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THE ITALIAN COACHBUILDER SITE

Autobianchi A112 Elegant

1978Coachwork by Zagato

THE VEHICLE AT A GLANCE

Model dossier

Production period
1978
Body style
Hatchback
Type
One-off
Production
1

THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE CAR

Coachbuilding, design & conversions

PRICE & SALES RECORD

Vehicle value

Original price
Not documented
Latest recorded sale
Not documented

01 / THE STORY

History & context

The Autobianchi A112 Elegant Zagato was the milanese coachbuilder’s proposal after not sharing the originale restyling. It was unveiled at the following Turin Motor Show, making changes to the exterior and taking care of the interior fittings above all. The rather square bodywork of the A112 suggested to Zagato the replacement of the circular headlamps with others, completely different, of rectangular shape, and this was in fact the most relevant modification. Then, to streamline the side, a lighter colored band was added, applied along the belt line, with a shaded effect. This painting, in addition to giving the car an elegant tone, added a sporty feel, accentuated also by the adoption of alloy wheels, wider than those fitted as standard and with a larger diameter (14 inches instead of 13, and equipped with Michelin XZX tires). The most evident aspect of the transformation, however, was the overall improvement of the internal finishes carried out in order to obtain greater passenger comfort, and obtained by using an appreciable combination of light colored cloth and vinyl leather, with which they were covered interiors. This resulted in a much brighter and more welcoming interior compared to the original version, despite the small space, at least in the rear area. The front seats were very comfortable, with built-in adjustable headrests, with a slightly different shape than those fitted as standard, and ensured better grip especially when cornering, being more enveloping, while a pocket for the back of the back had been added instead small objects. This Autobianchi A112 Elegant Zagato prototype, much more successful than the convertible version (another Zagato’s proposal of that time) was to be used to set up a small series production, which however is not known if it was actually made.

02 / TECHNICAL IDENTITY

Specifications & construction

Production & construction

Production
1
Production type
One-off

Design & manufacture

Coachbuilder / Body Builder · Documented
Zagato
Manufacturer · Documented
Autobianchi
Designer · Documented
Giuseppe Mittino

06 / EVENTS & AWARDS

Events & awards

Torino General · legacy_preserved
Date
1978
Chassis
General

Preserved CI 1.0 relation. Evidence field: _yoast_wpseo_primary_events. No award inferred.

08 / FROM THE ARCHIVE

Archive

References held in the vehicle dossier. Their inclusion does not establish that every historical claim has been independently verified.

ReferenceSource type
Giuseppe Mittino archive — Autobianchi A112 Elegant www.carrozzieri-italiani.com Designer archive

10 / CONNECTED HISTORY

Timeline

Chronological history1 dated records
  1. Unassigned chassis · Event

    Torino

THE CONVERSATION

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