The Myth of Italian Coachbuilders: Frua

In the post-war city of Turin, the story of Pietro Frua deserves a special mention. A man deeply connected to the world of automobiles from childhood, he realized his dream of starting his own business by founding one of Italy’s most important coachbuilding firms.

The son of a Fiat employee, Frua attended the Apprentice School of the Turin manufacturer and right after graduation at the age of 17, caught the eye of Battista Pinin Farina, who offered him a job at his establishments. The young Pietro, after climbing the ranks thanks to his talent, decided to follow his dream of opening his own business, leaving the company in 1937. Unfortunately, his timing wasn’t ideal, as the outbreak of World War II the following year complicated his ambitions.

The Fiat 1100 C Frua Barchetta from 1946 was the first creation of the Turin coachbuilder.

It was a matter of patience. By 1944, Frua had opened a small, artisan-focused coachbuilding shop and two years later he presented his first creation commissioned by Fiat, a 1100 C that won second place at the Villa d’Este Concours d’Elegance. This was the prelude to an agreement with Maserati, initially leading Frua to create true bespoke cars based on the A6G or the 3500 GT Spider and then continuing with the project that confirmed the success and renown of the Modena brand: The Quattroporte which was the first sedan with a racing engine. And who could forget the Mistral and the Kyalami?

The marriage between Maserati and Frua led to the creation of elegant and innovative models like the 1963 Quattroporte.

The successful experience with Maserati brought Carrozzeria Frua to collaborate with various foreign brands. Initially through Ghia with cars like the Renault Floride, and later styling the Volvo P1800, the Glas 2600 V8, and the BMW GT. Now sought after by everyone, Pietro Frua placed no limits on his dream and continued his career as a "freelancer," if we can call it that, designing the Monteverdi Highspeed and the AC248.

Frua's coachbuilding business expanded abroad with foreign brands. Pictured here is the 1961 Volvo P1800.

Pietro Frua managed to combine sobriety, balance and elegance, working for numerous wealthy clients such as Aga Khan, who commissioned the splendid 1962 Maserati 5000 GT or the 1973 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI requested by Swiss and Monaco consul Simon van Kempen. This beautiful story tragically ended in 1982 when the brilliant Turin designer was diagnosed with a malignant tumor and passed away the following year at the age of 70.

Among Frua's last creations was the 1973 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI for Consul van Kempen. It took 18 months to complete this specimen.