History of Siata (Societa Italiana Auto Trasformazioni Accessori)

Siata (Societa Italiana Auto Trasformazioni Accessori in English Italian Car Transformation Accessories Company), was an Italian tuning shop turned automaker founded in 1926 by amateur racecar driver Giorgio Ambrosini.

Siata initially sold performance parts to modify and tune cars manufactured by Fiat. After World War II, the company began making its own sports cars under the Siata brand until its eventual bankruptcy following the first Arab oil embargo in the mid 1970s.

History

First Production Models: 1948-1952

Production of the Siata’s first wholly original design the Siata Amica began in 1948 and continued through 1952. The Amica was powered by a Fiat 500cc engine capable of producing 22 horsepower with an optional 750cc unit producing 25 horsepower. The Amica was available in both two-seater convertible/spider and coupe configurations.

A specially modified Amica known as the Fiat Siata 500 Pescara won the 1948 Italian Road Racing Championship fitted with a 5 speed manual gearbox and a modified 500 cc engine producing 40 horsepower. Only two 500 Pescaras were ever built with only one surviving model. The surviving car also competed in the 1991 Historic Millie Miglia.

Following the Amica, Siata introduced the 300BC Barchetta Sport Spider in 1951. The Barchetta Sport Spider was designed by Mario Revelli de Beaumont and built by Nuccio Bertone and Rocco Motto. Around 50 production models were created and predominantly featured either a 750 cc Crosley or 1,100 cc Fiat engine. During this time Siata also created the Cucciolo (“puppy”) motor sold in kit form by Ducati and later used to power Ducati’s first complete mopeds and motorcycles starting in 1952.

8V Fiat Engine and the 208s: 1953-1955

Siata introduced the Siata 208s in 1953 featuring Fiat’s 2.0 liter 8V engine. 35 cars were produced between 1953 and 1955 priced at 5300 dollars available in both convertible and hard top. The car rose to prominence after actor and race car driver Steve McQueen purchased model BS523 from Los Angeles based Siata importer Ernie McCaffe in the mid 1950s. McQueen reportedly re badged the car with Ferrari emblems and dubbed the car his “Little Ferrari”.

End of Siata: 1968-1975

In 1968, after a detailed market research among Italian youth, Siata launched the Siata Spring, a sports car based on parts from Fiat 850, with front end styled by Enrico Fumia in 1966,.

The Siata Spring was produced until 1970, when Siata went bankrupt, but the assembly line was purchased by a newly formed company called ORSA (Officina Realizzazioni Sarde Automobili), which moved it to an assembly plant near Cagliari, where it resumed the production of the Spring based on the SEAT 850 Special, thus increasing the engine displacement to 903cc with 47BHP, disc brakes on the front wheels and a maximum speed of 125 Kph. Because of the 1973 oil crisis sales of sports cars in Italy went down, forcing ORSA to end the production of the Spring in 1975.

The 208 S is a model of automobile manufactured by SIATA between 1952 and 1954.

Launched in 1952, the 208 Sport had a sporty lightweight bodywork of spider design, crafted from aluminum which wasdesigned by Giovanni Michelotti (Bertone). Mechanically derived in part from the Fiat 8V, with whom it shared the powerful V8 engine at 70° of two liters of displacement, which developed 140 hp. The power allowed her to reach 200 km/h.

The engine was housed in a tubular steel frame. Unfortunately, the high price (5400 U.S. dollars) decreed failure despite the cars talents.

Only 56 cars were made.

The Siata 300BC Barchetta Sport Spider was a car manufactured between 1951 and 1954.

The ravishingly beautiful racing body was designed by Mario Revelli de Beaumont and built by Nuccio Bertone.

The cars were fitted with a 750cc or 1000cc Crosley engine. Some were fitted with 1100cc Fiat engines.

Only about 40 cars were produced, of which approximately 25 are known to have survived.

The Siata Amica was the company’s first production model being produced between 1948 and 1952.

It was powered by a Fiat 500cc engine capable of producing 22 horsepower. A 750cc unit was also available, raising horsepower slightly, to 25. Production of the Amica began in 1948 and continued through 1952. There were two bodystyles available, a two-seater convertible/spider and a coupe.

In 1948, a specially prepared Amica won the Italian Championship. The car was outfitted with an engine that produced a little over 40 horsepower and was mated to a five-speed manual gearbox.

The Daina is a model of car produced by SIATA from 1950 to 1958.

History

The car was sold with a GT body, coupe or a spider (convertible) with most of the spiders being bodied by Giovanni Farina, while the coupe received mainly bodywork from Bertone.

Like all cars SIATA produced, it was based on heavily modified Fiat mechanicals. In this case it was the Fiat 1400 which the Daina was based on. The frame was reinforced and shortened while the engine was developed adding new overhead valves, new manifolds, carburettors and sometimes an Abarth exhaust .

Very famous versions versions were the Sport and Grand Sport, prepared for use in racing. The Gran Sport version hit the United States where, with the first test literally burned the stages races in formula. It’s supporters called it the “Little Ferrari”. The interest of collectors is due to limited availability as a result of the highly artisanal production. Only about 200 cars were made.

Wayne Thomas, an English journalist connoisseur of cars, once said “Driving a Siata Gran Sport is simply a dream”.

The Siata Mitzi is a small car produced by the Italian manufacturer Siata in 1953.

It was a microcar. Siata defined it as: ‘This car is the result of a to achieve a car as simple as possible and be the lightest and most economical small cars’.

The cars had a 4-stroke, 2-cylinder engine with a displacement of 398 cm³ and a power output of 10 hp at 4000 rpm. The engine had side valves and forced air cooling. The cars were fitted with a multi-plate clutch and a 4 speed gearbox with reverse.

The cars had 4-wheel independent suspension with torsion bars, top speed was speed 75 km/h, fuel consumption was less than 4 litre per 100 km.

Due to its shape, the body can be considered the draft for the Vespa 400.

The model was not successful.

The Siata Spring was a sports car based on parts from Fiat 850 which was produced between 1967 and 1975.

The front end was styled by Enrico Fumia in 1966. The Siata Spring was produced until 1970, when Siata went bankrupt, but the assembly line was purchased by a newly formed company called ORSA (Officina Realizzazioni Sarde Automobili), which moved it to an assembly plant near Cagliari, where it resumed the production of the Spring based on the SEAT 850 Special, thus increasing the engine displacement to 903cc with 47BHP, disc brakes on the front wheels and a maximum speed of 125 Kph.

Because of the 1973 oil crisis sales of sports cars in Italy went down, forcing ORSA to end the production of the Spring in 1975.

The Siata TS is a car that was manufactured by the Italian manufacturer Siata in the 60s.

The TS used Fiat components, the 1500 TS sedan was derived from the Fiat 1300/1500. The cars had a two-stroke engine with carburettors that produced 94 hp.

The TS 1500 was also produced by the German subsidiary of FIAT, Neckar Automobilwerke AG (formerly Fiat-NSU ) in its plant in Heilbronn.

Source: classiccars.fandom.com

History of Siata (Societa Italiana Auto Trasformazioni Accessori)

History

Siata 208S

Siata 300 BC Barchetta Sport Spider

Siata Amica

Siata Daina

Siata Mitzi

Siata Spring

Siata TS

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