Tag Archives: Guigiaro

Down Payment Protection – FIAT Dino Coupé 2000

In order to help Ferrari homologate, get competition type approval for, it’s 2 litre / 122 cui 65° V6 Enzo Ferrari concluded a deal with FIAT to manufacture the required number of units in March 1965.

FIAT Dino Coupé, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

The engines would then be fitted to the Pininfarina bodied Ferrari 206 Dino and FIAT Dino Spyder 2000 and the Bertone bodied Dino Coupé, such as the one featured in these photographs, which was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro.

FIAT Dino Coupé, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

The 2+2 Dino Coupé body, first seen in March 1967 sits on a slightly longer chassis that the 2+1 Dino Spyder first seen in October 1966, initially the Coupé also had superior internal trim which included a wood rimmed steering wheel unlike the plastic rimmed item in the Spyder.

FIAT Dino Coupé, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

This particular 1967 Coupé was purchased in 2014 by it’s present owner in Lisbon, Portugal and is believed to have previously resided in Monaco.

FIAT Dino Coupé, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

3,670 2.0-litre coupés, notably used by the Mafioso protecting a $4 million Chinese gold bullion down payment for a FIAT factory in The Italian Job staring Micheal Cane, were built up until 1969 when production of the larger 2.4 litre V6 Dino engines began for the Ferrari 246 Dino, Fiat Dino Spyder and Coupé plus the Lancia Stratos.

Thanks for joining me on this “Down Payment Protection” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I will be looking at another Healey. Don’t forget to come back now !

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1001 Street Legal Horses – Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4

After the collapse of Bugatti Autombiles SpA the Volkswagen Group purchased the Bugatti trademark rights and set about reviving the brand.

Bugatti EB 16.4, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Bugatti presented 3 Guigiario styled concept vehicles known as EB118 models with 18 cylinder W motors before presenting the Veyron EB 18.4 Concept model in 1999 which also had an 18 cylinder W motor.

Bugatti EB 16.4, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Working under Volkswagen’s Chief Engineer Wolfgang Schreiber designer Hartmut Warkuss and exterior designer Jozef Kabaň finalised the Veyron’s design with a quad turbo 16 cylinder W motor.

Bugatti EB 16.4, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Production of the Veyron EB 16.4 commenced in a new purpose built facility located in Bugatti’s spiritual home Molsheim, France in 2005.

Bugatti EB 16.4, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

The 64 valve quad cam, quad turbocharged 8 litre / 488 cui W16, essentially two VR8 blocks bolted together, produces 1001 hp, good enough to power the Veyron EB 16.4 up to 62.5 mph from rest in a fraction under 2.5 seconds and on to a restricted top speed of 213 mph or unrestricted top speed in excess of 250 mph.

Bugatti EB 16.4, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Last year reports emerged that a brokerage firm had “estimated” that each Veyron 16.4, which costs between 1.5 to 2 million US$ was loosing the Volkswagen Group in excess of 4 million US$.

Bugatti’s only comment was that the estimates were incorrect, but with only 40 units thought to have been built up to October 2013 it will be a long time before the Research and Development costs of the technical tour de force that is the Veyron EB 16.4 will, if ever, be recouped.

Thanks for joining me on this “1001 Street Legal Horses” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be returning to the Autumn Classic meeting at Castle Combe. Don’t fprget to come back now !

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