Billed as “The Aristocrat of the Automobiles,” the vehicles produced by the Fabbrica Automobili Isotta Fraschini were owned by some of the most exclusive clientele ever boasted by one marque: movie stars like Clara Bow and Rudolph Valentino, athletes like Jack Dempsey, magnates like William Randolph Hearst and all manner of royalty including a King and Queen, an Empress, scores of princes and princesses, several maharajahs, countless dukes, duchesses, barons, counts and viscounts, the Aga Khan, Benito Mussolini and Pope Pius XI.
An Isotta Fraschini was the favored carriage of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard and was among the first manufacturers to adapt four-wheel brakes (1910) and straight-eight power (1920) along with other technical advancements. Notwithstanding these achievements, the marque failed, like so many others, to weather the Great Depression and survives now as a purveyor of luxury goods and builder of marine engines. For a time, however, Isotta Fraschini was the undisputed jewel in the luxury automobile crown, beset amongst other gems from Hispano-Suiza, Mercedes-Benz, Minerva and Rolls-Royce.
A Family Affair
The first entity to bear the name of Isotta Fraschini was formed in 1900 out of the union of two families brought together by marriage. Cesare Isotta had married Maria Anderloni while Vincenzo and Antonio Fraschini married her sisters Dolinda and Carla. The other Fraschini brother, Oreste, would remain a bachelor, as the only remaining Anderloni sibling was a brother named Felice. The three Fraschini brothers and Isotta had set themselves up as the Milan agents for Renault and Mors and to handle general automotive repairs and service before moving to a larger facility four years later in the suburbs of Milan.
Soon sales, service and repairs were subordinated to the manufacture of automobiles based on Renault components with custom bodies. Less than five years after opening its doors, the new entity was capitalized at 2.5 million lire and Messrs. Isotta and Fraschini were appointed directors of the Società Anonima Fabbrica di Automobili Isotta Fraschini. The growth of the firm coincided with an increased demand for new
vehicles and the company began to increase the size and diversity of its offerings. Demand for these offerings surged as customers recognized the factory’s products as sound in design, solid in construction and reliable in operation.
Each vehicle sold was subject to comprehensive testing at the hands of drivers such as Alfieri Maserati and Vincenzo Fraschini himself. As was typical with manufacturers of the day, racing was considered less a sporting pursuit than the best way to prove reliability to potential clients. The emphasis on racing took greater priority with the arrival of Giustino Cattaneo as Technical Director in 1905 and soon the firm was campaigning the Tipo D, powered by a monstrous 17.1-liter, four cylinder engine with overhead valves actuated by an overhead camshaft (remarkably advanced for the period).
Competition and Change
Unfortunately, the behemoth was somewhat less than reliable and racing success would have to wait until new racing cars were built to the 8-liter formula, which swept to victory in the 1907 Coppa Florio.
Victory in the Targa Florio came the following year and spurned sales amongst a range of no fewer than 50 distinct models. With success on the track leading to increased publicity and sales, Isotta Fraschini opened an agency in New York City and the imposing, quick machines soon found a dedicated following in the American market.
Americans were no less impressed with competition success than their European counterparts, so Isotta Fraschini was determined to replicate its continental victories. The wait would not be long as Isottas won the Savannah Challenge Trophy (23 minutes faster than its closest rival), Briarcliff Trophy (seven minutes faster than the 2nd-place Fiat), Lowell Trophy (finishing one hour and twenty-two minutes ahead of the pack) and the Long Island Motor Parkway Sweepstakes (eleven minutes over the runner-up Renault). Not until the Vanderbilt Cup would Isotta Fraschini find itself 2nd to the finish (behind a Locomobile) but that loss did not seem to harm sales in the least as some 40 cars were sold in America during the 1907 racing season.
Those sales helped push the Milanese factory to second among Italian manufacturers (albeit by a large margin behind Fiat) just in time for a recession to depress sales to the point that French manufacturer Lorraine-Dietrich purchased exactly half of its outstanding shares. The new French partner was entitled to half the profits and then argued that it was also due equal participation in the glory from the competition success as well, arguing in the local press that the technical achievements had Gallic origins. This development infuriated Cattaneo who began to undermine the partnership until it failed of its own accord in 1910.
The brief relationship with Lorraine was not without merit, as Isotta Fraschini soon replaced its chain drive with a drive shaft, developed a new six-cylinder engine for the French market and a lowered chassis for urban use. Notwithstanding adoption of these changes, Isotta was itself solely responsible for revolutionary ideas such as four-wheel brakes in 1910 (despite criticism that slowing down the front wheels would result in dangerous directional instability) and implementation of improvements to the steering linkage that reduced kickback under braking. Contemporary testing showed an Isotta, with four-wheel brakes, stopping in 213 feet from 62 mph while a similar car with only rear brakes required an additional 115 feet.
