What are the Italian car brands like?

The Italian car brands are associated with sophistication and flair – beautiful lines that do not always have much in common with usefulness. However, the automotive industry in Italy is incredibly diverse, from the Piaggio micro cars to the Ferrari racing cars.

 

The beginnings of the Italian automobile industry

The automotive industry currently accounts for 8% of the Italian GDP. In 2006, nearly a quarter of a million people were employed in this industry. It’s no wonder – plenty of the best Italian cars are being produced, and they are popular not only on the Apennine Peninsula but also in other countries, such as Poland.

The history of the Italian automotive industry dates back to the 80s of the 19th century. In 1884, Enrico Bernardi constructed the first Italian three-wheeler powered by a gasoline engine. However, two years later, the Stefanini-Martina company was founded, consideredthe oldest Italian car brand. In 1898, another company was founded – Isotta-Fraschini – and a year later, the one which for many years was shaping the automotive industry in Italy: Fiat S.p.A.

Giovanni Agnelli – one of the most important characters in the history of the Italian automotive industry – was born in 1866 and, in 1892, became the mayor of Villar Perosa. Seven years later – in 1899 – Agnelli belonged to the group of businessmen who founded the Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino, F.I.A.T. in short (the “periods” were removed from the name in 1906). Still, that same year the company was founded, the first model was released – developed by Aristide Faccioli, who later became Fiat’s main engineer.

 

Other popular Italian car brands which have a long history are i.a.:

• Lancia (since 1906)
• Alfa Romeo (since 1910)
• Maserati (since 1914)
• Ferrari (since 1947)
• Lamborghini (since 1963)

 

What are the characteristics of the Italian cars?

How do you tell that a car is an Italian one? First of all, by the aesthetics, for which the Italian brands are worldwide famous. Still before the outbreak of the Second World War, the most stylistically impressive constructions were developed in France, and Paris was the place that everybody looked up to. Only after the war did the French leftist politicians set a goal to revenge the upper class and deliberately sabotage the automotive industry in France.

 

 

Ghia and Vignale are terms nowadays associated with Ford, but these were independently functioning Italian design studios in the past. Carrozzeria Pininfarina has been operating since 1930 – currently, the Indian Mahindra & Mahindra group is its owner.

The Bertone studio, already in the 20s, cooperated with Fiat and Alfa Romeo, but it also has developed many successful projects for other brands. Admittedly, the future of Bertone is unclear. After 2014, it declared bankruptcy, but one may still hope the company hasn’t had its last word.

The design of the Italian cars has always been the most important – reliability and other utility characteristics were secondary. If anybody was looking for a trouble-free car, they could choose a car from Germany. As for sustainability, the Japanese cars would be considered the best. Still, when Italian luxury car were considering the aesthetics, none of these could top the Italian brands.

 

Popular Italian car brands

The characteristic of the most popular Italian car brands is that they don’t need to be introduced – they speak for themselves. Is there anyone who has never heard about Ferrari or Lamborghini? And finally, has anyone ever dealt with a car with the Fiat logo on its hood? Just to ensure, let’s look at the particular manufacturers and their history.

 

Ferrari

Ferrari, known for its iconic black horse logo, has been producing high-performance sports cars in Maranello since 1947. Enzo Ferrari, an Italian racing driver who previously raced for Alfa Romeo, founded the company in 1938. The first Ferrari, the 125 S, featured a less attractive design but packed a V12 engine with 1.5 liters and 120 HP, reaching up to 155 km/h.

Subsequent Ferrari models improved in looks thanks to collaborations with design studios like Scaglietti, Bertone, and Vignale. The brand’s stylish cars consistently delivered a top-notch performance with their V8 and V12 engines. While Ferrari is famously associated with red, they also offer cars in various other colors.

INFORMATION

The Italian manufacturer – which belonged to the Fiat group for years – has released many fantastic models. These are i.a.: Ferrari 275 GTB, Testarossa, F50 and F550 Maranello. 

 

Maserati

The history of Maserati is closely intertwined with another Italian manufacturer, Isotta Fraschini, where the four Maserati brothers initially worked. In 1914, they established Società Anonima Officine Alfieri Maserati. They had been building racing cars for Diatto before creating their own Maserati-branded racing cars, such as the Maserati Tipo 26, which won races in its debut year.

Over the years, Maserati became known for impressive projects, powerful engines, and racing success. In the late 1950s, the company shifted its focus to road cars, though it retained a racing spirit. Today, Maserati is part of the Stellantis group, producing several luxury cars: sedans like the Ghibli and Quattroporte, S.U.V.s like the Levante, and the MC20 model, which pays homage to the brand’s racing heritage.

 

Lamborghini

Lamborghini’s history began in 1947 when its founder, Ferruccio Lamborghini, initially made tractors of electric vehicles that enjoyed great success. However, Ferruccio was also a sports car enthusiast and owned a Ferrari, which he wanted to improve. When he suggested enhancements to Enzo Ferrari, he was met with outrage and the famous declaration that a “tractor driver” shouldn’t advise on building cars. This led Ferruccio to create his own car brand.

