The Ford Cisitalia 808XF could have been the American automaker’s first production sports car, but that’s not how it turned out -- the Thunderbird holds that prestigious honor. Anyway, the only 808XF ever produced will make its first appearance on Canadian soil during the inaugural edition of the Le Mirage Concours d’Élégance on Sunday, August 16, 2009, at Le Mirage Golf Club in Terrebonne, Quebec. Vintage car aficionados will be able to discover this unique machine and its amazing story.
In 1951, Italian Piero Dusio got the word that Henry Ford II wanted to add a sports car to his company’s portfolio. At the same time, Chevrolet was also rumored to be developing a sports car.
In April of that year, Dusio and Ford met and signed an agreement in principle. The Italian firm would build sports cars in Turin by using Ford-sourced powertrains and suspension components. A 3.6-liter, 6-cylinder Ford engine and a Mercury V8, both modified by Dusio, would power the models.
Back then, Piero Dusio was already a household name in the automotive world. He used to take part in the Mille Miglia and Italian Grand Prix before he founded his own racing team in 1939. After World War II, he produced race cars designed by some of the industry’s biggest names, including Dante Giacosa and Ferdinand Porsche. The company in charge of the production was established by Dusio himself under the name of Cisitalia.
Dusio then began manufacturing limited-production sports cars. The Cisitalia 202 (1947-1952) has often been described as a masterpiece. In fact, it was the first automobile to be displayed at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art! Sadly, the 202 proved to be a commercial failure.
Meanwhile, the 808XF project was underway. Dusio told Ford he could build 500 to 1,000 units annually. Prototypes first had to be created. In June 1953, Vignale was given the task to design a coupe and a convertible, but as the cars were being shown to Ford engineers shortly after, the wheels were already in motion for the initial stages of the Thunderbird project. The blue-oval automaker was planning a large-scale production (about 15,000 units a year). So, without even knowing it, Dusio’s efforts would never bear fruit. The official announcement soon followed.
Henry Ford II gave the 808XF Convertible to his brother-in-law, Peter Sullivan II, who drove the car for several years. Today, it has become the prized possession of Urs Jakob, a classic car collector from Quebec, who also owns the 808XF Coupe.
The drop-top was recently restored by an expert from Montreal named Richard Grenon. The result is so impressive that, on August 2, the 808XF won a class award in the "Best Early Sports Cars through 1955" category at the 30th annual Meadow Brook Concours d'Élégance in Michigan.
On peut obtenir plus d’informations sur le concours d’élégance Le Mirage en consultant le site : www.fondationandredelambre.com .
photo:Guy Schiele/Concours d'élégance Le Mirage
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In 1951, Italian Piero Dusio got the word that Henry Ford II wanted to add a sports car to his company’s portfolio. At the same time, Chevrolet was also rumored to be developing a sports car.
In April of that year, Dusio and Ford met and signed an agreement in principle. The Italian firm would build sports cars in Turin by using Ford-sourced powertrains and suspension components. A 3.6-liter, 6-cylinder Ford engine and a Mercury V8, both modified by Dusio, would power the models.
Back then, Piero Dusio was already a household name in the automotive world. He used to take part in the Mille Miglia and Italian Grand Prix before he founded his own racing team in 1939. After World War II, he produced race cars designed by some of the industry’s biggest names, including Dante Giacosa and Ferdinand Porsche. The company in charge of the production was established by Dusio himself under the name of Cisitalia.
Dusio then began manufacturing limited-production sports cars. The Cisitalia 202 (1947-1952) has often been described as a masterpiece. In fact, it was the first automobile to be displayed at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art! Sadly, the 202 proved to be a commercial failure.
Meanwhile, the 808XF project was underway. Dusio told Ford he could build 500 to 1,000 units annually. Prototypes first had to be created. In June 1953, Vignale was given the task to design a coupe and a convertible, but as the cars were being shown to Ford engineers shortly after, the wheels were already in motion for the initial stages of the Thunderbird project. The blue-oval automaker was planning a large-scale production (about 15,000 units a year). So, without even knowing it, Dusio’s efforts would never bear fruit. The official announcement soon followed.
Henry Ford II gave the 808XF Convertible to his brother-in-law, Peter Sullivan II, who drove the car for several years. Today, it has become the prized possession of Urs Jakob, a classic car collector from Quebec, who also owns the 808XF Coupe.
The drop-top was recently restored by an expert from Montreal named Richard Grenon. The result is so impressive that, on August 2, the 808XF won a class award in the "Best Early Sports Cars through 1955" category at the 30th annual Meadow Brook Concours d'Élégance in Michigan.
On peut obtenir plus d’informations sur le concours d’élégance Le Mirage en consultant le site : www.fondationandredelambre.com .
photo:Guy Schiele/Concours d'élégance Le Mirage