The same year that four-wheel brakes were introduced saw production of the Type KM, a chain driven sports car with a 10.6-liter, four-cylinder engine featuring 16 valves operated by an overhead camshaft. Sales increased to 300 units per year with almost 75 percent of production for export (with most coming to the United States). Although the KM was a handful to drive it was also powerful and reliable at a time when those qualities were rare in any automobile, much less a sporting one.
Cattaneo was dedicated to no-nonsense, sound design and the engines that would serve as his legacy were noted for robustness, whether intended for automotive, aviation or marine applications. The manufacture of engines for wide use would become providential when Italy entered the First World War in 1915. Cattaneo’s first aviation engine was a water-cooled design for the Forlanini blimp and during the hostilities his engines were also in demand for use in torpedo boats and aircraft. The company also manufactured armored cars and other vehicles and due to wartime orders (and prudent management) emerged after the Armistice in better health than many of its peers.
The coming of peace presaged a new policy for the company, which before the war produced a plethora of models, and would henceforth focus on just one design for production. Rather than continue with the sporting cars, which had won renown for Isotta Fraschini on both sides of the Atlantic, the new emphasis was on uncompromised luxury. There would be no attempt to exploit the new market for affordable cars that was the target of so many others; instead the die had been cast to produce only the most expensive cars that the elite could afford.
The Great Eight
The number of Italian auto manufacturers had nearly doubled following the war but the domestic market, along with many other European countries, was still relatively weak and impoverished. The United States, however, entered the fighting late and many fortunes had been made in the New World during the global conflict. Isotta Fraschini already had a firm grip on American buyers and it would continue to rely on them as the primary market for its cars.
Success in America would not come cheaply and the company decided that the new emphasis on luxury dictated that it abandon its competition and rally efforts, in order to focus on an all new model. Oreste Fraschini had reasoned that only the very rich in Europe could afford a luxury car and only a very good car could be sold in America, therefore Isotta Fraschini was determined to build that car.
The car would be designated the Tipo 8 and it would be revolutionary in design and execution with the first inline, eight-cylinder engine to reach production. In contrast to driving conditions on the Continent, Americans demanded power and flexibility to cover great distances quickly and easily.
The new engine delivered those qualities in spades with, essentially, two four-cylinder engines joined in line. Experience with aviation power plants underscored the value of the use of light alloys, so the aluminum block was a single casting (although the fixed cylinder heads were in two groups of four). The pistons, too, were cast of aluminum and the connecting rods were of lightweight tubular design. Pushrods and rockers operated enclosed overhead valves, two per cylinder. With low compression of 5:1, the engine produced 80 BHP at 2200 rpm. The nine-bearing crankshaft had pressure lubrication and a forward mounted vibration dampener. Power was transmitted through a multiplate clutch, a three-speed unit-construction gearbox with central ball change and an enclosed driveshaft to a fully-floating spiral bevel rear axle. Notwithstanding the ground-breaking layout, this was a modern power plant possessed of long stroke, under low stress and capable of sterling reliability. It was said to display “little evidence of a desperate search for efficiency or high output.”
Leaving aside the four-wheel brakes (which were still revolutionary upon the 1919 introduction of the Tipo 8), the chassis was fairly conventional. Both the foot pedal and the hand lever operated all four brakes, which were compensated and had mechanical servo assistance. Half-elliptic springs were located fore and aft, assisted by Hartford friction dampers. Wheelbase was 12 ft. 1 in. with a track of 4 ft. 8 in.
The finish of the car sealed its reputation for the ages; mechanically and structurally it was superb. With closed coachwork the car was capable of 70 mph, an open car was capable of 80 mph, and roadholding was described by the motoring press as “impeccable.” Its braking performance was, as expected, extraordinary for its time and its acceleration was superior to that of the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, but less than that of the Hispano-Suiza.
To the latter, the Isotta Fraschini has been compared throughout its history and to do so now requires some explanation. Unlike the cars that Isotta Fraschini had sold before the war, the Tipo 8 sacrificed performance for reliability and refinement and, as such, was incapable of matching the Hispano-Suiza at speed. Although both cars were intended to carry both open and saloon coachwork with equal facility, the Hispano-Suiza H6B chassis was much lighter (by almost 400 pounds) and its 6.6-liter, overhead camshaft engine produced almost half again as much power as the Cattaneo engine. Moreover, with such performance it was also given suitable handling at speeds with which the Isotta was not well equipped to match.
One historian opined, “Why need the Isotta be compared with anything, particularly when such comparisons tend to disregard what the Isotta was? Generally a prospective owner of an Isotta wasn’t meant to drive; it was expected that he would be driven. Grand luxe motoring cannot be measured in acceleration curves and fast cornering.”
