Isotta Fraschini () is an Italian luxury car manufacturer, also producing trucks, as well as engines for marine and aviation use. Founded in

Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...

, Italy, in 1900 by Cesare Isotta and the brothers Vincenzo, Antonio, and Oreste Fraschini, in 1955 it was merged with engine manufacturer Breda Motori and renamed F.A. Isotta Fraschini e Motori Breda.

History

The firm was named for its founders, Cesare Isotta and Vincenzo Fraschini, who had been importing

Mors Mors may refer to: *Mors (mythology), the personification of death in Roman mythology *Mors, Latin for death *Mors (automobile), a French car manufacturer from 1895 to 1925 :* American Mors, Mors vehicles produced under licence in America by the S ...

and

Renault Renault S.A., commonly referred to as Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English), is a French Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company curr ...

automobiles as well as

Aster Aster or ASTER may refer to: Biology * ''Aster'' (genus), a genus of flowering plants ** List of ''Aster'' synonyms, other genera formerly included in ''Aster'' and still called asters in English * Aster (cell biology), a cellular structure shap ...

proprietary engines since 1899. The company they founded as Società Milanese Automobili Isotta, Fraschini & C. on 27 January 1900 had the stated purpose to "Import, sell, repair cars". Prior to establishing their own products in 1904, Isotta and Fraschini assembled cars very similar to Renaults, with Aster engines. They differed from the real Renaults in having a neater underslung front radiator arrangement. The first automobile bearing this marque featured a four-cylinder engine with an output of . The car, driven by Vincenzo Fraschini, appeared in several races. In 1905, Isotta Fraschini gained notoriety in the

Coppa Florio The Coppa Florio (or Florio Cup) was a motorsport race for automobiles first held in Italy in 1900. It was renamed in 1905 when Vincenzo Florio offered the initial 50,000 Lira prize money and a cup designed by Polak of Paris. The cup was to be aw ...

, where they entered a ''Tipo D'' with a engine. For a short time in 1907, Isotta Fraschini merged with French automobile company

Lorraine-Dietrich Lorraine-Dietrich was a French language, French automobile and aircraft engine manufacturer from 1896 until 1935, created when railway locomotive manufacturer ''Société Lorraine des Anciens Etablissements de Dietrich et Cie de Lunéville'' (k ...

. The firm started making race cars using this same engine, establishing the company's reputation and giving its name considerable cachet. It was also one of the first companies to successfully market cars with

four-wheel brakes A brake is a mechanical device that inhibits motion by absorbing energy from a moving system. It is used for slowing or stopping a moving vehicle, wheel, axle, or to prevent its motion, most often accomplished by means of friction. Background ...

, following their invention by

Arrol-Johnston Arrol-Johnston (later known as Arrol-Aster) was an early Scottish manufacturer of automobiles, which operated from 1895 to 1931 and produced the first automobile manufactured in Britain. The company also developed the world's first "off-road" ve ...

of Scotland in 1909. They were also among the early pioneers of

overhead cam An overhead camshaft (OHC) engine is a piston engine in which the camshaft is located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier overhead valve engines (OHV), where the camshaft is located below the combusti ...

(OHC), with an engine designed by Giustino Cattaneo. Isotta Fraschini introduced their Tipo 8, the first production automobile to be powered by a

straight-eight engine The straight-eight engine or inline-eight engine (often abbreviated as I8) is an eight-cylinder internal combustion engine with all eight cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase. The type has been produced in side-valve, IO ...

