The Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8C Monterosa was a

prototype A prototype is an early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process. It is a term used in a variety of contexts, including semantics, design, electronics, and Software prototyping, software programming. A prototype ...

car, designed in secret during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

,HowStuffWorks
Precursor to the 1947-1948 Isotta Fraschini 8C Monterosa , HowStuffWorks
accessdate: 19. July 2018 of which between three and six were manufactured by

Isotta Fraschini Isotta Fraschini () is an Italian luxury car manufacturer, also producing trucks, as well as engines for marine and aviation use. Founded in Milan, Italy, in 1900 by Cesare Isotta and the brothers Vincenzo, Antonio, and Oreste Fraschini, in 195 ...

. The Tipo 8C Monterosa cars were built between 1945 and 1949 with development having begun as early as 1943. The model was intended to be Isotta Fraschini's initial post-war offering once normal industrial activity resumed. The Tipo 8C would be Isotta Fraschini's first new model since production of the Tipo 8B ended in 1934 after which all activities were limited to military rearmament/war production by the National Fascist Party in power.

Design and Development

1949 Isotta Fraschini 8C Monterosa Streamline Brochure

The Tipo 8C Monterosa is equipped with a water-cooled rear mounted 3,400 cc overhead valve V8 engine equipped with cylinder heads featuring

hemispherical combustion chamber A hemispherical combustion chamber is a combustion chamber in the cylinder head of an internal combustion engine with a domed "sphere, hemispheric" shape. An engine featuring this type of hemispherical chamber is known as a hemi engine. In pra ...

s. A four-speed transaxle is operated via a cable linkage and steering column-mounted shifter. The

Aurelio Lampredi Aurelio Lampredi (16 June 1917 – 1 June 1989) was an Italian automobile and aircraft engine designer. Early career Lampredi was born in Livorno, Tuscany. He studied mechanical engineering at the Institut Technique Supérieur in Fribourg. A cl ...

-designed engine develops an output of and is capable of propelling the car to a top speed of , with an average consumption of . The engine, gearbox, and differential were largely constructed from Elektron light-metal alloy. The initial design used a three-litre engine developing ; a 2.5-litre version with the same power was planned to be produced as well. The chassis is cross-platform and supports the front wheel independent, transverse arms swinging, resilient rubber and hydraulic

shock absorbers A shock absorber or damper is a mechanical or hydraulic device designed to absorb and damp shock impulses. It does this by converting the kinetic energy of the shock into another form of energy (typically heat) which is then dissipated. Most sho ...

, while at the rear, independent suspension with hydraulic shock absorbers and longitudinal and transverse elements with elastic rubber. The brakes are four-wheel hydraulic drums. Hydraulic jacks activated from the dashboard were in all four wheel wells.

Unveiling and failure

Official presentation of the 1947–1948 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8C Monterosa took place in October 1947 at the

Paris Motor Show The Paris Motor Show () is a biennial auto show in Paris. Held during October, it is one of the most important auto shows, often with many new production automobile and concept car debuts. The show presently takes place in Paris expo Porte de V ...

in the

Grand Palais The (; ), commonly known as the , is a historic site, exhibition hall and museum complex located in the 8th arrondissement of Paris between the Champs-Élysées and the Seine, France. Construction of the began in 1897 following the demolitio ...

.HowStuffWorks
The 1947-1948 Isotta Fraschini 8C Monterosa Design - 1947-1948 Isotta Fraschini 8C Monterosa Design , HowStuffWorks
accessdate: 19. July 2018 The "Monterosa" represented the swan song of the prestigious Milanese brand and did not reach the production stage. The chassis pre-built series were set up for a 4-door sedan by

Zagato Zagato is a Coachbuilder, coachbuilding company founded by Ugo Zagato in 1919. The design center of the company is located in Terrazzano, a village near Rho, Lombardy, Italy. History The 1910s: Aeronautics Ugo Zagato was an Italians, Italian ...

, a two-door sedan by Touring and convertibles by Boneschi. All versions had six seats. This attempt to resurrect a model of automotive superiority was a complete failure. Only repeated restructuring of Isotta Fraschini's holding company made it possible to maintain its Italian plants and preserve a pair of prototypes to this day (one black coupe with a sunroof, and one two-tone white and dark-blue convertible).

References

{{Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8C Monterosa Cars introduced in 1947 Luxury vehicles Rear-engined vehicles