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 Italian Quattroruote. Cover release february 2011 | |
| Categories | Automobile magazine |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Publisher | Editoriale Domus |
| First issue | January 1956 (n. 0) |
| Country | Italy |
| Based in | Rozzano |
| Language | Italian |
| Website | www.quattroruote.it |
| ISSN | 0033-5916 |
Quattroruote (English: Four Wheels) is an Italian automobile magazine established by the Marchigian entrepreneur Gianni Mazzocchi in February 1956. Among its regular features it includes information on used car prices.
Quattroruote was established by Gianni Mazzocchi in 1956. [1] [2] The publisher of the magazine is Editoriale Domus. [1] [2] Its head office is in Rozzano (Milan Province), where the historical museum of the magazine is located. The magazine is published monthly and offers news on road and track tests, price lists for new cars as well as quotations for used vehicles. [2]
The magazine is also published in various countries, including China and Russia which was launched in 2006. [1]
Quattroruote had a circulation of 596,742 copies between September 1993 and August 1994. [3] The circulation of the magazine was 464,000 copies in 2004. [4] Between February 2006 and January 2007 the magazine sold 450,500 copies. [5] It was the first best-selling automobile magazine in Italy in 2007 [6] with a circulation of 425,539 copies. [7] The magazine had a circulation of 354,735 copies in 2010, making it the fourth best-selling European automobile magazine and the absolute best selling in Italy. [8]
The test-track belonging to the magazine is located in Vairano di Vidigulfo (Pavia Province). The Automotive Safety Centre, opened in 1995, is 4500 m long, with an 1800 m main straight, where acceleration tests are carried out. During these tests it is possible to reach 300 km/h. The race track has been approved by FIA for Formula One tests. [9]
The handling track, connected to the speed test area and used for handling test of vehicles, has bends and chicanes of different radii where oversteer and understeer of vehicles can be examined.
The SUV test area is next to the ASC straight section, where off-road vehicle driving and overturning characteristics are established.
Quattroruote organizes safe driving courses on an area of about 17000 m² where students, followed by expert instructors, are taught driving techniques on wet or dry surfaces, handling and stopping.
Anniversary of the first issue of the principal magazine, the 2006 (fiftieth) and 2016 (sixtieth) Quattroruote Days are represented by much merchandise and advertising.
For motives of copyrights, from 2015 known as GT Cup, is the official Top Gear Italian festival/race organized by Editoriale Domus. Any year, in the participants list appears The Stig.
Organised by Editoriale Domus and Quattroruote, and set also in Poland, is an international car exhibition in Rome.
One of the most significant of Quattroruote's book series is the famous Tutte le auto del mondo ("All the cars of the world", sometimes stylized as Tutte le Auto del Mondo) or "TaM", any issue of this series was for sale any year, with the death of its "director" in Lido di Jesolo (in the Province of Venice), this books was not more published.
In 2006, it was published the book Pericolo, attraversamento rane! (Literally: Danger, crossing frogs!), Which collects various photographs related to vehicles and roads, with funny comments.
The Fiat Ritmo is a small, front-engine, front-wheel drive family car manufactured and marketed by Fiat, launched in April 1978 at the Turin Motor show and offered in 3- and 5-door hatchback and cabriolet body styles – from 1978 to 1988 with two facelifts.
The Alfa Romeo 33 is a small family car produced by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo between 1983 and 1995. From a mechanical standpoint it was essentially an evolution of its predecessor, the Alfasud, whose floorpan, chassis and drivetrain were carried over — albeit with simplifications to the suspension and braking system, eschewing the Alfasud's inboard front brakes for instance. The Nissan-based Alfa Romeo Arna was launched shortly thereafter, offering a similarly sized but lower priced car.
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The Nissan J series are straight-4 and straight-6 gasoline internal combustion engines produced by Nissan from the 1960s through the 1980s. It is similar to the BMC B-Series engine that was built in Japan under licence as the Nissan 1H before being de-stroked to become the 1.0 L Nissan C and 1.2 L Nissan E engines, but wasn't a direct copy.
The Fiat Argenta is a large family car produced by the Italian automobile company Fiat from 1981 to 1985. It was a comprehensive update of the Fiat 132 and the last mass-produced Fiat with rear-wheel drive until the 2016 124 Spider. The change to a name came about as Fiat was changing their naming strategy, changing from three-digit numbers to more meaningful names. This model was available in sedan/saloon bodystyle only.
