Fiat 1100 Sport Fona

The Fiat 1100 Sport Fona was a one-off Italian sports barchetta constructed circa 1949 on a Fiat 1100 chassis and bodied by Carrozzeria Fona of Brescia. The vehicle represents a typical postwar practice wherein small coachbuilders adapted mass-production mechanical platforms into bespoke configurations for sporting or exhibition purposes. No series production occurred, and only a single example is known to have been built. The underlying chassis was derived from the Fiat 1100 B model, introduced in 1948. The standard powerplant was a 1,089 cc inline four-cylinder engine with overhead valves, water cooling, and a single downdraught carburetor. In factory trim, this engine produced approximately 35 horsepower. The Fona version employed mechanical modifications associated with Siata’s aftermarket components, including a high-compression “Super Testa” cylinder head, dual carburetors, and revised exhaust manifolding. Output was estimated at 50 to 60 horsepower. The transmission was a four-speed manual unit driving the rear wheels. Suspension included independent front control arms with coil springs and a live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs. Drum brakes were fitted on all four wheels. The coachwork was constructed in lightweight aluminum and executed in a barchetta configuration. It featured cycle-type fenders, a cut-down windscreen, exposed fuel filler, and a streamlined rear section with enclosed spare wheel housing. The body was hand-formed, likely mounted on a modified steel frame with wood or tubular supports. Interior appointments were minimal, with two bucket seats, a spartan dashboard, and essential instrumentation oriented toward competitive driving. Production was limited to a single vehicle. No formal chassis or engine number has been published. The car appears in period references under the name “Sport Fona,” without factory sponsorship or publicized competition results. No record of ownership history or exhibition entries has been located, and the current location of the vehicle remains unknown. The Fiat 1100 Sport Fona reflects a period in Italian coachbuilding marked by artisanal adaptation of standardized mechanical platforms for personal or competitive expression. Its one-off construction, regional origin, and incorporation of tuning components exemplify a widespread but undocumented tradition of minor carrozzerie contributing to the evolution of postwar Italian sporting design.