Kings , top executive , Catholic Pope , andmoviestars rode in Isotta Fraschinis , including the 1930 Isotta Fraschini 8A Flying Star Roadster . Clara Bow had an Isotta , and Rudolph Valentino owned two . The 1950 filmSunset Boulevardappropriately equipped fictional silent - film star Norma Desmond with an Isotta Fraschini landaulet .
The Italian automaker was best screw for its big eights of the Twenties and Thirties , but Isotta Fraschini also build a unspecific range of sporting machines before World War I and was combat-ready in rush . In 1910 , it was among the first to putbrakeson all four steering wheel ; most other shuffling did n’t offer four - wheel brakes until the mid Twenties .
After the Great War , Isotta changed naturally and offered a single luxury framework powered by the first production straightforward eight . Luxury - car buyers want still , flexible multi - cylinderengines , but the early V-8 engines had vibration issues . Until V-8 technology get ahead , straight eights were smoother and dominated the luxury - carmarket between the wars . Isotta ’s 5.9 - liter eight with overhead valve developed 80 bhp in the Tipo 8 .
In 1925 , capacitance was increase to 7.3 liters for the Tipo 8A andhorsepowerrose to 110 - 120 . The power evaluation are misleading because there was also a tremendous amount of torsion . The big Isotta could creep along at four miles per hour in top paraphernalia of its three - speed contagion , and first paraphernalia was rarely needed as the machine could easily launch in second . Top speed was more than 85 mph , and acceleration was firm . More important to Isotta ’s clientele was the eight ’s smoothness and reliability .
Isotta Fraschini competed with Rolls - Royce and Hispano - Suiza in the ace - luxury mart . Isottas were as meticulously crafted and as well finished as their towering contention . But it was the long cap and Italian coachwork on a standard 145 - inch wheelbase that really set Isotta Fraschinis apart from other lavishness railway car . With the American economy booming in the Twenties , a third of the 1480 Isotta straight eight were sell here . An 8A chassis cost $ 6500 and custom soundbox bulge at $ 6,000 , although a complete car could outdo $ 20,000 – this when Lincoln ’s 1929 offerings transcend out at $ 7,400 .
In 1928 , the caller commence to concentrate on aircraft engine production . Then the 1929 stock market crash killed the lucrative American market place . dwindle railway car output terminate in 1935 . Prototypes for a tush - engined V-8 car were shown after World War II , but it was not put into yield .
In 1931 , Carrozzeria Touring built a outstanding Flying Star roadster on a poor 135 - in 8A chassis . The car seen here primitively had a coupe body , but that was replaced by an Australian replication of the Flying Star . It is own by Paul Emple of Rancho Santa Fe , California . Mr. Emple read he often drives the railcar , which withdraw secondly in its social class at the 2001 Pebble Beach confluence .
What of the original ? Rumor has it that when last run into , it was being driven by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and his schoolmarm .
