Fiat 8V
The first style for the 8V by Fiat's chief designer Luigi Rapi.
Overview
Manufacturer	Fiat
Production	1952–1954 (114 made)
Designer	Dante Giacosa Luigi Rapi[1]
Body and chassis
Class	Sports car
Body style	2-doorcoupé
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Related	Siata 208s Siata 208 CS
Powertrain
Engine	2.0 LFiat tipo 104V8
Transmission	4-speedmanual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,400 mm (94.5 in)[2]
Length	4,040 mm (159.1 in)[2]
Width	1,570 mm (61.8 in)[2]
Height	1,290 mm (50.8 in)[2]
Kerb weight	997 kg (2,198 lb)[2]

TheFiat 8V (or "Otto Vu") is aV8-enginedsports car produced by theItalian car manufacturerFiat from 1952 to 1954. The car was introduced at the 1952Geneva Motor Show. The Fiat 8V got its name because at the time of its making, Fiat believedFord had acopyright on "V8".^[3] With 114 made, the 8V was not a commercial success but did well in racing. Apart from the differential, the car did not share any parts with the other Fiats; many parts were made bySiata and they used them for their cars. The 8V was developed byDante Giacosa and the stylistLuigi Rapi.^[1] The engine was aV8 originally designed for a luxurysedan, but that project was stopped.

The Fiat V8 had a 70 degree V configuration, displaced 1,996 cc and was fitted with two twin-chokeWeber36 DCF 3carburettors. In its first iteration (type104.000) the engine had acompression ratio of 8.5:1 and produced 105 PS (77 kW; 104 hp) at 5,600 rpm, giving the car a top speed of 190 km/h (118 mph). Improved type104.003 had different camshaft timing for 115 PS (85 kW; 113 hp) at 6,000 rpm; finally type104.006 with an 8.75:1 compression ratio, revised camshaft timing and fuel system put out 127 PS (93 kW; 125 hp) at 6,600 rpm.^[2]The engine was connected to a four speed gearbox. The car had independent suspension all round and drum brakes on all four wheels.

Top management were preoccupied with more run of the mill projects, however, and only 114 of the high-performance coupés had been produced by the time the cars were withdrawn from production in 1954.^[4] Nevertheless, they continued to win the Italian 2-litre GT championship every year until 1959.^[4]

34 of the cars had a factory produced bodywork by Fiat'sDipartimento Carrozzerie Derivate e Speciali ("Special Bodies Department"). Some cars had the bodywork done by other Italian coachbuilders.Carrozzeria Zagato made 30^[5] that they labelled "Elaborata Zagato".Ghia andVignale also made bodyworks. Most were coupés, but somecabriolets were made as well.^[6]

An example fitted with a factory-styleglass-fibre reinforced plastic body was displayed at the 1954Turin Motor Show.^[2] The composite bodyshell—produced by Fiat's experimental bodywork department—weighed just 48.5 kg (106.9 lb).^[7] This 8V is a part of FCA Heritage collection and currently resides in the Centro Storico Fiat in Turin.^[8]

Ghia designed and produced a limited run of cars named 'Supersonic', with special 'jet age' bodywork. Ghia had recently been sold by Boano to Luigi Segre, and a one-offAlfa Romeo 1900 had been built for a wealthy entrant in the 1953Mille Miglia race. The car was displayed at the Turin show same year and the reaction inspired Segre to plan a limited production of cars based on the Otto Vu, aimed at the American market. Only eight were completed, after mechanical issues ended the project. Several of the cars were purchased by Americans; some were heavily customized and received engine transplants. An original un-restored car sold at a Scottsdale, Arizona Gooding and Company auction in January 2011 with a gavel price of US$1.55 million ($1.7M including buyer's premium). Ghia would later use its basic body shape on Jaguar XK-120–based vehicles as well as Aston Martin. Design of 'Supersonic' is credited toGiovanni Savonuzzi.^[9][10]

• Special coupés
• 
  Demon Rouge 1953 byMichelotti at Vignale (3 made^[11])
• 
  One-off byVignale 1953
• 
  Another 8V byVignale
• 
  Zagato
• 
  Elaborata by Zagato bubble roof
• 
  The only non-Supersonic Fiat 8V bodied byGhia^[12]
• 
  Supersonic by Ghia 1953

Wikimedia Commons has media related toFiat 8V.

• Fiat Otto Vu: the obscure sports car

• Fiat vehicles
• Sports cars
• Cars introduced in 1952

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