1952 Fiat 8V (Otto Vu) Vignale Coupé
- Engine
- 2.0L OHV V8, 115 bhp
- Colour
- Red
The Fiat 8V (Otto Vu) was produced in only 114 examples over two years, and this Vignale-bodied coupé, chassis 000047, is among the most significant survivors. Originally delivered to an Italian owner in 1954 after its display at the Concorso d'Eleganza di Roma, it was later exported to the United States and subsequently restored by the Blackhawk Collection in California around 1990. Notably, it retains its original engine — a rarity among 8Vs — as documented by historian Tony Adriaensens.
Ownership
- —Auction saleEstimate US$1,100,000 – US$1,400,000
- 1954-07-09 →Private saleAlberto Carfomellafull documentation
Original owner, based in Alessandria; car was first registered in his name on 9 July 1954 after display at the Concorso d'Eleganza di Roma. Later re-registered in Perugia.
- 1957 →Acquisition unknownUnknown US-based owner or ownersnone documentation
Vehicle was shipped from Genoa to the United States in 1957; subsequent custodianship during this period is untraced.
- → 1990Acquisition unknownBlackhawk Collectionpartial documentation
Southern California-based collection acquired the car in the late 1980s; commissioned a restoration by Mike Fennel covering paint, interior, and mechanical work, completed in 1990. Car was refinished in red with tan leather.
- 1992 →Private saleCurrent European collectorpartial documentation
Acquired two years after the 1990 restoration completion; held within a European collection for more than two decades.
Competition
- 1954-06-12VII Concorso d'Eleganza di Roma
The car was exhibited at this elegance concours over 12–13 June 1954, prior to delivery to its first registered owner.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1990RestorationMike Fennel
A comprehensive but sympathetic restoration was carried out, addressing paintwork, interior trim, and mechanical components; because the car was well preserved, the scope was limited. Refinished in red with a tan leather interior.
Commissioned by the Blackhawk Collection; Don Williams noted the car was in substantially original condition beforehand, requiring relatively little corrective intervention.
- —Bodywork
The car was repainted in a darker shade of green than its original colour at some point before its export from Italy in 1957.
Exact date and location of the repaint are unknown; identified by the time of export.
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