One of the quintessential Italian sports cars is the Fiat 8V or Otto Vù. It is named after the peculiar 70º V8 engine which takes up little space in the engine bay. Fiat outsourced many 8V bodies to the Italian design houses, thus no two cars are alike and each has a unique style.
As early as 1945, Fiat was working on a eight-cylinder engine which was internally known as Tipo 106. The idea was a new engine for mass production but that never happened so instead a limited series of sports cars were produced.
Released at the 1952 Geneva Auto Show with factory-designed bodywork, the 8V was touted as a competition car and many of the very first 8Vs were also prepared for racing and sold to racing clientele. With a fully independent suspension from the Fiat 1100 and 124 mph top speed, it was competitive in the two-liter classes, winning the Italian GT Championship in 1954.
Photo Credit: RM Sotheby’s
