The beginning of the 20th century was a golden age for enthusiasts of engineering and mechanics . The Wright brothers made headlines by achieving the first powered flight with their airplane. In 1908, the Ford Model T was mass-produced, despite skepticism from Henry Ford’s own lawyer. Shortly thereafter, Fiat broke the barrier of 200 km/h , showcasing the thrilling advancement in automotive technologies. While Spain saw cars being introduced at a slow pace, Fiat had ambitious dreams for their vehicles. As the automotive industry began to gain traction, the pursuit of speed records and the thrill of car racing became an obsession, providing manufacturers a platform to display their latest technological innovations.
The first recorded car race took place on July 22, 1894, covering the 127 kilometers from Paris to Rouen . The competition was designed to determine who could best navigate “the carriage race without horses.” Steam-powered cars also competed that day, although the avant-garde movement cites a previous event from 1887 that lacked competitiveness due to the absence of multiple vehicles at the start line.
In pursuit of new challenges, Fiat sought the coveted title of the fastest car manufacturer, achieving a remarkable peak speed of 212.87 km/h in December 1913. However, this record was eclipsed by subsequent events, leaving it formally unrecognized as the “fastest car in the world.”
<img alt="A vintage car testing circuit" width="375" height="142" src="https://i.blogs.es/440795/lapista500/375_142.jpeg"/>Fiat S76: Turin’s Beast that Ran Out of Crown
In the transition between the 19th and 20th centuries, Fiat (Fabbrica Automobili Torino) quickly evolved from merely producing cars to also venturing into the railroad and trucking industries. Recognizing the marketing potential of breaking records , Fiat understood that monumental achievements would propel their brand into the spotlight. In 1910, they began developing an extraordinary vehicle designed to redefine what was achievable in automotive engineering—a true beast on the road.
The Fiat S76 was born from the ambition to harness immense power. The car was fitted with a four-cylinder engine boasting an astonishing 28.4 liters in displacement. To put that into context, modern sports cars typically exceed eight liters, marking the S76 as an engineering marvel of its time.
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</div>The engine of Fiat S76 could generate up to 290 horsepower at 1,900 rpm, and it utilized three spark plugs per cylinder, cooled by water. However, its weight , almost 1,700 kg, was an anomaly for the time. To gain a sense of scale, contemporary vehicles requiring a driver’s license would have appeared delicate compared to this industrial titan.
Contextualizing the engineering feat, we see that Barney Oldfield had already achieved speeds of 212 km/h with a Blitzen Benz . He did so with a four-cylinder engine displacing 21.5 liters, prompting the question: what if Fiat could craft something even larger?
Fiat’s answer lay in creating the Fiat S76 —two units were developed, and they quickly became known as Turin’s beast. In Michael Sedgwick’s book about Fiat, he described the S76 as “one of the most terrifying creations from any factory.”
After conducting trials in Turin, the vehicle had demonstrated its potential, achieving 185 km/h in second gear. It was time to set the record straight by aiming for a speed record . The car was transported to the Brooklands track in England, where driver Pietro Bordino was invited to test its limits.
Bordino, however, was wary for his safety and opted not to exceed 145 km/h (90 mph). Later, at Saltburn Sands , the car again came close to 185 km/h , but the effectiveness of the track came into question as it lacked sufficient distance for the S76 to reach its full potential.
Having explored locations in Italy and England, Fiat’s team turned to Ostend , Belgium, where Arthur Duray was enlisted as the pilot. Their goal: to outpace the Germans . Here, the Fiat S76 reached its pinnacle at 212.87 km/h . Unfortunately, the official record was overshadowed by the fact that the organized race required a round trip, and a mechanical failure thwarted their attempt to log a recognized record.
<img alt="Historical automotive moment" width="375" height="142" src="https://i.blogs.es/c5f273/panzer-buena/375_142.jpg"/>In a tragic turn of events, World War I swept over the Fiat S76, leading to its disassembly. However, as time passed, efforts to restore this automotive legend commenced. In 2019, the fully restored S76 was showcased at the Goodwood Festival of Speed , covering the entire circuit with aplomb. Online footage captures the car’s ferocity, with flames bursting from its sides—a sight described by Sedgwick as “shooting flames in the faces of innocent pedestrians and deafening them.” It vividly underscores the raw power and historical significance of Turin’s beast.
Images are credited to Goodwood and Matthew Lamb , highlighting this fascinating journey of innovation and speed in automotive history. The story of the Fiat S76 symbolizes not just a car, but an era where speed and engineering prowess captivated the world.