1962 Autobianchi Bianchina

Chassis No. 042086

Italian automaker Autobianchi was founded in 1955 as a joint venture between Pirelli, Fiat, and Bianchi-a bicycle manufacturer founded in 1885 and named for its founder Edoardo Bianchi. Inspired by the popularity of coachbuilt Fiat 500s, Autobianchi introduced its first model in 1957, the Bianchina, with a variety of charming body styles over its production run including the Berlina (sedan), Cabriolet (convertible), Trasformabile (fixed-profile convertible), Panoramica (station wagon), and Furgoncino (van). The Bianchina shared its reliable mechanicals with the Fiat 500, including its air-cooled, two-cylinder engine, which by 1962 displaced 499 cc and produced a sprightly 17.5 horsepower. What it lacked in power and size it more than made up for with its charming appearance and cheerful color schemes, embodying the increasing optimism of post-war Italy.

This attractive Trasformabile was built in 1962, the model's final year of production, and was first registered in the United Kingdom in May 1970, according to DVLA records. Having reportedly benefited from a two-year restoration, it presents beautifully in a charming pale blue with a contrasting ivory roof. Its signature canvas top folds neatly back onto the engine lid to open the cabin to the sky, while the fixed roof sides and pillars preserve the Trasformabile's jaunty silhouette. Characteristic details include rear-hinged doors, a petite chrome grille badge, chrome bumpers with overriders front and rear, a fender-mounted mirror, and a trio of chrome spears on each rear quarter. The car rides on ivory-painted steel wheels dressed with polished hubcaps and wrapped in Pirelli Cinturato CN54 tires, and beneath the louvered engine lid, the air-cooled twin sits in a tidy, body-color engine bay.

The cabin carries the theme forward with ivory woven wicker bucket seats on black tubular frames, recalling the Ghia-built Fiat Jolly beach cars that ferried the jet set along the Riviera. Herringbone-woven natural fiber matting covers the floor, and a slim black two-spoke steering wheel frames the oval Veglia instrument binnacle, while a slender floor-mounted shifter and a pair of chrome toggle switches complete the charmingly simple cockpit.

Equally suited to a seaside promenade or a Sunday show field, this cheerful Trasformabile pairs the Bianchina's upmarket charm with a welcome dose of beachside whimsy. With its canvas roof folded back and the sun on its wicker seats, it promises smiles at every turn, and few cars of any size offer quite so much joy per cubic centimeter.