Most of the production models sold with the Vignale
badge used production Fiats as the basis, some of which are detailed below.
Vignale was taken over by Ghia in 1969 under whose
control it continued to exist until 1974.
This page aims to cover those models which were sold
as Vignale's (plus their prototypes and one-off concept cars), as opposed
to the cars produced for and sold by other companies. See our various marque
pages for details of production cars.
Vignale
was founded in 1946 by Alfredo Vignale (born 1913, first worked for Stabilimento
Farina) as a small workshop in Turin. His first car body emerged in 1948,
for a Fiat 500 and continued with a Fiat 1100 in 1949. They went on to
build both one-offs for individual customers and limited production runs
of models based on series production cars.
The early 1950's saw many competition cars bodied
by Vignale, including several Mille Miglia competing Ferrari's. There followed
Cisitalia, whilst the beginning of collaboration with Michelotti saw the
flowering of the company with the design and construction of, amongst others,
many more Ferraris (around 140 in total). Maserati was another major customer
for the company, but the decline set in later as their designs lost their flair.
In 1963 Vignale were producing around 40 cars per
day from their 39,000 sq m factory site at Grugliasco, near Turin.
Vignale
was also used by the bigger manufacturers both to design and build cars,
usually low volume variants of their main production cars. These were mainly
for Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia and Ferrari (plus some non-Italian manufacturers).
500 Gamine
Built
between 1967 and 1974 in very low volumes, the 500 Gamine was based on
a Fiat 500F. A spider coachwork by Vignale,
released late in 1967, the Gamine uses the complete 500 floorpan (1840mm
wheelbase, with additional strengthening) and the same two cylinder 499.5cc
engine with 22bhp. A slightly reduced weight (488kg) combined with the
exposed seating gives the impression of greater speeds than the saloon.
A canvas soft-top was available as an option from 1968, and a plastic hard
top was also manufactured for some time. Seating is strictly for two, and
the luggage space is virtually non-existent, the space under the bonnet
being occupied by the spare wheel and fuel tank. A total of two to three
hundred examples were built.
Fiat 600 based cars
More unusual offerings using the 600 mechanicals were the 600D Record, an aerodynamic
coupé (below right) and the 600T (below left). The Record was designed (as it's name suggests)
for record attempts. It was first presented at Turin in 1962, pictured
below right is the slightly modified form as seen in 1963. The 600T, a type of beach car, was also presented at the latter show.
The 600 based coupe (right) and spider were
really the cars which made the name of Vignale famous with the Italian
public. Clothing the standard Fiat mechanicals in all-new pretty bodies,
these cars provided a more desireable product at a modest price.
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Fiat 1300/1500 based cars
| During the first half of the 1960's, Vignale produced a variety of Fiat 1300 and 1500 based coupés. Three general bodystyles were made, a berlina-like three-volume two-door (below left), a more sporting looking three-volume version and a fastback model (several versions made, right and below right). All cars shared the same mechanicals and floorpan and came with a fake leather interior, remote fuel filler flap release, electric windows and a revcounter (amongst other things). Click here for more pictures. | 
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Fiat 850 based cars
Vignale made a variety of cars based on the 850 floorpan
and mechanicals, including a 4/5-seat berlina (below left), a 2+2 coupé
(below centre) and a 2+2 spider (below right). All three cars shared the
standard 850 wheelbase and also came with a fake leather interior, 'door-open'
lights mounted on the doors and a central tunnel with a 'loose-object'
tray and a cigarette holder. All were also available in 'Lusso Export'
specification which added a cigarette lighter, metallic paint, electric
windows, a wooden steering wheel, chromed gearchange and handbrake levers
and an electronic revcounter !
Vignale also produced a very pretty aerodynamic 850 coupé.
Fiat 124 based cars
Another
two door coupe with electric windows, this time based on the Fiat 124 and
fitted with the 1197cc engine (65bhp) and a four speed gearbox. Still with
a fake leather interior, electric windows and 'door-open' lights on the
doors.........
Fiat 125 based cars
The
Samantha was a Fiat 125 based 2 door coupe with pop-up headlights and electric
windows, built around the end of the 1960's. Series production was undertaken,
although numbers are unknown. Power came from the 1608cc Fiat dohc engine,
with 90bhp. With it's four speed gearbox the Samantha could reach 100mph.
Other (non-Fiat) based cars
As
mentioned in the introduction, Vignale worked with many different manufacturers.
Amongst their non mass-produced cars were a
Ferrari 330GT based estate car
comissioned by the US importer in 1968 and a two-seat Maserati 3500GTI
based spider (right and here
) also in 1963. Earlier, in 1952, they built a Lancia Aurelia based coupé.
Links
An excellent Vignale website
A Gamine website
Another Vignale website
A French site covering Fiat 850 based cars by Vignale
If you know of any other relevant websites
please send them in.
Vignale comment form
Your Comments
If you have one of these rare cars, please send us your comments....
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