Consorzio Industriale Sportiva Italia (Cisitalia) was one of many small Italian firms that built specialty sports cars on Fiat parts during the immediate postwar period. After its successful one-seat racing cars, the firm introduced the road-going 202, a Pinin Farina-designed grand touring fastback with a modified Fiat engine.
Considered one of the most attractive cars ever built for its taut lines and graceful proportions, it was featured in MoMA’s 1951 exhibition 8 Automobiles, which helped establish automobile coachwork as a legitimate art form akin to sculpture.
TOP SPEED: 103 mph
HORSEPOWER: 55
ENGINE: 1.1-liter inline-4
NUMBER BUILT: 170 (total 202 coupes)
COLLECTION OF THE PETERSEN AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM
About Petersen Automotive Museum
The Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity. The museum is located at 6060 Wilshire Blvd. (at Fairfax) in Los Angeles, 90036. Admission prices are $16 for general admission adults, $14 for seniors and $11 for children ages 4 to 17.
Active military with ID, personal care attendants and children under age 4 are admitted free. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. For general information, call 323-930-CARS or visit www.petersen.org.
1947 CISITALIA 202 COUPE: BY PININ FARINA