Automobili Serenissima

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Automobili Serenissima was an Italian sports car manufacturer from Bologna who developed some engines and a range of racing cars between 1963 and 1970.

Automobili Serenissima is one of the most mysterious Italian automotive projects that has been rumored about. Many details are still not fully clarified. In particular, there are numerous uncertainties regarding the designation of the cars and the volume of production.

The sources on Automobili Serenissima are extremely poor. Most books dealing with Italian sports cars are limited to a brief mention of the brand and to reproducing rumored, sometimes assumed production figures. By far the best researched representation is Wolfgang Bluebbe's article “Graf Zahl” in the specialist magazine Oldtimer-Markt No. 9/2008, in which the company's history is traced in as much detail as possible using a specific vehicle.

Company history

Automobili Serenissima was founded by Conte Giovanni Volpi di Misurata , a young, wealthy nobleman from Venice. Volpi has been running the Scuderia Serenissima racing team since 1958 , which competed as a customer team in various sports car races. Volpi was not choosy about its suppliers. The Scuderia Serenissima initially used vehicles as diverse as Abarth , Ferrari , Maserati or Porsche . In 1960 Volpi financed the development of the Maserati Birdcage , a year later he was financially involved in the development of the Ferrari 250 GTO , which he wanted to use with his Scuderia Serenissima.

The alliance with Ferrari broke up before the delivery of the Ferrari 250 GTO, when Volpi took a short-term stake in the company Automobili Turismo e Sport (ATS) in 1962 . Volpi took his first steps towards developing his own car with the legendary Ferrari Breadvan , a one-off work designed by Giotto Bizzarrini based on the Ferrari 250 GT SWB , which outclassed the Scuderia Ferrari factory cars in the 1962 Le Mans 24-hour race .

In 1963 Volpi founded Automobili Serenissima . The aim was to manufacture our own racing cars for use at motorsport events. At least initially, the start of series production was also considered; however, from 1966 onwards, Volpi distanced himself from this goal.

The Bologna- based company was initially housed in the premises of the local Rolls-Royce importer Sasamotors . This is where the development work was carried out, and this is where the individual cars of the Scuderia Serenissima were manufactured until 1966 . At the end of 1966, Volpi separated from Sasamotors ; afterwards a workshop was set up in Formigine near Modena , where a few more racing cars were built. During this time the company was effectively influenced by Alf Francis, a former racing mechanic who had worked for Stirling Moss and had come to Italy after a few detours. Francis used the generous atmosphere and especially the superficial control by Volpi to pursue his own goals with Automobili Serenissima. He repeatedly produced cars on his own initiative that combined Serenissima parts with third-party components, and also tried to turn the company into a manufacturer of Formula 1 cars, which contradicted Volpi's stated aim.

Between 1963 and 1970 Automobili Serenissima designed and built three different engines and eight very different automobiles, five of which survived.

In 1970 the workshop in Formigine was given up again. As the last act, Alf Francis negotiated the takeover of this workshop and its employed mechanics by the Scuderia Filipinetti .

The motors

Three different types of engines were created for Automobili Serenissima.

  • Initially, Alberto Massimino, a former Alfa Romeo , Ferrari and Maserati employee, developed an eight-cylinder engine with a displacement of 3.0 liters for Volpi. The engine carried four overhead, chain-driven camshafts, two for each cylinder bank. Two spark plugs were provided for each cylinder. The mixture was prepared by four double Weber carburetors. The maximum output is 307 hp at 8,500 revolutions per minute. There are reports that a total of two examples of this engine were made. This engine was used by the young McLaren team at three Grand Prix events in the 1966 Formula 1 season . In the Grand Prix of Belgium and the Netherlands failed Bruce McLaren , who drove the car itself, each of engine defects, the Grand Prix of Great Britain but he finished sixth and scored a championship point for the Serenissima engine. Regardless of this, McLaren switched to Ford engines this season .
  • In the course of 1965, Massimino developed another engine, the layout of which corresponded to the initial model, but the displacement was increased to 3.5 liters.
  • A third engine was built in 1966/67 under the direction of Harry Mundy, a former Jaguar engineer. Mundy's engine was again an eight-cylinder with 3.5 liters displacement; it had three valves - two intake valves and one exhaust valve - per cylinder. Conceptually, the engine had nothing to do with Massimino's construction; rather, it was based on ideas Mundy had made for Jaguar a few years earlier.