, at the Paris Salon in 1919 and began delivering them to customers in 1920. With the growth of the wealthy middle class in North America in the 1920s, Isotta Fraschini marketed deluxe limousines to the new American aristocracy. Early film stars

Clara Bow Clara Gordon Bow (; July 29, 1905 – September 27, 1965) was an American actress who rose to stardom during the silent film era of the 1920s and successfully made the transition to "talkies" in 1929. Her appearance as a plucky shopgirl in the ...

and

Rudolph Valentino Rodolfo Pietro Filiberto Raffaello Guglielmi di Valentina d'Antonguella (May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926), known professionally as Rudolph Valentino and nicknamed The Latin Lover, was an Italian actor who starred in several well-known sile ...

drove Isotta Fraschinis. A 1929 Tipo 8A Castagna Transformable is featured in the 1950 film ''

Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard is a boulevard in the central and western part of Los Angeles, California, United States, that stretches from the Pacific Coast Highway (California), Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, Pacific Palisad ...

'' and another appears in the 1934 film ''

Death Takes a Holiday ''Death Takes a Holiday'' is a 1934 American pre-Code romantic drama starring Fredric March, Evelyn Venable and Guy Standing. It is based on the 1924 Italian play ''La morte in vacanza'' by Alberto Casella (1891–1957), as adapted in English ...

'' with

Fredric March Fredric March (born Ernest Frederick McIntyre Bickel; August 31, 1897 – April 14, 1975) was an American actor, regarded as one of Hollywood's most celebrated stars of the 1930s and 1940s.Obituary '' Variety'', April 16, 1975, page 95. As ...

. An Isotta Fraschini also makes a featured appearance in the 1946 film ''

Without Reservations ''Without Reservations'' is a 1946 RKO Radio Pictures American comedy film directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring Claudette Colbert, John Wayne and Don DeFore. The film was adapted by Andrew P. Solt, Andrew Solt from the novel ''Thanks, God! I'l ...

'' with

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne, was an American actor. Nicknamed "Duke", he became a Pop icon, popular icon through his starring roles in films which were produced during Hollywood' ...

and

Claudette Colbert Claudette Colbert (koʊlˈbɛər/ kohl-BAIR, born Émilie "Lily" Claudette Chauchoin (ʃoʃwɛ̃/ show-shwan); September 13, 1903 – July 30, 1996) was an American actress. Colbert began her career in Broadway theater, Broadway productions dur ...

. Also, an Isotta Fraschini was gigolo Lindsay Marriott's car in Raymond Chandler's book ''

Farewell, My Lovely ''Farewell, My Lovely'' is a novel by Raymond Chandler, published in 1940, the second novel he wrote featuring the Los Angeles private eye Philip Marlowe. It was adapted for the screen three times and was also adapted for the stage and radio. ...

'' (1940) that was made into the motion picture ''

Murder, My Sweet ''Murder, My Sweet'' (released as ''Farewell, My Lovely'' in the United Kingdom) is a 1944 American film noir, directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Dick Powell, Claire Trevor and Anne Shirley (in her final film before retirement). The fi ...

'' (1944), starring Dick Powell and Claire Trevor. The grille of the Isotta Fraschini with the lightning bolt insignia is seen parked in a ravine, right before Douglas Walton's character Lindsay Marriott is killed. An oversized Isotta Fraschini is also the vehicle of choice for Dick and Nicole Diver in F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1933 novel ''

Tender is the Night ''Tender Is the Night'' is the fourth and final novel completed by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the French Riviera during the twilight of the Jazz Age, the 1934 novel chronicles the rise and fall of Dick Diver, a promising young ...

''. Seriously affected by the economic crisis of the 1930s and by the disruptions of World War II, Isotta Fraschini stopped making cars after the war (1949). Only five of the last model, the Monterosa, were produced. The plants were converted to produce marine engines. The company was left on the company register and in 1955 it was merged with engine manufacturer Breda Motori and named F.A. Isotta Fraschini e Motori Breda. The company started to produce trolley buses again and in the 1960s built a new diesel engine factory in

Bari Bari ( ; ; ; ) is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia Regions of Italy, region, on the Adriatic Sea in southern Italy. It is the first most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy. It is a port and ...

