The father of Italian automobiles and the birth of Fiat - New episode | Italian Innovators (Giovanni Battista Ceirano)

Apr 03, 2022 577

BY: Luca Cottini

In the new episode of the show I tell you the story of Giovanni Battista Ceirano, the man behind the birth of Fiat and Italy’s automotive industry. It all started in his bicycle workshop at the time of Turin’s national exposition in 1898, when he assembled the “Welleyes” car, the first ever produced in Italy.

It was in a nearby café that a group of fans of the new trend of “horseless coaches” formed a board of investors, which acquired Ceirano’s patent and business under the name of “Turin Factory of Italian Automobiles” (Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino, or FIAT). In the episode I explore the role of Giovanni Agnelli Sr in transforming the newborn company into Italy’s #1 industry and the later impact of Ceirano on the Italian automotive industry, as his former employee Vincenzo Lancia went on to found one of the most renowned automotive brands of the 20th century, and as his former pilot Felice Nazzaro became the hero of young racing pilot Enzo Ferrari.

It all happened within a 10-minute walking radius near Parco del Valentino in Turin. Here is this amazing story!

SOURCE: Italian Innovators

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