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THE ITALIAN COACHBUILDER SITE

Fiat 1500 Berlinetta Aerodinamica Ghia

1938Coachwork by Ghia

THE VEHICLE AT A GLANCE

Model dossier

Production period
1938
Body style
Berlinetta
Engine
6 cilindri in linea — donor/base Fiat 1500
Type
One-off
Displacement
1,493 cc

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 Fiat 1500 Berlinetta Aerodinamica Ghia, unveiled in 1938 at the 11th Turin Concours d’Elegance, stands as a remarkable example of automotive design that blends aerodynamics with elegance. Designed by Mario Revelli di Beaumont for Carrozzeria Ghia, this sleek 2-door berlinetta was celebrated for its cutting-edge aerodynamic features and won the category prize at the prestigious event. The design of the Fiat 1500 Berlinetta reflects the influence of American style, a hallmark of the era’s design evolution. Revelli di Beaumont integrated elements inspired by contemporary American automobiles, particularly in the radiator grill and headlight frames, giving the car a distinctive and modern aesthetic. These American-style design choices added a sense of luxury and forward-thinking design to the Fiat’s already impressive appearance. The berlinetta’s body featured smooth, flowing lines that not only contributed to its aerodynamic efficiency but also highlighted the elegance of the overall design. The streamlined shape, combined with its striking proportions, made the car stand out as a symbol of automotive sophistication in the late 1930s. Its aerodynamic features were not just for style; they were built to improve performance and reduce drag, making the car not only beautiful but also efficient. The Fiat 1500 Berlinetta Aerodinamica Ghia remains a significant example of pre-World War II automotive design. By blending Italian craftsmanship with American design influence, it captured the spirit of the time—focused on innovation and elegance. Its success at the Turin Concours d’Elegance demonstrated the car’s mastery of both style and engineering, marking it as one of Ghia’s most outstanding creations and an enduring symbol of automotive artistry from the 1930s.

02 / TECHNICAL IDENTITY

Specifications & construction

Production & construction

Production type
One-off
Production notes
Exact CI plus independent design-history context support the 1938 Ghia Fiat 1500 Berlinetta Aerodinamica and Mario Revelli di Beaumont association. Revelli remains candidate; the reviewed independent sources do not prove unique production, so Units=1 is cleared. NO_AUTO_INHERIT.

Engine & performance

Engine configuration
6 cilindri in linea — donor/base Fiat 1500
Displacement
1,493 cc
Specification notes
DONOR_BASE_PROJECTION — base-model technical fields projected from CATTELAN-FIAT-1500-LUSSO-SPORT-1938 because make/model/year match exactly. This does not assert that the coachbuilt/special vehicle retained identical tuning or performance.

Design & manufacture

Coachbuilder / Body Builder · Documented
Ghia
Designer · Candidate
Mario Revelli di Beaumont
Manufacturer · Documented
Fiat

Additional features

Recorded features
Aerodinamica

06 / EVENTS & AWARDS

Events & awards

Concorso d'Eleganza di Torino General · From the historical archive
Date
1938
Chassis
General
Venue
Torino

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
Carrozzieri Italiani — Fiat 1500 Berlinetta Aerodinamica Ghia www.carrozzieri-italiani.com Exact vehicle editorial
Car Style Critic — Mario Revelli design survey carstylecritic.blogspot.com Independent design history
Treccani — Mario Revelli Beaumont www.treccani.it Authoritative biographical reference

10 / CONNECTED HISTORY

Timeline

Chronological history1 dated records
  1. Unassigned chassis · Event

    Concorso d'Eleganza di Torino

THE CONVERSATION

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