Bianchi Sport

Car producer : 

Bianchi

Model:

Sport

Year:

1918

Type:

Roadster



Originally a bicycle manufacturer and arguably best known as a maker of fine racing motorcycles, Edoardo Bianchi built his first automobile around 1900.

After the first successes in the field of two-wheelers in 1888 by mounting the first tires with inner tube Dunlop instead of solid tires, and after being invited by the Royal House of Savoy to serve as an instructor at the Queen Margherita in the royal park of Monza, Edoardo Bianchi knew that the success and development of their company had to come from new ideas and new technologies. So, since cycling was useful to health but could also be tiring, he thought to apply to a motor tricycle, but with poor results.

It was in 1900 that he developed a tricycle rode a motor De Dion Bouton 2.25hp and reached 35 km / h. Hence then the quad where a second person potea sit in front of the driver and began the project in 1902 of some car models ranging from 4.5 to 12 HP with 2 or 4 cylinders. Elegant car bodies that were modelled using fine woods and aluminium foil that rested on a sturdy steel tube.

In March 1905 he was born the “Fabbrica di automobili e velocipedi Edoardo Bianchi & C.”. Since 1909 the technical features of the cars in some models the shaft drive instead of a chain.

By 1907 sales had grown sufficiently to justify the building of a factory dedicated to car production, and by 1910 Bianchi lay second in the Italian motor industry’s manufacturing league table, albeit some distance behind FIAT. Antonio Santoni became Bianchi’s chief designer in 1909, replacing Antonio Merosi who had been responsible for its early cars. Shaft drive gradually became the norm, commencing with the smaller models. Bianchi began to sell its products abroad, including in the UK, but the home market remained its most important and throughout the 1920s the firm was usually Italy’s third-largest producer behind FIAT and Lancia.

The Bianchi also involved in the field of racing car: 120 HP is realized that competes, without great success, in 1907 the Cup in 1908 at the Targa Florio and Bologna (the drivers are Carlo Macerati e Fernando Tommaselli). In 1922 and in 1923 achieved good placings in the Grand Prix of Monza and Brescia.

At the outbreak of WWI productive activity it is dedicated to vehicles for the Italian army. A wide variety of models was manufactured over the next 20 years, though by 1940 Bianchi was concentrating on motorcycles and commercial vehicles.

In the early 50s the Bianchi faced financial problems and the market, for which the then general manager Quintavalle succeeded in 1955 an agreement between Fiat and Pirelli to form a new company called Autobianchi, where the Bianchi participated initially with a share of 33% to subsequently cease activity as automotive industry.

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