
Cisitalia 202d 1952-1955

The last GT cars built by Cisitalia, only five examples of the 202D were built between 1952 and 1955.
Developed by Savonuzzi the first example was a coupe constructed in aluminium by Stabilimenti Farina. It was powered by a 2772cc in-line four cylinder BPM engine, derived from their maritime motors and produced 160bhp @ 5,300rpm. The front suspension was independent whilst the rear used a modified Lancia Aurelia B20 GT de Dion setup. For the Mille Miglia that year a competition version was produced, with two twin carburettors, 180bhp and various other changes such as no bumpers. The wheelbase was 2,450mm whilst the empty weight was 850kg. A four speed gearbox was fitted, as were disc brakes on all four wheels. It was going well until the clutch disc gave way and Dusio (who was driving) was forced to retire.The new car was first shown at the 1952 Geneva Motorshow and in total three coupes and two spiders were built, powered by BPM engines of either 2.8 or 2-litres. Each example has minor detail differences from the others, two are known to be still in existence.
A Cisitalia 202D, raced in the 1952 Mille Miglia. The car was powered by an overhead-camshaft BPM marine engine, via a gearbox in the unit with the de Dion rear axle. Cisitalia claimed a power output of 160 bhp and a top speed of 137 mph for the car, but it was not enough to save the marque.
Dusio commissioned several automobiles from Europe's leading designers. He provided Pinin Farina with the chassis on which the Cisitalia's body was placed. The body was more or less handcrafted, with its aluminium panels shaped over wooden forms. Because of this time-consuming process, only 170 models were produced between 1947 and 1952.
When first presented to the public at the Villa d'Este Gold Cup show in Como, Italy, and at the 1947 Paris Motor Show, the Cisitalia "202" GT was a resounding success. The two-seater Cisitalia "202" GT was an aesthetic and technical achievement that transformed postwar automobile body design. The extraordinary Pinin Farina design was honored by New York's Museum of Modern Art in 1951. In the MOMA's first exhibit on automotive design, called "Eight Automobiles", the Cisitalia was displayed with seven other cars (1930 Mercedes-Benz SS tourer, 1939 Bentley saloon with coachwork by James Young, 1939 Talbot-Lago Figoni teardrop coupé, 1951 Willys Jeep, 1937 Cord 812 Custom Beverly Sedan, 1948 MG TC, and the 1941 Lincoln Continental coupe).
It is still part of the MoMA permanent collection. Building on aerodynamic studies developed for racing cars, the Cisitalia offers one of the most accomplished examples of coachwork (the automobiles body) conceived as a single shell. The hood, body, fenders, and headlights are integral to the continuously flowing surface, rather than added on. Before the Cisitalia, the prevailing approach followed by automobile designers when defining a volume and shaping the shell of an automobile was to treat each part of the body as a separate, distinct element - a box to house the passengers, another for the motor, and headlights as appendages. In the Cisitalia, there are no sharp edges. Swellings and depressions maintain the overall flow and unity, creating a sense of speed.
- Cisitalia 202D, manufactured or sold in 1952, version for Europe
- 2-door coupe body type
- RWD (rear-wheel drive), manual 4-speed gearbox
- petrol (gasoline) engine with displacement: 2772 cm3 / cui, advertised power: 118 kW / 158 hp / 160 PS ( net ), torque: 314 Nm / 232 lb-ft
- characteristic dimensions: outside length: 4500 mm / 177.2 in, wheelbase: 2450 mm / 96.5 in
- reference weights:
- how fast is this car ? top speed: 220 km/h (137 mph) (declared by factory);
- Accelerations: 0- 60 mph s; 0- 100 km/h s; 1/4 mile drag time (402 m) s