Cisitalia 202, the Italian GT at MoMA for fifty years

The history of Cisitalia – acronym for Compagnia Industriale Sportiva Italiana – began in the immediate post-war period, when Piero Dusio, the founder, decided to increase the company’s capital giving way to the development of the first four-wheeler. Born in 1899, Piero Dusio moved to Turin from Asti province where he was born. He wanted to be a footballer. Between 1919 and 1923 he had played in the ranks of Juventus, but with just one goal scored, he realized he had to change his path. Therefore, he launched himself into the textile trade, first as a humble and willing salesman, then setting up his own business. In a few years he had become one of the wealthiest and most influential entrepreneurs in the Savoy city. It was said at the time that half of Turin belonged to the Agnelli family and the other half, practically, belonged to him. He tried his hand as a driver, winning, in 1938, the Corsa dello Stelvio in an Alfa Romeo 2900 Botticella and finishing third in the Mille Miglia that same year. The first model produced by Cisitalia was the D46, a single-seater designed by designers – as well as engineers – Dante Giacosa and Giovanni Savonuzzi. Powered by the upgraded Fiat 1100 four-cylinder engine, the car first appeared on September 3, 1946 at the Coppa Brezzi, on the Valentino racetrack. Seven cars competed in the race, entrusted to Tazio Nuvolari, Louis Chiron, Piero Taruffi, Raymond Sommer, Clemente Biondetti, Luigi Cortese and one driven by Dusio himself. It was the latter who crossed the finish line first, but history will always remember Nuvolari finishing the race with the steering wheel in his hand, detached from the steering column. In the wake of the other successes later achieved by the D46, Piero Dusio decided to expand the brand’s offerings, building both a two-seater for Sport racing – the 202 MM – and a road car.

The 202 Coupé, produced between 1947 and 1952 in 188 examples, can be considered – along with the Maserati A6 – the first real Grand Tourer in history. Officially presented to the public during the 1947 Paris Motor Show – after a preview at the Italian Grand Prix – the 202 Coupé owes its timeless lines to the genius of Pinin Farina, the pragmatism of Savonuzzi and also the skill of Alfredo Vignale, then head sheet metal worker at Stabilimenti Farina. The body – made of Itallumag, a special aluminum alloy – is that of a hatchback sedan, with a front end that is both simple and sinuous, with an oval grille formed by 23 convex vertical slats; the round headlights overhang the front of the wheel arches and are surrounded by a chrome frame. Serving as the bumper is a thin metal band to match the body color. The 202’s profile can be attributed to the Ponton style, while retaining some visual connection to pre-war shapes: the fenders were separated from the body of the car and connected by side platforms. The hood is low, streamlined, and the sides seem to be shaped by the wind. The well-connected back features the small taillights; a small door conceals the spare wheel; the trunk is accessed from the inside; and – for the first time – the manufacturer’s trademark is fixed to the rear as well, in pleasing cursive handwriting. The wheels are spoked, but covered by aerodynamic handcrafted wheel trims. These reduced the efficiency of the four drum brakes, but gave uniformity to the side view.

LThe car underwent some changes during its five-year production run, partly because, at the time, small series cars were bodied in different ateliers and each of these put their own spin on it. Among these improvements, the most noticeable were the hood – hinged at the front instead of opening sideways – and the trunk, which was made accessible from the outside. The cabin is well finished: a three-spoke steering wheel with Bakelite crown stands out, behind it a circular speedometer and tachometer; in the center of the dashboard are the ignition key, secondary controls, ashtray, and – an optional accessory – the car radio. To the side, facing the passenger, there is a practical storage compartment. The floor is carpeted, and the two seats could be upholstered in leather or fabric. Powering this Grand Tourer weighing only 780 kilograms to over 165 km/h was the 4-cylinder Fiat derived from the 1100, increased to 55 horsepower and mated to a four-speed gearbox. In 1951, a Cisitalia 202 was chosen to star in the ‘Eight Automobiles’ exhibition at MoMa, alongside a 1930 Mercedes SS, a 1937 Cord 812 Westchester Sedan, a 1939 Bentley 4 1/4 Litre and Talbot-Lago, a Jeep Willys, a 1941 Lincoln Continental, and a 1948 MG TC. Arthur Drexler – the director of the museum at the time – called it “a moving sculpture,” and from 1972 onward the 202 became part of the permanent collection. The honor of being the first one ever was given to it. Today, keeping it company there are a Ferrari 641 F1, a Jaguar E-Type Roadster, a Volkswagen Beetle, a Porsche 911, a Citroën DS, a Fiat 500, and a Smart ForTwo. The story of the acquisition of the 202 by the New York museum is the subject of the exhibition ‘Cisitalia. 50 anni di Cisitalia al MoMa’ which can be visited at the ADI Design Museum in Milan until January 8, 2023.