From this defiance, Lamborghini emerged as a premier Italian car manufacturer, known for iconic models like the Miura, Countach, Diablo, Murciélago, and the recent Aventador. They also offer the Lamborghini Urus, an S.U.V. with a powerful 641-HP engine.

Ownership of the sports car division changed hands over the years, including stints with Chrysler and Megatech. Since 1998, Lamborghini Automobili S.p.A. has been wholly owned by Audi AG, a part of the Volkswagen Group.

 

Pagani Automobili

Pagani, founded in 1992, is a relatively young brand compared to its Italian competitors. Despite its youth, its debut car, the Zonda, was a massive success. The company’s founder, Horacio Pagani, previously worked for Lamborghini and continued to collaborate with them through Pagani Composite Research.

Pagani cars use a 12-cylinder engine from Mercedes A.M.G. They started with the Zonda 12 and later introduced other incredibly expensive high-performance models. Today, Pagani produces the Huayra in various versions, all powered by the same supercharged V12 engine located behind the driver.

 

Lancia

In November 1906, Vincenzo Lancia founded the Lancia company in Turin, Italy, focusing on manufacturing passenger cars. Shortly after, they produced the Tipo 51 or 12 H.P., known as the Lancia Alpha. Lancia achieved significant milestones in the automotive world.

In 1913, the Lancia Theta featured full electric equipment. In 1922, the Lambda introduced a unibody and independent front suspension. In 1933, the Lambda Augusta became the world’s first sedan with hydraulic brakes.

The company continued to grow even after Vincenzo Lancia died in 1937. Lancia cars participated in rallies and Formula 1 races. However, financial difficulties led to a takeover by Fiat in 1969. Lancia cars produced both iconic models like the Stratos and Delta and more conventional cars like the Beta and Thema. Despite their innovative solutions, some Lancia models struggled to find buyers in subsequent years.

 

 

Alfa Romeo

Alfa Romeo, one of Italy’s oldest sports car brands, has a polarizing reputation worldwide. Some adore it, while others are less forgiving of its flaws. The brand’s history traces back to 1906 when Alexandre Darracq founded a company near Milan, initially selling cars and later producing its own.

Financial troubles led to a sale in 1910 to a group of businessmen who named it Alfa. The brand’s name evolved further when Nicola Romeo took charge at the end of World War I. Alfa Romeo stood out from other Italian car manufacturers due to its use of boxer engines. The brand is currently owned by the Italian-American company Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V.

In 1933, the company became state-owned but maintained autonomy. In 1986, Fiat Group acquired Alfa Romeo. The brand continued to impress with its design, often collaborating with Carrozzeria Pininfarina. Notable models include the classic Alfa Romeo Giulia from 1962-1978 and the modern version, competing with German counterparts. Today, Alfa Romeo also produces two S.U.V.s, the Stelvio and the Tonale.

 

Fiat

In 1899, Giovanni Agnelli and other businessmen founded Fiat with ambitious goals. They likely didn’t anticipate its remarkable success. By the same year, they manufactured the first Fiat, the 3.5 HP model, and the company was listed within four years. Fiat expanded globally, opening branches, including one in New York. Before World War I, they built factories in Lingotto and Mirafiori.

Fiat rapidly developed through partnerships and licensed production in various countries, including the Soviet Union and Poland. Fiat significantly influenced the Polish automotive industry. In 1969, Fiat acquired Ferrari and Lancia. A decade later, they formed Fiat S.p.A., incorporating Autobianchi and Abarth. Today, Fiat is a key part of the Stellantis group, uniting Italian and French car brands.

 

 

Let’s put these comments aside – as Fiat has in its offer a lot of passenger and utility vehicles. There’s also a compact and a convertible, and even cars with the four-wheel drive. 

 

Abarth

Abarth, the Italian car brand known for its scorpion logo, was founded in 1949 by Carlo Abarth, who was a Scorpio by horoscope. Initially, the company focused on modifying Italian (Fiat and Alfa Romeo) and French (Renault and Simca) cars to create faster and more powerful versions. Abarth had a strong connection with Fiat, eventually becoming part of the group in 1971.

They excelled in preparing Fiat rally cars until the brand temporarily closed during the fame of the Lancia Delta. However, Abarth made a comeback in the early 21st century, starting with models like the Seicento and Stilo, which were unsuccessful. But later, the Abarth Grande Punto and Abarth 500 proved to be hits, with the latter being their core offering today.

 

Iveco

Iveco is known for cargo vehicles but offers more, including Italian trucks, military cars, and bus manufacturing. The Italian company was established in 1975 by merging truck departments from companies like Fiat, Lancia, OM, Unic, and Alfa Romeo. Iveco expanded by acquiring other companies and factories, including a Ford truck plant in the UK, Czech Karosa, and Indian Ashok Leyland.

Their most popular model is the Daily, similar to Fiat’s Ducato. Iveco has over 40 manufacturing plants in countries like Italy, Germany, Spain, and Ukraine. They also produced vehicles in Poland, including the Daily and Eurocargo in Poznań.