Two years after the Tipo 8’s debut, new management assumed control over the company (Isotta and Vincenzo and Oreste Fraschini had either died or left). Nonetheless, American sales continued to do well and by 1924 there were agencies in New York, London, Brussels, Madrid, Basel, Buenos Aires, Sao Paolo and Santiago from which cars were sold to the wealthy of Europe and the New World.
Apogee
An improved version of the Tipo 8, designated the Tipo 8A, was introduced late in 1924 (although the Tipo 8 was sold alongside its successor for a few more years in North America). The new model was intended to better compete with Hispano-Suiza with a faster and more sporting car (in a belated return to the firm’s original roots). This was accomplished with an increased bore of 95-mm for a total capacity of 7370-cc, producing between 110 and 120 BHP at 2400 rpm. The (still) impressive brakes were further enlarged and were now equipped with Dewandre vacuum servo assistance. Lower pressure tires were fitted (a spring damper was incorporated in the steering arm to counteract the heavier steering) and the gear ratios were raised. Starting in 1928, for the first time, a complete car with bodywork could be supplied by the factory.
The new car was a better and even more popular car than its predecessor but it was again compared unfavorably in performance and high-speed handling with the Hispano-Suiza. Despite a limited return to competition, which saw the Tipo 8A win the Targa Abruzzo in 1925 and 1926, Isotta Fraschini failed to generate an image of sporting performance (although Alfieri and Bindo Maserati continued to work as test drivers). Nonetheless, Isotta Fraschini continued to sell well against its rivals, particularly in the United States, where there were more buyers able to afford a vehicle which in final form could exceed $22,000 (at the time, Packards, Lincolns and Pierce-Arrows could be purchased for around $5000) with coachwork from Sala, Castagna, Farina and Touring.
Perigee
The onset of the Great Depression in 1929 accomplished what rivals Rolls-Royce and Hispano-Suiza could not, Isotta sales slowed considerably with the worsening of the growing financial crisis. The Tipo 8A was improved in 1931 to become the Tipo 8B with increased horsepower and an improved suspension. Fewer than 30 of these cars would be built, however, and the company appeared to be headed for acquisition by Henry Ford who was eager to manufacture Isottas in Detroit and have his own cars built in Italy. Due to opposition from within, however, the Italian government canceled the deal and cast a pall on the Milanese firm’s future.
The Italian government would find utility for Isotta Fraschini other than the manufacture of luxury automobiles. Instead, Mussolini arranged to sell the beleaguered firm to aircraft builder Società Caproni e Comitti to allow Isotta to focus on its increasingly successful line of aviation engines. Even as automobile sales dwindled, engine orders surged as the Cattaneo aircraft engines were considered comparable with rivals from France, Great Britain and the United States. Many of the racing aircraft vying for the prestigious Schneider Trophy would do so with Isotta power and soon these engines would be produced under license in other countries, particularly the Soviet Union.
The Second World War would see a return to military production for the Milan factory and the manufacture of aviation and marine engines (as well as military trucks) would almost completely erase any reminder of the cars that were produced in more peaceful times. Following the end of the war there was another aborted flirtation with Ford and an attempt to produce one last stab at the luxury market with the Tipo 8C Monterosa. Designed primarily for the American market (where else?) the new car was the first clean sheet design form Milan in 30 years. The Tipo 8C made its debut at the 1947 Paris Salon and 1948 Geneva Show and was powered by an all-new V-8 engine. Both open and closed coachwork from Touring, Zagato and Boneschi was available but the styling, while ground-breaking for an Isotta, was too reminiscent of an envelope body available from any number of manufacturers before the war. Furthermore, it was saddled with a price more than twice what comparable chauffeur-driven limousines offered by Cadillac or Packard at the time. Approximately 20 Tipo 8C’s were built but none were apparently sold to the public. With that, the Isotta Fraschini marque passed into automotive legend and future products from Milan would be limited to industrial engines and personal goods such as shoes, ties and perfume.
The Golden Cup
Notwithstanding the abject failure of the Tipo 8C and unkind period comparisons with Hispano-Suiza, the legend of Isotta Fraschini has moved towards hyperbole in the intervening years since its automobile production ceased. Modern history gushed, “Isotta Fraschini! One can begin the superlatives with magnificent and then stretch Roget to his limits to find a better word.”
Curiously, the most fabulous (and likely valuable) Isotta Fraschini ever built has not been seen since World War II. In fact, little is known about it, less has been written on it and few are alive who have ever seen the actual car in person – the 1930 Tipo 8ASS Flying Star Roadster. The car featured in this profile is identified as an authentic 1930 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A Flying Star Roadster and has been shown extensively and been awarded honors at the finest concours d’elegance in the world (including Pebble Beach and Amelia Island). It is not, however, the Isotta Fraschini Flying Star.