. In the 1980s, the company was renamed Isotta Fraschini Motori SpA and it became part of the Fincantieri group, with administrative headquarters in the old factory in Bari. In the 1990s, attempts to revive the automotive industry of Isotta Fraschini were made. Concept-car coupe and roadster Isotta Fraschini T8 were built in 1996, and concept-car roadster Isotta Fraschini T12 was built in 1998. The company never went into production and closed for bankruptcy in 1999.

Today

The marque was revived in 2022, and a new car was designed from scratch to compete in

sports car racing Sports car racing is a form of motorsport road racing that uses sports cars with two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be either purpose-built Sports prototype, sports prototypes, which are the highest level in sports car racing; or grand to ...

, initially including the centenary edition of the

24 Hours of Le Mans The 24 Hours of Le Mans () is an endurance-focused Sports car racing, sports car race held annually near the city of Le Mans, France. It is widely considered to be one of the world's most prestigious races, and is one of the races—along with ...

, under ACO Hypercar rules. The car, eventually named the Tipo 6 LMH-C, was designed by (a long-standing

Ferrari Ferrari S.p.A. (; ) is an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer based in Maranello. Founded in 1939 by Enzo Ferrari (1898–1988), the company built Auto Avio Costruzioni 815, its first car in 1940, adopted its current name in 1945, and be ...

motorsport partner) with aerodynamic input from Williams Advanced Engineering.

World Endurance Championship

Isotta Fraschini had initially planned for a 2023 debut of the Tipo 6 LMH-C in the

FIA World Endurance Championship The FIA World Endurance Championship, abbreviated as WEC, is a world championship for automobile endurance racing organized by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) and sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The se ...

at the 6 Hours of Spa, partnering with the British team

Vector Sport Vector Sport is a British sports car racing team currently competing in the European Le Mans Series. Founded in 2021 by Gary Holland, a former team manager at Jota Sport and Dragon Racing, the Silverstone-based outfit has focused its on-track op ...

. This debut was pushed back first to the 8 Hours of Bahrain due the car's production running behind schedule, eventually debuting at the 2024 Qatar 1812 km, being run by

Duqueine Team Duqueine Team, formerly known as Duqueine Engineering, is a French sports car racing team founded in 2014. The team currently competes in the European Le Mans Series in LMP2. They previously operated Isotta Fraschini's Hypercar entry in the FIA ...

, as Vector Sport had dropped out due to alleged contract breaches by Isotta Fraschini, who in turn cited "economic factors" for the split. The Tipo 6 LMH Pista was presented at Paul Ricard, and completed laps with the GT1 Sports Club session as part of the 1000 km of Paul Ricard weekend. Both the Competizione and Pista variants took part in pre-race demos at the 2023 6 Hours of Monza weekend, wherein it was also announced that the car would not be racing at the Bahrain weekend. In its inaugural season in the World Endurance Championship, the car was driven by

Carl Bennett Carl Blair Bennett (December 7, 1915 – May 15, 2013) was an American professional basketball general manager and head coach. He was born in Rockford, Indiana and began his sports career by playing softball. Bennett was recruited by Fred Zollne ...

Antonio Serravalle Antonio Serravalle (born 18 September 2002) is a Canadian racing driver who most recently competed in the FIA World Endurance Championship for Isotta Fraschini. He previously competed on the USF Pro Championships, Road to Indy, competing in Indy ...

, and

2013 24 Hours of Le Mans The 81st 24 Hours of Le Mans (French: ''81e 24 Heures du Mans'') was a 24-hour Endurance racing (motorsport), automobile endurance racing event for teams of three drivers entering Le Mans Prototype and LM GTE, Le Mans Grand Touring Endurance ...

Pro-Am winner

Jean-Karl Vernay Jean-Karl "J. K." Vernay (born 31 October 1987) is a French professional racing driver. He was 2010 Indy Lights and 2017 TCR International Series champion. He has won races at the World Touring Car Cup, where he finished fifth in 2018 and won th ...