The cars

Between 1964 and 1970 Automobili Serenissima produced a total of six very different vehicle types. The overwhelming majority believe that they all remained individual pieces. There are numerous uncertainties about the names of the cars; The cars appear with different names in various publications. The following list is based on the chassis numbers and follows in detail the description from the magazine Oldtimer Markt 9/2008.

Chassis 001: Serenissima 308 / V GT

The first chassis was made in 1964. The vehicle was named Serenissima 308 / V GT. It was fitted with the three-liter Massimino engine and carried a coupé body designed by Francesco Salomone and manufactured by Gransport in Modena . The technical development was in the hands of Girolamo "Mino" Ferrari Amorotti, the transmission was developed and built by Sasamotors.

The car was first tested by Luigi Bertocco at the Modena Aerodrom on December 20, 1964. The results were sobering, which, according to Paul Frère , who was present at the test drives, was not only due to the pouring rain that prevailed during the entire trip. Given the poor performance, Alfredo Massimino immediately began to revise the car. His approaches culminated in the chassis 003, which was manufactured in April 1965.

Regardless of the poor results of the first test drives, the private racing team Rob Walker ordered two cars of this type for use in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1965 . Volpi promised to deliver on time, but could not keep the promise. In fact, Rob Walker did not receive a single car from Serenissima.

Chassis 002

The 002 chassis was to become one of the cars Rob Walker ordered. The vehicle was never completed; it is said to have been scrapped in 1968.

Chassis 003: Serenissima Jet Stradale and Competizione

The chassis number 003 was given to a further development of the first prototype. Compared to the 001, the 003 had a slightly shortened wheelbase and was fitted with two different bodies one after the other.

Jet Stradale

The first version of the chassis 002 was called the Jet Stradale. The body had been changed significantly. The belt line was now straight, but it was provided with air inlets. The Stradale only existed for a few months.

Jet Competizione

In 1966 the Jet Stadale was converted to the Jet Competizione. Compared to the Stradale, the (thin) bumpers were omitted; In return, the Competizione received additional ventilation openings, and lightweight construction measures were carried out in some places.

The Jet Competizione was thoroughly tested by the Scuderia Serenissima in April 1966. The lap times were on the level of the factory 250 LM of Scuderia Ferrari ; the drivers achieved a lap average of 187.4 km / h during test drives on the Le Mans circuit. The Scuderia Serenissima then announced the Jet Competizione with Louis Corberto and Jean-Claude Sauer for the 24-hour race of Le Mans in 1966 . In the end, however, this combination did not take part in the race, as the jet's engine was passed on to the young Formula 1 team McLaren in May 1966 . Later, after McLaren returned the engine, the Jet Competizione was temporarily used in hill climbs and showed some success there. In 1968 its engine was removed and temporarily installed in a Lola chassis by Alf Francis.

The Jet Competizione has been restored over the years. Today it is again carrying the 3.0-liter engine from Massimino.

Chassis 004: Serenissima Torpedo Stradale and Competizione

The chassis 004 was equipped with two open bodies one after the other.

Torpedo Stradale

The chassis 004 was manufactured in 1965 and was named Torpedo Stradale. It was equipped with the 3.5-liter engine from Massimino and received an open Spider body, the design of which was based on the front section of the Jet Stradale Coupé, but had curved fenders and did not have sweeping air intakes. The vehicle had a roll bar integrated into the body.

