1950, Italy on the Road

Mass production or quality craftsmanship? In the second half of the 1940s, in the midst of post-war reconstruction, the debate began on the future of our automotive industry. Even in the meetings, which at that time animated the commission for economic policies of the Constituent Assembly, the mood swung between the caution of the Alfa Romeo Commissioner Pasquale Gallo, at the helm of a public company in the IRI sector, who looked to niche models in harmony with the brand's vocation, and the optimism of Vittorio Valletta, the authoritarian “professor” boss of Fiat, convinced of the potential of a market inevitably destined to grow.

On the other hand, still in 1947-48, only half a million cars circulated in Italy, compared to two million in France and three in Great Britain, with Alfa surviving by also producing affordable kitchens and metal furniture, while Lancia was adversely affected by the difficulties of its industrial vehicles division. Things were better for Fiat, which benefited from significant funding under the Marshall Plan and from political-industrial ties with the United States. The common denominator for the manufacturers, however, was that the range of cars remained the same as before the war, symbolized by the 500 "Topolino", the Aprilia and the Ardea or the exclusive Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 (just a few hundred made per year).

In 1947-48, only half a million cars circulated in Italy, compared to two million in France and three in Great Britain

The turning point came in 1950, when reservations were abandoned with determination by all manufacturers, giving impetus to choices that would make the automotive industry one of the fundamental pillars of the national economy. The protagonists were three models, which were created between March and October, marking the different vocations that would long identify the respective brands: the Fiat 1400, the Lancia Aurelia and the Alfa Romeo 1900. They were not small cars (veritable mass motorization would have to wait for the Fiat 600 in 1955), but they wagered on the rise of an Italian middle and upper-middle class, concretely demonstrating the desire for a new era of growth.

Fiat 1400

Fiat 1400 The Geneva International Automobile Show was the stage for the launch of the 1400, promoted as the company’s "fiftieth anniversary model", a sedan inspired by American cars such as the Kaiser Special and the first Fiat with a load-bearing body, the result of partnership with Budd in Detroit. For Valletta, obsessed with a possible communist victory in Italy (it was in the midst of the Cold War), this partnership also served as insurance for a possible transfer of the assembly lines overseas.

Sober and modern in its aesthetic features, six-seater, with quality finishes, accessories not taken for granted at the time (standard ventilation and heating system) and a fair price (1,275,000 lire), the newcomer neither excelled nor did it disappoint, not even in terms of performance (44 horsepower and 120 km/h). Nothing particularly exciting technically, but Dante Giacosa, project manager, successfully achieved the objectives for a car of a certain tone, comfortable as well as not very hard to drive.

And in 1952 it was the turn of the 1900, which, essentially maintaining the same body, added fine interior and a five-speed gearbox to the increased cubic capacity and the 58 horsepower. In addition to the sedans, there was also a Cabriolet version of the 1400 (some even used by the police) and the elegant 1900 Granluce Coupé. The evolution of the model involved continuous updates and the arrival, in 1953, of the diesel variant (the first Italian diesel vehicle) with a 40-horsepower 1900 engine derived from the commercial 615/N and the off-road Campagnola. More than 200,000 units were produced in total of both models and, after 1958, the 1400 went on to continue its run in Spain, built by Seat until 1964.