Fiat 525 Spider Farina

The Fiat 525 Spider by Stabilimenti Farina was a limited-production, open-bodied automobile constructed on the Fiat 525 chassis during the interwar period. The 525, introduced by Fiat in 1928, was a large-displacement touring model fitted with a 3,738 cc inline-six engine. Available in multiple configurations, including the standard 525N and the higher-performance 525SS, the chassis was frequently offered to external coachbuilders for bespoke bodywork. Power output ranged from approximately 69 to 89 horsepower, with a four-speed manual transmission and mechanical brakes fitted as standard. Stabilimenti Farina of Turin, active from 1906 to 1953, provided a range of coachwork services to Italian manufacturers. For the Fiat 525, the firm developed a Spider body—an open, two-seat configuration—executed with minimal ornamentation and relatively light construction. The vehicle featured a lowered cowl, separate front wings, and a folding canvas hood. While not conceived as a competition car, the Spider body was consistent with contemporary Italian preferences for elegant open touring vehicles. The design reflects an early phase in Farina’s transition from classical to more restrained, functional aesthetics. Precise production records for the Fiat 525 Spider by Stabilimenti Farina are not extant. Fiat produced approximately 4,400 units across all 525 variants. Of these, only a small subset were delivered as open Spiders, and it is presumed that a limited number—possibly fewer than ten—were bodied by Farina. Known photographic documentation from the late 1920s confirms the existence of at least one example in this configuration, believed to be based on the standard 525N chassis. No verified factory record of chassis numbers specific to these vehicles has been located. No public record exists of individual ownership or competition history for these cars. Surviving examples, if any, are not held in public collections and have not appeared in major auctions. The Fiat 525 Spider by Stabilimenti Farina remains a rare and largely undocumented example of Italian open coachwork from the late 1920s, constructed by a firm later recognized for its role in the development of postwar automotive design. Its existence is primarily attested through period photography and secondary coachbuilding registers.