1930 Isotta Fraschini 8B

In spring 1931 the Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A was replaced by the Tipo 8B. The U.S. price for a bare Tipo 8B chassis was nearly $10,000 (about $144,750 in 2014 dollars, or over $1000 more than a 1931 V-16 Cadillac).

Unfortunately, due to the Wall Street Crash of 1929 that caused the Great Depression in the United States, there was’t much of a market for such a car. The pool of wealthy Americans who had been good customers for earlier Isotta Fraschinis had dried up. Count Lodovico Mazzotti, who took over after Isotta and Fraschini left the firm in 1922, had been negotiating a manufacturing deal in 1930-1931 with Henry Ford for that could have saved the company’s car production.

However, Benito Mussolini’s National Fascist Party were in control of Italy’s commerce and industry. Intent on keeping Isotta Fraschini focused on building aircraft engines for Italy’s military and opposing foreign investment, the fascist government prohibited all further talks with the Americans.