. The brand competed in five races, and finished only three, before withdrawing from the 2024 World Endurance Championship season prior to the 2024 Lone Star Le Mans due to disputes with Duqueine Team. Its highest finish was at

Le Mans Le Mans (; ) is a Communes of France, city in Northwestern France on the Sarthe (river), Sarthe River where it meets the Huisne. Traditionally the capital of the Provinces of France, province of Maine (province), Maine, it is now the capital of ...

, placing fourteenth, and scored no points during the season. Michelotto stressed that the Hypercar programme had not ended and that they were optimistic that two cars would be entered in the 2025 season, which ultimately did not materialize.

Active economic entities

* Intrepida Fides, The Isotta Fraschini Foundation, acronym coined by Gabriele D'Annunzio, with registered office in Milan * Isotta Fraschini Milano s.r.l., with registered office in Milan, active in the field of vehicles, as well as production and marketing of luxury goods * Isotta Fraschini Motori S.p.A.: with registered office in Bari. An engineering firm specializing in diesel products, particularly marine engines, industrial engines, and rail traction engines, but also providing civil and military engineering products and services. The company is part of Fincantieri group. The company produces propulsion and generation systems, used in US Navy littoral fast attack surface ships and yachts. The L1306 T3, V 1312 T3, VL 1716 T2 T3 and GE COLZA V 1312 T3 generation systems produce between 200 kW and 3,000 kW. The largest of these generators are used in the ''Freedom'' class of Littoral Combat Ships.

Aero-engines

Isotta Fraschini L.170 Isotta may refer to: *the Italian form of the name Iseult *Isotta Nogarola (1418–1466), Italian writer and humanist *Isotta degli Atti (died 1474), an Italian regent *Isotta Brembati (died 1586), Italian poet and countess *Isotta Gervasi (1889– ...

* Isotta Fraschini L.180 I.R.C.C.15/40 inverted W-18 * Isotta Fraschini L.180 I.R.C.C.45 inverted W-18 *

Isotta Fraschini Asso 80 Isotta may refer to: *the Italian form of the name Iseult *Isotta Nogarola (1418–1466), Italian writer and humanist *Isotta degli Atti (died 1474), an Italian regent *Isotta Brembati (died 1586), Italian poet and countess *Isotta Gervasi (1889– ...

**Isotta Fraschini Asso 80 R.I. * Isotta Fraschini Asso 120 R.C.40 * Isotta Fraschini Asso 200 * Isotta Fraschini Asso 250 probably misidentification or variant of Asso 200 * Isotta Fraschini Asso 500 ** Isotta Fraschini Asso 500 AQ * Isotta Fraschini Asso 750 (140x170=47105cc/2875cuin) **Isotta Fraschini Asso 750 R **Isotta Fraschini Asso 750 R.C. **Isotta Fraschini Asso 750 R.C.35 * Isotta Fraschini Asso IX ** Isotta Fraschini Asso IX R.C.45 * Isotta Fraschini Asso 1000 (150x180=57256cc/3494cuin) * Isotta Fraschini Asso Caccia * Isotta Fraschini Asso XI **Isotta Fraschini A.120 R.C.40 – (inverted version of Asso XI) **Isotta Fraschini L.121 R.C.40 – (version of Asso XI) * Isotta Fraschini Asso (racing) *

Isotta Fraschini Beta The Isotta Fraschini Beta was an air cooled aircraft engine produced by the Italian engineering company Isotta Fraschini in the 1940s. Isotta Fraschini derived the Beta inverted 6-cylinder in-line aircraft engine from the V-12 Gamma. The engine ...

**Isotta Fraschini Beta R.C.10 *

Isotta Fraschini Gamma The Isotta Fraschini Gamma was an air cooled aircraft engine developed by the Italian engineering company Isotta Fraschini in the 1930s. It was an inverted V12 rated at over . Produced in small numbers for one-off aircraft, including the Ambro ...

