when Siata went bankrupt, but the assembly line was purchased by a newly formed company called ORSA (Officina Realizzazioni Sarde Automobili). They moved it to an assembly plant nearCagliari,where it resumed the production of the Spring, which was now based on theSEAT 850Especial. Because of this the engine displacement increased to 903 cc with 47 hp (35 kW), and it gained disc brakes on the front wheels and a higher top speed of 125 km/h (78 mph). Due to the1973 oil crisis,sales of sports cars in Italy declined, forcing ORSA to end the production in spring 1975.
Models
edit- Siata 300BC Barchetta Sport Spider (1951–1954)
- Siata Amica (1948–1952)
- Siata Amica 600 (195?–1958)
- Siata-Abarth 750(1959–1961)
- Siata Daina(1950–1958)
- Siata 208 CS
- Siata 208S(1953–1954, 56 produced)
- Siata Spring(1967–1975)
Racing
editSiata raced in theMille Migliaand the Italian Road Racing Championship in 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952 and 1955. A 1500-ccSiata Dainadriven by Dick Irish and Bob Fergus finished first in its class and third overall at the 195212 Hours of Sebring.[5]
References
edit- ^"1950 Siata Amica".Conceptcarz.Retrieved2011-01-19.
- ^"Fiata Siata 500 Pescara".Barchetta Sports Cars.Retrieved2011-01-19.
- ^"1953 Siata 208S".Fantasy Junction.Retrieved2011-01-19.
- ^"Fumia Design".fumiadesign.com.Archived fromthe originalon 2016-03-04.Retrieved2012-08-12.
- ^"1950s sports-car star Dick Irish dies at 85".Autoweek.2015-03-24. Archived fromthe originalon 2020-10-24.
External links
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