There are different details regarding a possible series production of this model. A source reports that Carrozzeria Fantuzzi made a total of 10 examples of the Torpedo Stradale. According to other sources, the Torpedo Stradale - like the rest of the Serenissima wagons - is unique. After that it went up later in the Torpedo Competizione.

Torpedo Competizione

In 1966 the torpedo was converted into an open competition vehicle. After a few technical and visual changes, Serenissima made its debut with this vehicle as a manufacturer at the Le Mans 24-hour race . The Scuderia San Marco Serenissima registered the vehicle with the 3.5 liter engine for the Le Mans 24-hour race in 1966. The drivers were Jean-Claude Sauer and Baron Jean de Mortemart. The team lasted 42 laps, then the transmission broke and the car crashed.

Chassis 005 Serenissima Jungla

The fifth chassis was manufactured in 1966 and featured a Bernard Quentin coupé body. Volpi presented the car in the paddock on the occasion of the Le Mans 24-hour race in 1966. However, the Jungla was not equipped with an engine. The only available engines at that time were in the Torpedo Competizione and in Bruce McLaren's Formula 1 car. The Jungla was not completed at the factory. It received an engine from the Alfa Romeo Montreal over the years .

Chassis 006: Serenissima GT Strada and Agena

After various vehicles with third-party chassis had been manufactured from 1968, Automobili Serenissima presented another in-house design in 1969. This construction has nothing to do with the chassis of the early years; it was a simple box frame that was manufactured in a single piece and clad in two body versions one after the other.

The model presented in 1969 was called the Serenissima GT Strada. It was a low-profile hatchback coupé whose body was supposedly designed by Volpi himself. Whether this vehicle was equipped with an engine - and, if so, which one - has not been clarified.

Another version of this topic appeared in 1970. The now brightly painted body was provided with a massive rear spoiler and had side air intakes. Here, too, the motorization has not been clarified.

Other vehicles with the name Serenissima

McLaren Serenissima

In 1968 a vehicle was created that was not an in-house design of Automobili Serenissima. It was a McLaren MC01 that was first converted into a coupé and later an open racing car.

Serenissima Mk 168

The first version of the McLaren Serenissima was created in 1968 in the body shop of former racing driver Piero Drogo . Drogo converted the McLaren into a coupe with gullwing doors. The vehicle was equipped with the eight-cylinder Harry Mundy. The Scuderia Serenissima registered the car under the name Serenissima GT in 1968 for individual sports car races. Jonathan Williams achieved the best result in the 1968 race for the Enna Cup , where they finished second behind a Porsche 910.

308 SP Spider Avional

In 1969 the McLaren was rebuilt again. Now he received an open, angular body. This vehicle was also occasionally used with the Mundy eight-cylinder by the Scuderia Serenissima in sports car races; however, it did not achieve outstanding results. They were the last races of the Scuderia Serenissima.

Serenissima-Lola

The Serenissima-Lola, created in 1968, again used a foreign chassis. In this case it was a Lola GT Mk.6 from 1963. The car was essentially built on the initiative of the Serenissima mechanic Alf Francis. It was equipped with the 3.0 liter engine of the jet.

Serenissima Ghia

The Serenissima Ghia was a unique piece that was created in 1968 at the instigation of Alejandro de Tomaso . The vehicle is sometimes referred to as the Serenissima Aghema or Agema.

De Tomaso was the owner of Carrozzeria Ghia at the time . In search of new production orders, he had Ghia designer Tom Tjaarda design an elegant, two-door hatchback coupé with folding headlights and a curved beltline, which was shown at the 1968 Turin Motor Show under the name Serenissima. De Tomaso apparently tried to get Volpi to start a series production. Although the car was outwardly very attractive, Volpi decidedly rejected de Tomaso's proposal. The Serenissima Ghia remained a one-off.

Technically, the car had nothing to do with Serenissima. Rather, it was based on the De Tomaso Mangusta , whose platform it adopted unchanged. The "Certificato d´Origine", which was issued in October 1968, names a 3.5 liter eight-cylinder from Serenissima as the engine.

