When Geoffrey Horton sent me the first of today’s photo’s from Niello Concours at Serano a couple of years ago I spent a good while trying to work out what it was, it looked so like a Triumph Spitfire but it turns out the FIAT TV, Tourismo Veloce, Transformabile, Fast Touring Convertible, predates the Spitfire by seven years.

Based on the chassis pan of the contemporary FIAT 1100 4 door saloon with bodywork by Fabio Luigi Rapi this 1958 1200TV is ‘under’ powered by a post 1957 upgraded 55 hp motor that was considered a little too timid in the contemporary press.

The interior of the car, which features an adjustable steering column and swivel seats for easy entry and egress was considered worthy of far more expensive marques like Ferrari and Maserati in some contemporary US press reports.

It is believed 571 53 hp 1100TV Transfomabile’s were built from 1955 to 1957 and a further 2,360 more powerful 1200TV Transformabile variants were built up until 1959.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing his photographs from Niello Concours at Serano and Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance.

Thanks for joining me on this “Italian Spitfire” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be at a Safari Rally winning Subaru. Don’t forget to come back now !