History
After a failed attempt in 1920 with his brothers, Giovanni Coriasco restarted the company in 1921 together with his son Giuseppe, to produce transformations of standard cars. [1] It would become one of the famous Italian carrozzieri "fuori serie" (custom build coachworkers). They did not only start this venture for producing passenger cars, but even more for commercial vehicles.
In the 1920s the company became known for good value for money coachwork based on Ceirano, Fiat, Chiribiri, Diatto, and Itala chassis. [2] In the 1930s its activities were more focused on transforming utilitarian vehicles for use by street traders, for example the Fiat 508 Balilla. Starting around 1940, the coachwork company realised models specifically for promotional vehicles. [1] It was the Fiat 600 Multipla that established the brand's reputation with its van version, the Fiat 600 M Coriasco. [3]
The models that followed mostly were adaptations of Fiat models, both passenger and commercial vehicles. Thanks to the success with the 600 Multipla and 850 T derivates, in Italy 'Coriasco' nowadays is a household name for light vans. [4] Apart from those commercial vehicles, Coriasco also made many one-offs, even elaborate cars like the 1953 Fiat 1100 Boat-car and a few racing cars. [3]
Sergio Coggiola (1928-1989) was an Italian designer known primarily for his automotive work at Carrozzeria Ghia in Turin for 15 years — serving as the head of Ghia's prototype shop until 1952 — and later at his own company, Carrozzeria Coggiola, which he founded in 1966 in Orbassano, Italy, a commune of Turin.
The Fiat 127 is a supermini car produced by Italian car manufacturer Fiat from 1971 to 1983. It was introduced in 1971 as the replacement for the Fiat 850. Production of the 127 in Italy ended in 1983 following the introduction of its replacement, the Fiat Uno, although the nameplate continued to be used on cars imported from Brazil.
Zagato is a coachbuilding company founded by Ugo Zagato in 1919. The design center of the company is located in Terrazzano, a village near Rho, Lombardy, Italy.
The Fiat 600 is a small, rear-engined city car and economy family car made by Italian carmaker Fiat from 1955 to 1969 — offered in two-door fastback sedan and four-door Multipla mini MPV body styles. The 600 is considered a pop icon of the Italian economic miracle, and the three-row seating Multipla, though diminutive and odd-looking, is seen as one the first mass-produced minivans.
Carrozzeria Allemano was an automobile coachbuilder in Turin, Italy, owned by Serafino Allemano.
The Turin Motor Show is an auto show held annually in Turin, Italy. The first official show took place between 21 and 24 April 1900, at the Castle of Valentino, becoming a permanent fixture in Turin from 1938 having shared it with Milan and Rome until that time. From 1972, the show was held biannually and in 1984, it moved into Fiat's shuttered Lingotto factory.
Carrozzeria Castagna is an Italian coachbuilding company based in Milan, Italy.
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Maggiora was an Italian coachbuilder and parts supplier from Moncalieri near Turin. They produced the Fiat Barchetta and the Lancia Kappa Coupé which was designed by Centro Stile Lancia. The company was shut down in 2003.
The Carrozzeria Viotti was an Italian coachbuilding company active between 1921 and 1964. The company was founded in Turin, Italy by Vittorio Viotti. Designers like Frua and Mario Revelli worked for the company. It was the first coachbuilding company in Italy to set up a proper production line.
Carrozzeria Fissore was an Italian coachbuilder located in Savigliano, near Turin (Piedmont).
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Carrozzeria Garavini was an Italian coachbuilding company based in Turin, Italy.
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The Michelotti Shellette or Spiaggetta was a beach car based on various compact car platforms. The automobile was designed by Giovanni Michelotti and debuted officially at the 1968 Geneva Motor Show. It was built in a small production run in the next few years. The model name Shellette refers to Philip Schell, a yacht builder who initiated the project.
Carrozzeria Ala d'Oro was a short-lived Italian manufacturer of automobile bodies, which became known after the end of the Second World War primarily for bodies for sports cars. The company was closely linked to the aircraft manufacturer Officine Meccaniche Reggiane (OMR).
EmboSpA in Caramagna Piemonte is a body parts supplier to the European automotive industry which briefly also manufactured vehicles under its own brand name.
VercarmodelSaro Srl was an Italian design studio and coachbuilding company based in Orbassano. It had 110 permanent employees at its peak and 96 at its last count, as well as several freelance designers.
Officine Padane was an Italian manufacturer of vehicle bodies in Modena.
Carrozzeria Ernesto Pavesi was a coachbuilding company from Milan, Italy, that produced armored vehicles and also carried out further body conversions on customer request. Since the 1960s, Pavesi has produced a series of special bodies for the Maserati and De Tomaso brands belonging to Alejandro de Tomaso's group of companies.