The Carrozzeria Ghia presented the light green painted car for the first time on their stand at the Turin Motor Show in November 1968. In March 1969 the car appeared, again at the Ghias stand, at the Geneva Motor Show, and in April 1969 the car was shown at the International Motor Show in New York . In the course of 1969 the car received the 3.0 liter eight-cylinder engine from Harry Mundy and was painted red. In 1975 attempts were made to prepare it for road approval in Switzerland. Ultimately, the car failed the prescribed brake tests. No approval was granted. The Serenissima Ghia is still owned by Conte Volpi.

Serenissima 2500 GT

A replica of the ATS 2500 GT , which was created in 1966 and carried the Automobili Serenissima trademark, can also be traced back to Alf Francis . This was a one-off piece that Alf Francis made from residual items and numerous third-party components after the failure of ATS. However, regardless of the model name, there is no direct reference to Serenissima.

Serenissima in Formula 1

In 1967, Serenissima was (again) associated with Formula 1 . In February 1967 the Italian magazine Autosprint reported that the Scuderia Serenissima wanted to take part in individual races of the Formula 1 World Championship with its own vehicle; Roberto Bussinello , who last raced with some problematic De Tomaso designs, was named as the driver. In the end, of course, nothing came of it.

The background and history of the Formula 1 project are still unclear in many details. What is certain is that at the beginning of 1967 a yellow painted Formula 1 car with the designation Serenissima MA1F was presented to the public and also tested. To what extent this project was authorized by Giovanni Volpi or based on the initiative of Alf Francis is unclear.

The vehicle

There were different theories about the origin of the Serenissima M1AF: Apart from the hardly tenable and hardly represented view that Alf Francis had built the car entirely by himself, some sources saw a modified McLaren M2 in the car ; others thought Lola was the author of the car. For some time now, however, most sources have assumed that the Serenissima M1AF was based on a BRP chassis from 1963.

BRP was a private racing stable with which Stirling Moss competed in the late 1950s and which was founded by his father Alfred Moss . At that time, Alf Francis, the creator of the Serenissima M1AF, was working as a mechanic for Stirling Moss. Francis is said to have taken over the BRP racing car from Moss in 1966, possibly as compensation for outstanding salary payments.

As early as 1966, when Francis was hired by Automobili Serenissima, he is said to have started to combine the chassis with a Serenissima engine. To do this, Francis had to remove the entire rear of the BRP and replace it with a new design tailored to the engine. A special feature was the curved, horizontal engine cover, which anticipated the concept of a rear wing. Oldtimer-Markt magazine reports that the M1FA was the first winged car to be homologated.

The engine used was the 3.0 liter eight-cylinder from Massimino, which had already been used in the McLaren in 1966.

The realization

The M1AF was set up in the Serenissima workshop in Formigine in 1966. In the spring of 1967 some test drives were carried out at the Modena Aerodrome. The drivers were Bruce McLaren , Mike Parkes , Ludovico Scarfiotti and Alf Francis himself. Nothing was known about the results. However, some sources use the fact that the car was not registered for a Formula 1 race as an opportunity to question the quality of the car, which is essentially four years old.

In 1969 the car was activated again; it was equipped with the 3.5 liter engine from Harry Mundy and made available for a private buyer for test drives. A race was not planned.

Serenissima today

The whereabouts of the Serenissima wagons is largely unclear. Only the existence of the Jet Competizione (in Zurich) and the M1FA are documented. Oldtimer Markt reports in the 9/2008 issue that four more Serenissima vehicles belonged to Giovanni Volpi, who keeps them in an unknown location. Another source from April 2008, however, says that Volpi does not own a single Serenissima; she quotes him as saying: "The memory of the car is worth more than any piece of metal, no matter how valuable".

Three Serenissima vehicles will be auctioned in Paris in February 2019.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Announcement of the auction on the website www.hemmings.com (accessed on February 7, 2019).