 

Piaggio

All of the above brands manufacture Italian cars – so why is luxury Italian automobile manufacturer the Piaggio group placed among them, which is mainly associated with scooters? It has an extremely long history, and at the same time, it is an important element of the Italian automotive industry history. The company was founded already in 1884, although a lot of time had to pass until until the company started to typically deal with the automotive industry.

 

 

After WWII, Piaggio decided to enter the automotive industry, creating Vespa scooters and Ciao motorcycles. They also made cargo vehicles like the three-wheel Piaggio Ape and the tiny 319.5 cm long Piaggio Porter, which was produced in 2021.

The current 2nd generation is larger, around 4 meters long. Piaggio & Co. S.p.A., based in Pontedera, is a separate group known for its popular two-wheeler brands, making it one of the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturers.

 

Defunct Italian car brands

The currently active Italian car brands are well-known and recognized all over the world. What about the Italian car brands, which have been defunct for some time already? These also deserve remembrance, as they contributed to the Italian automotive industry history.

O.S.C.A.

O.S.C.A. (Officine Specializzate Costruzione Automobili) was an Italian car company founded in 1947 and active until 1967. It was established by the Maserati brothers, who were previously associated with the Maserati brand. O.S.C.A. specializes in producing small sports cars, particularly for Formula 2 racing.

They had aspirations for Formula 1 but lacked the financial resources to compete with Ferrari and Alfa Romeo. Eventually, changing conditions in motorsports led the Maserati brothers to retire, and MV Augusta took over O.S.C.A..

 

Qvale

Italian car brands with the longest histories are well-known, but what about defunct car brands, the ones with the shortest existence? One notable example is the Qvale brand, which produced only one car for two years from 2000 to 2002.

Founded by the Qvale family, who had prior experience in the American car trade, they experimented by acquiring a license from De Tomaso to manufacture the two-door Qvale Mangusta. Approximately 280 units were made, mainly sold in the U.S.A. However, in 2002, the MG Rover Group took over the brand, leading to the discontinuation of Qvale.

 

Fissore

Fissore, or Carrozzeria Fissore, is an example of how Italian car brands collaborated. Founded in 1919, it initially made horse vehicles but later expanded into passenger cars and trucks. Its main business involved commercial vehicles and producing bodywork for other manufacturers like Fiat, O.S.C.A., Monteverdi, De Tomaso, and T.V.R. However, mismanagement led to financial difficulties, and the company, under different names, survived until 2000.

 

Isotta Fraschini

Isotta Fraschini was in its prime in the 20s and the 30s of the previous century when the greatest stars purchased the luxurious cars of this Italian manufacturer. And in fact, the company was famous all over the world – its reputation could be compared to the one of i.a. Rolls-Royce.

Founded in 1900 in Milan, the company dealt with constructing and selling the Renault vehicles, then the company decided to sell cars of its own brand – these were incredibly impressive, such cars as the Tipo D sports car equipped with an engine of a capacity of… 17 liters.

INFORMATION

The racing cars were soon joined the luxury ones, and the fame of the Isotta Fraschini brand was massive. A great crisis and WWII stood in its way, and Isotta ceased to manufacture passenger cars. There were many attempts to reactivate the company in various ways, but it was all in vain, and in 1999, the company responsible for the Isotta Fraschini brand declared bankruptcy. 

 

Innocenti

Innocenti, founded in Milan in 1933, became significant before WWII but was temporarily halted by bombing during the war. Afterward, they began producing scooters and small cars under British license, like the Innocenti A40 and Innocenti Mini. In the 70s, British Leyland acquired Innocenti, later sold to De Tomaso.

Mazda showed interest, but Fiat eventually took over, making it part of the Agnelli family’s empire. Innocenti ceased car manufacturing in 1990, though slightly modified Fiat models with the Innocenti logo continued for a few more years.

 

The popularity of the Italian car brands in other countries

The Italian race cars are well known not only on the Apennine Peninsula. They are valued by automotive enthusiasts in the rest of the European countries and overseas. The Ferrari or the Lamborghini cars can be seen almost everywhere – anywhere where people holding millions-worth fortunes can be found, ready to pay a lot for the Italian supercars.

While extremely popular, Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maserati make up only a small portion of Italian car sales. Fiat is the standout, offering affordable, fuel-efficient, and straightforward cars that appeal to a wide audience.

Other Italian car brands are also working hard. Alfa Romeo is adapting to modern trends by introducing S.U.V.s, essential in today’s Europe and the U.S.A. The impact of the recently formed Stellantis group, which includes major French and Italian car brands, remains to be seen. Their decisions will likely significantly influence the global automotive industry, not just how many car brands are in Italy.

 

 

 

Also read other articles in our series:

1. 1. “What do the French car brands stand out for?”
   2. “American car brands – check which cars are from USA”
   3. “What are the German car brands like?”
   4. “Which Japanese car brands are popular?”