Chassis No. 106 000065

Engine No. 104.000 000116

In 1946, Fiat engineer Dante Giacosa and his team began the secret development of the Tipo 104 V8 engine, originally envisioned for a luxury sedan, before Fiat pivoted to create the dedicated "Otto Vù" sports car platform around it. The bespoke 70-degree V8 engine was a bold departure from Fiat's tradition of modest four-cylinder powerplants, displacing 1,996-cc and producing a spirited 105 horsepower in standard tune, and up to 127 horsepower in factory Corsa form. Twin Weber 36 DCF3 carburetors and a four-speed gearbox delivered smooth, tractable power to a lightweight Siata-built tubular chassis, while hydraulic drum brakes and fully independent suspension endowed the Otto Vù with composure beyond any Fiat of the era.

By February 1952, the first prototype, styled in-house by Chief Designer Fabio Luigi Rapi in Fiat's Reparto Carrozzerie Speciali, made its premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Rapi's striking design for the 8V combined elegant, aerodynamic berlinetta lines with covered rear wheels and two large headlights integrated into the grille. From chassis 000035 onward, Fiat shifted to a Series II design with twin headlights in the fenders, while also supplying rolling chassis to celebrated coachbuilders Ghia, Vignale, and Zagato to be clothed in bespoke bodies. Despite its acclaim as an engineering masterpiece, the Otto Vù remained something of an outlier within Fiat's volume-driven business model. As a result, only 114 examples were completed before production ceased in 1954.

Those who did buy the 8V were eager to test the platform in competition, with several privateer entries making their mark in the Italian GT championship. The Otto Vù was so dominant, in fact, that it claimed the 2.0-liter title five years running from 1954 to 1958. The majority of these competitive 8Vs were bodied by legendary Milanese firm Zagato, initially modifying unsold factory bodies-dubbed Elaborata-and later crafting its own bespoke bodies for the platform. With their beautifully proportioned designs and lightweight aluminum construction, Zagato's coachwork endowed short-wheelbase 8V chassis with improved aerodynamics and agile performance. Each was hand-built according to individual customer specifications with various color choices and design features, meaning that virtually every car that left the workshop was one-of-a-kind. Even the son of company founder Ugo Zagato, Elio Zagato, claimed victory behind the wheel of a Zagato-bodied 8V, winning the Berlin Grand Prix at AVUS and setting the fastest lap in the process.

Among the most remarkable examples of this collaboration between Fiat and Zagato emerges chassis 000065, which possesses the remarkable distinction of being the only right-hand drive 8V ever built. Factory records indicate that Fiat completed this particular chassis on 6 October 1953, subsequently delivering it as a rolling chassis to the renowned coachbuilder. At Zagato's workshops, the Fiat chassis was dressed in the elegant, lightweight aluminum Berlinetta coachwork it wears today. As a first-series 8V Zagato, this car features the clean, uncluttered lines that lacked an enlarged hood scoop or side vents on later examples. Originally finished in white, the completed Zagato-bodied Fiat was originally delivered to Mrs. Idelbe Valaguzza and registered in Milan in March 1955.

Over the following two years, the car became a familiar sight at Italy's most important racing circuits and hill climbs. Driving duties were entrusted to Ottavio Guarducci, renowned for his campaigns with two-liter Ferraris during the early 1950s. On 29 June 1955, he contested the Trieste-Opicina hill climb, finishing 6th place, before entering the IX Coppa d'Oro delle Dolomiti on 10 July, where he again placed 6th in class. The highlight of the 1955 campaign came on 11 September at Monza's Coppa Inter-Europa, where Guarducci drove 000065 to an outright victory-defeating a formidable grid consisting of Maserati A6G/54 Zagatos, Mercedes 300 SLs, Porsche 356 Carreras, and nearly a dozen other Fiats including that of Elio Zagato in 2nd place! The year concluded with a valiant effort at the Targa Florio in October, where Guarducci and co-driver Lietti completed 11 laps of the demanding Sicilian circuit-just two short of the winner-covering an impressive 492 miles.