DIM Motor Company, a Greek automobile maker, was created by Georgios Dimitriadis as a successor to his earlier company, Bioplastic S.A., which had produced the Attica automobile. The DIM represented one more effort by Mr. Dimitriadis to design and develop a modern car entirely by his company's own means. A 400cc, air-cooled, 2-cylinder, 30-hp engine was also developed in-house to power the vehicle, but due to delays in the engine development, the car was introduced with a 600cc engine and other mechanical parts of the Fiat 126 model. A 650cc Fiat engine was also used, in an improved version. The car was finally introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 1977, and for this reason received more publicity than most Greek vehicles, appearing in many international publications. All development work had been made in a factory intended for its production in Acharnes, while the company was advertised in the Greek press; plans were also made for more versions, including a sports coupe. However, the costs involved and the car's poor prospects in the Greek market resulted in termination of production after only about ten had been produced. The whole project was abandoned in 1982, having been Georgios Dimitriadis' last venture in the automotive industry.
Dutton Cars, based in Worthing, Sussex, England, was a maker of kit cars between 1970 and 1989. In terms of number of kits produced, it was the largest kit-car manufacturer in the world.
The 8140 was a diesel engine made by Sofim for automobiles. Originally introduced as a swirl chamber, naturally aspirated diesel it was mostly used in commercial vehicles worldwide.
The Fiat 1400 and Fiat 1900 are passenger cars produced by Italian automotive manufacturer Fiat from 1950 to 1958 and from 1952 to 1959 respectively. The two models shared body and platform, but while the 1.4-litre 1400 was Fiat's intermediate offering, the upmarket 1900 had an enlarged 1.9-litre engine and more luxurious trim and equipment, to serve as flagship in the manufacturer's range.
Moretti S.p.A. is a former Italian automobile manufacturer. It was founded in 1925 and ceased automobile production in December 1989. Today, many of its sports car models can still be found at various European auto shows. Moretti Motors produced a variety of models at various times including motorcycles, microcars, and several commercial vehicles.
Domus is an architecture and design magazine founded in 1928 by architect Gio Ponti and Barnabite father Giovanni Semeria. Published by Editoriale Domus, the magazine is issued 11 times a year on a monthly basis and has its headquarters in Rozzano, Milan.
The Fiat 1800 and 2100 are six-cylinder automobiles produced by Italian manufacturer Fiat between 1959 and 1968. Both models were introduced in 1959. A four-cylinder 1500-cc version, the 1500L, was added to the range in 1963, when the 2100 was replaced by the larger engined 2300. The 1800/2100 were designed by Fiat's own Dante Giacosa.
The MP Lafer was an automobile built in Brazil by Lafer S.A. beginning in 1974. Created by Percival Lafer, a furniture manufacturer, it was a fiberglass-bodied two-seat roadster that took its styling cues from the classic British sports cars of the 1940s and early '50s, with a strong resemblance to the MG T-series and Morgan Plus 4. Unlike those, however, its chassis, engine, manual transmission, steering and suspension were from the Volkswagen Beetle. Although the stock VW Type 1 four-cylinder made it somewhat underpowered, it became a sought-after car in its time. Approximately 4,300 were built over its 16-year production span. It was available in two models—the classic MP, and the more modern TI, introduced in March 1984. Some 1,000 were exported, most to Europe but some to the United States.
The Checker Aerobus is an automobile manufactured on two different wheelbases by the Checker Motors Corporation from 1962 until 1977. Meant primarily to serve as an airport shuttle, as indicated by the name, it is an extended version of the iconic Checker Marathon. A total of 3,568 Checker Aerobuses of all versions were built.
Sipani Automobiles Ltd. was an Indian car manufacturer established in 1973, located in Bangalore. They mainly manufactured subcompact cars with fibreglass bodies. They also took over Auto Tractors Limited in 1991 and manufactured diesel engines and tractors in the old ATL factory in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh.
Carrozzeria Fissore was an Italian coachbuilder located in Savigliano, near Turin (Piedmont).
Gianni Mazzocchi was an Italian magazine editor-proprietor, originally from Marche, with an unusual degree of energy and entrepreneurial flair; he moved north to Milan and became a leading print-media magnate. He founded more than fifteen national magazines including several, such as Il Mondo, L'Europeo, and Quattroruote, that continued to feature prominently on the nation's news stands long after his death.
Designed by Aurelio Lampredi, the Fiasa engine first appeared in the Brazilian-built Fiat 147 in September 1976. The name Fiasa is a portmanteau of "Fiat Automóveis S.A.", for whom it was developed. The in-line four-cylinder engine has five main bearings, a cast iron block with an aluminium cylinder-head with belt-driven overhead camshafts actuating the valves. The engine remained in production until 2001 in Latin America, and also provided the basis for a diesel version. The capacity was initially 1.0 L (1,049 cc), but Lampredi designed the engine to be suited for a considerably longer stroke. Sizes eventually ranged between 1.0 and 1.5 L. The last versions of this engine to be built was a 1.5-litre, dedicated-ethanol version developed in Brazil that served the Fiat Uno and its derivatives, and later yet the Fiat Palio until 2001.
