Giannini Automobili

Giannini Automobili SpA
legal form	Corporation
founding	March 21, 1963
Seat	Rome , Italy
sales	1.8 million € (as of 2007)
Website	www.gianniniautomobili.com

Giannini Automobili SpA is an Italian automotive company and ex-car manufacturer founded on March 21, 1963 in Rome .

origin

The company was originally founded in 1920 by the brothers Attilio and Domenico Giannini as an automobile workshop in Rome. In 1922 Giannini assisted the Fabbrica Automobili Itala . Working together, they developed the Itala Tipo 61 in 1927, which took part in the first race of the Mille Miglia .

1930s

In the 1930s, the company concentrated on converting small engines, based on the engine of the Fiat 500 Topolino .

1940s

After the Second World War , the Giannini brothers began to develop their own engines. In 1947 they developed a three-cylinder diesel engine with direct injection for trucks. It had an output of 40 hp and a maximum speed of 3000 rpm. The company sold only a few hundred of these engines. In 1948, Giannini Automobili ended the heavy haulage business and concentrated again on motorsport . From the experience with the engines of the Fiat 500 Topolino and with the help of the engineer Carlo Giannini - father of the Rondine - they developed the engine Gl 750 cm³. This delivered excellent results during the Mille Miglia in 1949. Gianini then developed the Bialbero Giannini G2 engine, which was built into the Giaur cars .

1950s

In the 1950s, the company concentrated on expanding the dealer network.

separation

For various reasons and mainly because of the poor financial situation, it was closed in 1961. The disagreement between the Giannini brothers and their sons was so great that it was decided to found two branches of society. Costruzioni Mecchaniche Giannini SpA and Giannini Automobili SpA were created

Costruzioni Meccaniche Giannini SpA

The Costruzioni Meccaniche SpA Giannini worked in the sectors of development and motor development and renounced maintenance. Although the company did a good job, this decision proved fatal for the company's future, so it closed in 1971.

Giannini Automobili SpA

Giannini 590 GT

Giannini Automobili SpA strengthened the dealer network and its workshops. After 1963, work on standard automobiles was resumed. Tuning kits were mainly sold. Also in 1963, a more powerful version of the Fiat 500 was unveiled, called the Fiat 590 GT and Fiat 500 TV . In the 1960s, the company had great successes in the field of development and also in participating in motor sports races. On March 16, 1967, Domenico Giannini died of a heart attack .

Arrival of Volfango Polverelli

After the death of Domenico Giannini, a new phase began for the company, which at that time was plagued by major organizational problems. It was forced to bring in an outside person to restore the company's full functionality. In order to meet the great responsibility, the lawyer Volfango Polverelli was entrusted with this task. As an automobile enthusiast, he quickly felt at home in the company and in 1973 he became the sole owner of the company through the purchase of corresponding shares. The company was restructured by Polverelli and the individual sectors of the company were directed by Polverelli's sons. In the 1980s, Armando Palanca was selected as chief engineer. He enjoyed a great reputation in the automotive industry and also in aeronautics . Through him, new Fiat models such as the Fiat 126 , Fiat Ritmo and the Fiat Panda were converted and sportily equipped at Giannini .

1980s

In the early 1980s, the car tuner industry in Italy fell into a major crisis. The reasons for the crisis were the constantly rising costs for tuning models and, on the other hand, the fact that the large automobile companies themselves began to offer various sporty engine and model variants or equipment for their new models. Volfango Polverelli died on July 13, 1984. As a result of the crisis, it was decided in 1985 to give up the conversion of engines and vehicle parts and to concentrate exclusively on body components. At the beginning it was limited to the Fiat Uno , Fiat Tipo and Fiat Panda models . Here, upholstery panels, dashboard panels, accessories, (spoiler) bumpers and side skirts were converted but also offered paintwork.

Giannini today

Giannini still works with Fiat Group Automobiles SpA and is responsible for customer care. Apart from the major orders that Giannini received from the Italian financial watchdog Guardia di Finanza and the Ministry of the Interior, it continues to take care of bodywork components.

literature

Enzo Altorio, Giannini , Edizioni Automitica, Avezzano , 1995

Web links

Commons : Giannini - collection of images, videos and audio files