Itala 61 Guida Interna Brougham

The Itala 61 Guida Interna Brougham (1928) was bodied by Stabilimenti Farina on the standard Itala 61 ladder-frame chassis. The body represents Farina’s late-1920s interpretation of the formal Brougham type, adopting a tall, square cabin with internal driving position, divided rear compartment, and a vertical greenhouse. The vehicle shown in period documentation features a straight beltline, a full-height rear body, and a roof with minimal curvature. The front wings follow the long, sweeping profile typical of luxury Italian coachwork of the decade, and the spare wheels are mounted externally along the sides of the hood. The rear section incorporates a luggage trunk fixed to the frame behind the passenger compartment. The chassis employed an inline-six engine, consistent with Itala’s mechanical layout of the period. The powertrain used a separate gearbox and a conventional driveline to the rear axle. Suspension was by semi-elliptic leaf springs at both ends, and braking was provided by mechanical drum systems. The mechanical configuration was suited to the heavier closed bodies commissioned from coachbuilders such as Farina. Construction was carried out using traditional coachbuilding methods, including a wood frame with metal paneling and hand-fitted exterior elements. The proportions emphasize verticality and interior volume, aligning with contemporary expectations for chauffeur-driven closed bodies. At the 1928 Concours d’Elegance Milano, the Itala 61 Guida Interna Brougham by Stabilimenti Farina received first prize in the Vetture Chiuse class, as recorded in period concours literature. Surviving examples and documentation are preserved in private collections and archives, providing reference for studies of late-1920s Italian formal coachwork and the final phase of Itala chassis production.