Autobianchi Bianchina 'Eden Roc' Cabriolet 1964 - World Of Classic Cars -

Autobianchi Bianchina 'Eden Roc' Cabriolet 1964

In 1955, Milanese industrialist Ferrucio Quintavalle organised a new company, involving Italian names Bianchi, Fiat, and Pirelli, to be known as Autobianchi S.p.A. Initially a manufacturer of trucks, the company introduced its first automobile, the small and attractive Bianchina microcar, two years later at the Milan show. Based upon reliable Fiat 500 Nuova mechanicals, it featured a beautiful coupe body. Later models were updated with a larger, stronger engine and were available in other body styles, as Fiat took control of the company and expanded its line.

Autobianchi Bianchina 'Eden Roc' Cabriolet 1964

Most attractive of the Bianchinas was the two-door cabriolet, which was widely popular with fashionable European jet-setters as a second car or runabout for their vacation homes. In fact, this model was actually sold in France as the Eden Roc, after the rocky promontory in the Antibes, near so many of those villas.
The Eden Roc presented here was originally delivered to France in April 1964, where it has remained ever since. It has been thoroughly restored, including refinishing the body, with a full repaint, as well as rebuilds of the engine and gearbox.

Autobianchi Bianchina - World Of Classic Cars - Rank 114

Autobianchi Bianchina Transformabile Series II 1959

In 1885, 20-year-old Eduardo Bianchi set up a bicycle-making business in Milan. Before long, he was making motorized three-wheelers and then, before the turn of the century, four-wheelers. In the 1920s, Bianchi was third behind only Fiat and Lancia in Italian car production.
In 1955, following a business alliance with Fiat and Pirelli, the company name was changed to Autobianchi. The reorganized firm focused its operations on a series of upscale Fiat 500 variants. The first vehicle that was produced under this new venture was the Bianchina. Even though it was based on the Fiat, it offered luxury features that were not found on the standard 500. The first body style to roll off the assembly line was the transformabile, or semi-convertible, which would remain the only body style available until 1960. Ultimately, only 10,000 of these examples were produced.

Autobianchi Bianchina Transformabile Series II 1959

Bursting with an abundance of sporting character, the Bianchina offered sturdy Fiat 500 mechanical components with luxurious levels of trim for the era. The understated yet captivating Bianchina was further enhanced by a series of mechanical upgrades, including a lowered suspension, which contributed to a sportier ride. The Bianchina was quite a capable performer, with a top speed of 60 mph and an estimated range of nearly 300 miles. Fuel economy reportedly approached an impressive 50 miles per gallon. With its limited-production cachet, the Bianchina was quickly regarded by enthusiasts as the “rich man’s Fiat.”