Guarducci's final competitive entry with the 8V Zagato didn't occur until 2 September 1956, when he returned to Monza for the VIII Coppa Inter-Europa. After contending with Ferrari 250s, Mercedes-Benz 300 SLs, and several other 8Vs through challenging wet conditions, Guarducci finished in 9th position overall and 5th in class. Following 000065's retirement from front-line competition, the car sold to its second owner, Alessandro Cantoni of Piacenza, in December 1957. The Fiat continued to change hands in the region over the next several years, first to Piacenza dealer Inter Touring in March 1958, then to Augusto Bergonzi in June 1960, and finally to a Signor Brosi of Cremona in July 1961.

The car is thought to have remained in Italian hands through the 1970s and 80s, with records indicating it participated in the then-newly-formed Mille Miglia Storica on three occasions in 1982, 1984, and 1986, under a Mr. Milesi and a Mr. Gnutti. In 1990, 000065 was acquired by Andrea Zagato, grandson of founder Ugo Zagato and current company CEO. With plans to continue participating in the Mille Miglia Storica, Andrea Zagato commissioned an extensive restoration under his personal supervision. A Certificate of Recognition on file, signed by Andrea Zagato and dated 30 March 2007, confirms that he personally conducted the restoration of the engine and coachwork for his participation in the Mille Miglia Storica. During this process, sections of the alloy bodywork were renewed using the traditional methods and materials employed by the company decades earlier.

Upon completion of the restoration, Andrea Zagato used the 8V in the 1990, 1991, and 1992 Mille Miglia Storica-sharing driving duties with Japanese collector Shozo Fujita on the first two occasions. Zagato then participated in the 1992 La Festa Mille Miglia in Japan, before selling the car to Fujita who would later participate in the 2000 edition of La Festa Mille Miglia. Chassis 000065 subsequently spent some years in the Netherlands during which it underwent an engine rebuild courtesy of Jos Moorman at MOTO Classic in 2003. The car then returned to Italy under the care of Ruggero Magnoni-entering his collection of important mid-century Italian sports cars at his family's estate on Lake Maggiore. In 2007, the car was issued its FIVA Identity Card, continuing its second life of competition in historic tours. Over the next several years, the car participated in the Mille Miglia Storica of 2008, 2009, and 2011, as well as the 2011 Coppa Milano-Sanremo in the hands of Magnoni.

Since the current caretaker's acquisition in 2012, this exceptional Fiat 8V has benefited from well-documented, meticulous maintenance. The car has received extensive care from the experts at Motion Products Inc. of Wisconsin, including dynamometer testing, complete electrical system overhauls, carburetor rebuilds, engine tuning, transmission repairs, and preparation work totaling thousands of dollars across multiple visits over the past decade. Additionally, the car has received further attention from Imola Motorsports and Tim Keseluk's Vintage & Exotic Cars to address fuel system functions. The scope of work-documented in numerous invoices on file-demonstrates the current owner's commitment to maintaining Fiat to the highest standards

This dedication to mechanical integrity and cosmetic refinement naturally led to the car's participation in some of the most prestigious gatherings in the collector-car world. In 2018, 000065 resumed its historic touring career in the Colorado Grand, tackling the demanding mountain roads with faultless reliability. The following year, its rarity and exceptional originality earned it an invitation to the 69th Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 2019, showcased in the special centenary celebration of Zagato.

Chassis 000065 represents the definitive example of Fiat's revolutionary Otto Vù sports car in its most compelling form-the sole right-hand-drive example ever created, clothed in the coveted first-series Zagato aluminum bodywork of unparalleled purity. From its documented period competition history including overall victory in the Coppa Inter-Europa at Monza, to its restoration and multiple Mille Miglia Storica entries under Andrea Zagato himself, this meticulously preserved, matching-numbers example is without peer. Today, this exceptional 8V continues to be eligible for the world's finest touring and concours events, including the Mille Miglia Storica and the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este. For the collector seeking the ultimate expression of mid-century Italian artistry combined with genuine competition pedigree, few cars can match the appeal of 000065.

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