The Myth of Italian Coachbuilders: Viotti

A name unjustly forgotten in the world of motors is Vittorio Viotti, who founded his eponymous coachbuilding company at just 21 years old. In post-war Turin, specifically in 1921, craftsmen were the "tailors" of the rolling chassis produced by manufacturers, who often weren’t yet organized to make complete cars. Additionally, many customers loved having cars made according to their tastes.

Viotti was skilled and ingenious; he acquired the French Clairalpax patent, which allowed for cars with much larger windows than usual, and realized that the market was expanding beyond just luxury cars. Viotti understood that combining craftsmanship with small-scale production of standard car models could be the future. Fiat recognized his vision and entrusted him with the production of special models like the 525 SS in 1931.

In the 1920s and '30s, Viotti stood out for his high-quality, luxurious custom cars like the Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Viotti, but soon diversified his activities.

Viotti consolidated his company, and despite the damages from the war, he had a new winning idea by 1946: he introduced the concept of the “Giardinetta” – a small sedan transformed into a station wagon, using the charm of wood – developed together with the great designer Mario Revelli di Beaumont. This versatile vehicle, designed for both passenger and cargo transport, was partially made of wood to address the post-war steel shortage. The construction could start from new chassis or from restored cars, which were then re-bodied, as in the cases of Fiat Topolino, 1100, and Lancia Aprilia.

Together with renowned designer Mario Revelli di Beaumont, Viotti introduced the “Giardinetta” concept. A winning idea applied to various models like the Fiat 1100 shown here.

The idea caught on, much like the woody cars in the USA, and became a trend. Even higher-end models were transformed, such as the Alfa Romeo 6C 2500, Fiat 1900, and Lancia Aurelia. In these cases, Giovanni Michelotti designed for Viotti. Business for the Turin coachbuilder was booming until Christmas Eve 1956, when Vittorio Viotti tragically died of a heart attack at just 56 years old.

The company passed to his cousin Francesco, who had been a close collaborator for years, but the final small-series Giardinetta versions based on the Fiat 1300/1500, which were now too expensive for artisanal production and no longer necessary due to steel availability, did not find sufficient demand. Fiat began producing its own family version of the model, abandoning wood and offering it at lower costs. Without a new idea from its brilliant founder, Carrozzeria Viotti entered a decline that ended in 1964.

The “Giardinetta” became a trend, and even luxury models like the Lancia Aurelia shown here were transformed.