Forerunner of Autobianchi was the company 'SA Automobili e Velocipedi Eduardo Bianchi', already founded in 1899. Previously one had produced bicycles since 14 years and came to the automobile production via bicycles with auxiliary engines and motorcycles. However, the bicycles still form for a long time the main pillar of the company.
1931 then dominated definitively the production of automobiles. In Italy, Fiat was even surpassed. Bianchi took part with great success in car racings and even built eight-cylinder. From Eduardo Bianchi is said to have been a follower of Mussolini, what brought him considerable government contracts during World War II. So his company also produced trucks with engines from Mercedes.
After the war, the car division was no longer able to continue further these successes. It was taken over from Fiat and Pirelli first partially and 1958 entirely under the name 'Autobianchi'. First, a more noble version of the Fiat 500 under the name 'Bianchina' (pictures above and below) was designed for the former Bianchi factory in Desio near Milan, which sold rather well, in the price slightly below that of the Fiat 600.
But Autobianchi was used not only to produce better styled, two-tone cars on Fiat-base, but became with the Primula to a test laboratory at the latest in 1964. It is the second company after BMC in Europe that dared to approach the space-saving front-wheel drive with transverse engine. The estate car rear with or without large tailgate is camouflaged as stub tail. Fiat came with this drive on the market until the end of the 60s.
The A 112, the was created parallel to these models, is the last model of Autobianchi. The brand was subordinated Lancia from 1975 and disappeared under this new name. At least since the appearance of the 'Y10' 1985 disappeared the 112 A and with the 'Y' also the signet of the brand 1995. What remained is only the bicycle production, under the name 'Bianchi' now successfully in Swedish hands. 05/15
Italy 1
Autobianchi