Cisitalia 808XF Cabriolet

The Cisitalia 808XF Cabriolet represents a distinct branch of the 808X program and must be considered separately from the coupé lineage. While it shares the 808XF designation and Ford mechanical basis, it does not share the Brovarone coupé design. Instead, the cabriolet was an entirely new body designed by Giovanni Michelotti and executed by Carrozzeria Vignale, conceived as an alternative proposal aimed primarily at the American market. The “808XF” designation referred to the original technical concept of the program: an X-shaped Cisitalia-designed chassis combined with Ford running gear. Development initially centered on Ford’s 215 cubic inch overhead-valve inline six-cylinder engine, featuring a cast-iron block, four main bearings, and a compression ratio of 7.0:1. In standard configuration, the engine produced 101 horsepower through a single-barrel Holley carburetor. Cisitalia modified the unit with a revised cylinder head, a cast-alloy valve cover, and twin Weber carburetors, raising output to approximately 110 horsepower. Power was transmitted through a Ford gearbox, while braking components were also Ford-sourced. The chassis concept allowed for the installation of both the six-cylinder unit and Ford V8 engines and was compatible with a De Dion rear axle layout. Henry Ford II expressed interest in the initial 808X prototype and delegated oversight of the project to his brother-in-law, Ed Sullivan. Following the evaluation of the original Ghia-bodied prototype (chassis 00001), Ford approved a less complex continuation of the program. Three standard Ford chassis were subsequently shipped to Italy as a cost-reduction measure, intended to bypass the bespoke X-frame while preserving the general concept. Of these three chassis, two were bodied by Carrozzeria Vignale: one closed coupé retaining Aldo Brovarone’s original design, and one open cabriolet, chassis 0000202, featuring an entirely new body by Giovanni Michelotti. The remaining Ford chassis was later completed as a coupé by Racconigi. Chassis 0000202 was completed by Vignale and delivered to the United States accompanied by Carlo Dusio, where it was presented to Ed Sullivan in New York. Period advertisements placed by Jericho Motors Ltd. of Long Island, owned by Sullivan, offered the Cisitalia 808XF Cabriolet for sale at $7,500, a notably high price in early 1953. Sullivan ultimately retained the cabriolet for many years. The car survives today and remains in the United States in the ownership of a New York-based collector.