**Isotta Fraschini Gamma R.C.15I **Isotta Fraschini Gamma R.C.35IS * Isotta Fraschini Delta *

Isotta Fraschini Zeta The Isotta Fraschini Zeta was an air cooled X engine with 24 cylinders developed by the Italian engineering company Isotta Fraschini in the 1940s. It was developed as an indigenous alternative to the imported Daimler-Benz DB 605 that was being bu ...

**Isotta Fraschini Zeta R.C.25/60 **Isotta Fraschini Zeta R.C.35 **Isotta Fraschini Zeta R.C.42 * Isotta Fraschini Astro 7 **Isotta Fraschini Astro 7 C.21 **Isotta Fraschini Astro 7 C.40 * Isotta Fraschini Astro 14 **Isotta Fraschini Astro 14 C.40 **Isotta Fraschini Astro 14 R.C.40 * Isotta Fraschini V.4 * Isotta Fraschini V.5 * Isotta Fraschini V.6 * Isotta Fraschini 245hp *Isotta Fraschini K.14 – licence built

Gnome-Rhône Mistral Major The Gnome-Rhône 14K ''Mistral Major'' was a 14-cylinder, two-row, air-cooled radial engine. It was Gnome-Rhône's major aircraft engine prior to World War II, and matured into a highly sought-after design that would see licensed production t ...

* Isotta Fraschini 80 R * Isotta Fraschini 80 T

Vehicles

Passenger cars

* Runabout 1901–1902 * Tipo FENC 1908 * Tipo KM 1910–1914 * Tipo IM 1913 * Tipo 8 1919–1924 * Tipo 8A 1924–1931 * Tipo 8B 1931–1935 * Tipo 8C Monterosa 1948–1949 * T8 1996 * T12 1998 * Tipo 6 LMH Pista 2024 * Tipo 6 LMH Strada 2024

Racing cars

* Tipo D 1905 * Tipo FE 1908 * Tipo 6 LMH-C 2024

Trucks/buses

* D80 1934–1955 * D65 1940–1955

Trolleybuses

* TS 40F1 * F1 Vincenzo Trucco Targa Florio.jpg , Vincenzo Trucco won the 1908

Targa Florio The Targa Florio was a public road Endurance racing (motorsport), endurance automobile race held in the mountains of Sicily near the island's capital of Palermo, Sicily, Palermo. Founded in 1906 Targa Florio, 1906, it was the oldest sports car ra ...

with Isotta Fraschini type I. Isotta-Fraschini AN 2030.jpg, AN 20/30 (1909) Isotta-Fraschini Tipo KM4.jpg, KM4 Tourer (1913) Isotta Fraschini D80 & D65.jpg, D80 (left) and D65 (right) Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8 Sala Phaeton.jpg, Tipo 8 Sala Phaeton Isotta-Fraschini Tipo 8A S LeBaron Boattail Roadster.jpg, Tipo 8A S LeBaron Boattail Roadster (1928) Isotta-Fraschini Tipo 8A Castagna Landaulet.jpg, Tipo 8A Castagna Imperial Landaulet (1928) Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8C Monterosa Boneschi (cropped).jpg, Tipo 8C Monterosa Boneschi Cabriolet Prototype (1948)

References

External links

Isotta Fraschini Motori S.p.A.

Isotta Fraschini Milano s.r.l.

Isotta-Fraschini history (in Russian)

1914, multiple views
*http://dieselfueltech.com/test-reports/test-report2.html {{Authority control Motor vehicle manufacturers based in Milan Aircraft engine manufacturers of Italy Car manufacturers of Italy Marine engine manufacturers Engine manufacturers of Italy Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of Italy Truck manufacturers of Italy Italian automotive pioneers Luxury brands Luxury motor vehicle manufacturers Sports car manufacturers Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1900 Italian companies established in 1900 Caproni Fincantieri Car brands Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1999 1999 disestablishments in Italy Italian racecar constructors