Carrozzeria Touring bodied the original Flying Star on an Isotta Tipo 8ASS chassis along with a similar (albeit much smaller) body on an Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GS chassis for the 1931 Coppa d’Oro Villa d’Este. Little is known of the car since that inaugural appearance other than that it was supposedly driven by Mussolini during the war to rendezvous with his mistress Clara Petacci. Its whereabouts since then are unknown and no photographs of the car exist after its debut at Lake Como.
Like A New Suit
Our profile car began life as a Tipo 8A with a saloon body that was reportedly delivered new to Australia for use by an Archbishop of the Anglican Church. Sometime thereafter it was bodied locally with coupe coachwork and after the original Touring design drawings were found by a local artisan was rebodied with an exact replica of the Flying Star’s coachwork. The car was later purchased from Australia by American Paul Emple who has continued to show the car to much acclaim as the closest representation of the Flying Star extant.
The underlying mechanicals of the car are pure Isotta and the car likely perform, as the original would have, with identical engine and chassis specifications and the same body as the Flying Star. The first impression left by the car is its sheer size, which makes almost anything next to it seem preternaturally small in comparison. The body is resplendent but acts to reflect the bright sunlight forcing one to squint upon approach. The seat is located some distance off the ground and it requires a long reach to gain access to the cockpit.
The steering wheel is located to the right and the gearshift and brake lever are paired close together along the centerline. There is a fair amount of leg room but the narrow body makes for less than ideal room with a male passenger alongside. What is compelling about the car is that it radiates quality and luxury from every component. When compared with period rivals from Rolls-Royce and Hispano-Suiza it is easy to see how little ultimate performance mattered in comparison to the ultimate luxury presented by the Isotta Fraschini.
Mindful that the Tipo 8A was not widely considered a driver’s car the starter is pulled with apprehension. Surprisingly, the engine fires quickly with no hesitation and falls into an idle that is loud (one complaint is that it was more so than the Hispano-Suiza) but not coarse and rather calculated to seem as if it is hardly working (in fact, it hardly is). The pedals are not as firm as one would think given the age of the car’s design and the solidity of the components, but the steering is another thing altogether. While being seen behind the wheel of an Isotta Fraschini may be remembered as a momentous occasion, attempting to steer the vehicle at low speeds is an exercise in patience and strength. Befitting a car of its size, the Flying Star is absolutely ponderous in first gear and making a turn requires a firm grasp of the wheel and something to brace against for leverage.
The sluggish steering disappears, however, at speed and once moving the effort eases considerably and the car comes into its own. The engine has massive torque (as one would expect from such a long stroke) and it seems as if it could pull all day up any grade while pulling whatever you had behind it. The ride is compliant but firm and, if not for its size, would almost seem a perfect car to run around with on sunny days. The long chassis soaks up any imperfection that one would likely encounter on the road and the view over the hinged hood is sublime.
The brakes are far better than any of its period contemporaries and haul the car down to reasonable speeds with alacrity. The gearbox is stiff (and the pattern reversed so that first is closest to the driver) but changes are accomplished with little drama upon getting a sense for the rhythm of double clutching through the gears. In fact, acceleration is better than expected and although it is not fast, it is brisk enough to put distance between you and admirers who would get too close while gawking (one woman in a BMW brings us to a complete stop with praise for the car).
Pulling back into the driveway it is abundantly clear the attraction that enthusiasts have for the marque. Particularly in this case, there are few cars with more beauty or grace than the Isotta. Perhaps that is why the car was a natural in Hollywood with celebrity owners and time of its own on the silver screen, The Flying Star has stage presence that only a real star could appreciate…or afford.
SPECIFICATIONS
CHASSIS
Suspension: Half-elliptic springs front and rear with Hartford friction shock absorbers
Brakes: Isotta Fraschini internal expanding on all four wheels with Dewandre vaccum servo assistance
Wheelbase: 12-foot 1-inch
Track: 4-foot 8-inch
Weight: Approx. 3,375 pounds (chassis only)
ENGINE
Eight cylinders inline. Aluminum cylinder block with steel liners. Aluminum pistons in steel liners with tubular connecting rods. Two overhead valves per cylinder actuated by pushrods and rockers. Nine-bearing crankshaft.
Capacity: 7,370-cc
Bore and Stroke: 95-mm x 130-mm
Compression Ratio: 5:1
Maximum Power: 120 bhp @ 2,400 rpm
Ignition: Bosch Magneto
Carburetion: Two Zenith side-draught triple diffuser carburetors on dual inlet manifolds
Lubrication: Pressure
TRANSMISSION
Clutch : Multi-plate
Gearbox: Sliding pinion in-unit with engine. Three speeds and reverse with ratios of 3.5, 6.7 and 11.8 to 1 Rear axle fully floating, spiral bevel with final drive ratio of 3.5 to 1
