The 365 Oldtimer Museum is currently on a German car exhibition on 2000 square meters. However, German cars cannot be completely separated from the Italian body design companies. A good example of this is one of the models of the smallest German car manufacturer designed by Maggiora. But what was this German car and what exactly the Maggiora?
This Italian body building company was founded by Arturo Maggiora in 1925 under the name Martelleria Maggiora, a small town near Turin. The company’s main profile was the construction of bodywork and tourist buses, and over time Lancia, Fiat, Cisitalia, Abarth, and many other car brands were designed and produced, and some of them should be highlighted in the following paragraphs.
One of these cars is Maserati Mistral, a two -seater Gran Turismo (a type of car designed for high speed and long -term driving, with power and luxury properties). This car was manufactured between 1963 and 1970. Pietro Frua, a renowned car designer of the time, also participated.
Maggiora has also been designed cars for the above-mentioned Italian manufacturer, the Lancia. Maggiora desinged the Lancia Aurelia B20 (1950-58), followed by the Lancia Flaminia luxury car, was manufactured between 1957 and 1970. Of course, Maggiora was not the only body builder who worked with these cars, as other major entrepreneurs of the age, such as Ghia, Pininfarina and Zagato, have built their own ideas. If we move a little further in time, between 1994 and 2000, we can see a little more modern car, still from the Lancia production line, the Kappa in Coupe version, which was also Maggiora’s design. This car is far from time and style from the fifties and sixties, its lines are flatter and much simpler than its former companions.
An interesting piece is one of the smallest German car manufacturer, which has already been mentioned in the introductory part of our article. This is the Glas V8, which received the „Glaserati” nickname because it shared many features with contemporary Maseraties. This is not surprising if we know the fact that Pietro Frua’s name is arise here next to the design table. The production of this car can be dated between 1966 and 68, and just over half a thousand pieces were made.
Of course, because we are talking about Italian designer, Fiat cannot be left out when we talk about the bodywork developed by Maggiora. First of all, it is worth starting the line with the Fiat 2300 Executive model, which was manufactured between 1961 and 1968. Fiat Cinquecento Cita and Birba concept cars can also be mentioned in 1992. One of their last work was Fiat Barchetta, a roadster, but its name indicates an open -top sports car body. It was manufactured between 1995 and 2005.
A well -known Italian car brand, Alfa Romeo, has been missed so far. There is a general truth, namely that you can’t deal with any Italian body manufacturer without mentioning the other big names. The Alfa Romeo Junior Z was created as a result of a cooperation, with Maggiora, Pininfarina and Zagato participating in the construction of its body. Between 1969 and 1975 the series was manufactured.
Maggiora united in 1991 with Sanmarco and Lamier, creating IRMA SpA. Maggiora SRL took over the old Lancia factory in Chivassa in 1992 to the north of Turin and used the factory capacity to produce Fiat Barchetta later. About 50 bodywork were built daily. Some complete cars were also produced (including the rare Kappa Coupe, which can be found in the collection of our Museum).
In 2003, the company was closed and the history of Maggiora was ended after a number of completed bodywork and car designs, but its creations have not totally died, as we still see the cars they designed in streets from time to time.