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InnocentiThe 1960 's
Innocenti, an Italian machinery works, was originally established by Ferdinando Innocenti in 1920.
After World War II, the company was famous for many years for Lambretta scooters. From 1961 to 1976 Innocenti built the BMC (later British Leyland) Mini with 998cc and 1275cc engines under licence, following with other models, including the Regent (Allegro), with engines up to 1485cc. The company of this era is commonly called Leyland Innocenti. The Innocenti Spyder (1961-1970) was a rebodied version of the Austin-Healey MKII Sprite (styling by Ghia). The car was produced by OSI (near Milan).
The 1970 's
In 1976, the company was reorganised by the De Tomaso Group under the name Nuova Innocenti. The first model had Bertone-designed five-seater bodywork and was available with 998cc and 1275cc engines. Later models from 1983 used 993 cc engines made by Daihatsu of Japan.
This company made cars until 1992. In the late 1980s, when Fiat took over, Innocenti sold Brazilian-imported versions of the Fiat Uno (mainly the Premio and Duna Weekend) for the Italian market.
In 1960, BMC entered into a collaboration with Italian component and scooter manufacturer Innocenti, which saw the latter company produce BMC/BL-based models in Italy for the next 15 years. This page presents a brief rundown of these models, plus a potted history of Innocenti.
Innocenti was founded in 1931 by Ferdinando Innocenti, as a manufacturer of steel tubing. The company soon became very successful, due largely to its patented scaffolding system. Following the Second World War, in which much of its production facilities were destroyed, Innocenti used generous government grants to venture into scooter production at his rebuilt plant in the Lambratte area of Milan. He introduced the Lambretta in 1946, thus bringing mobility to the post-war Italian masses. He later branched out into the manufacture of automotive parts and car-body presses for such companies as Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia, Ford and VW.
A collaborative deal with BMC, who were keen to get a foothold in the restrictive Italian market, saw Innocenti venture into car production, beginning in 1960 with the A40 Farina in Berlina (saloon) and Combinata (estate) versions. The Combinata was originally similar to the UK's Countryman model, but later acquired a single-piece hatchback and other minor modifications.
Next came the Ghia-styled 950 Spider sports car, based on the Austin-Healey Sprite. Both these models used the Mini's 948cc engine. In 1963, all models were upgraded by the fitment of the 1098cc engine, becoming the A40S (produced until 1967) and 1100 Spider (until 1968). A coupé version of the Spider was introduced in 1967, and discontinued in 1969. Production of the ADO16-based IM3 began in 1963, and other 1100 models followed: the IM3S, and Austin I4, I4S and I5. Of course, from 1965 onwards, Innocenti also built Minis (including Coopers) in Italy, and in 1975, they brought out their own re-bodied versions called the Leyland Innocenti Mini 90 and 120, with a three-door hatchback body styled by Bertone.
These cars were exported to several countries in mainland Europe, and also to Japan. Additionally, the so-called Mini 1001 was built at the Seneffe plant in Belgium.
Following Innocenti's death in 1966, his son Luigi became president of the company, but it lost direction and was heading for crisis when BL bought it for £3m in 1972. As BLMC's Financial Controller at the time, Geoffrey Robinson travelled to the Milan plant to undertake an assessment. Impressed with what he saw, he set his heart on running Innocenti, and managed to persuade Donald Stokes that he was the man for the job.
In fact, it was largely due to Stokes' high (and some would say misplaced) regard for Robinson that funding was granted for the latter's pet project: the Bertone-styled hatchback version of the Mini. However, before this car saw the light of day, Robinson had returned to England in 1973 to take up the post of CEO at Jaguar, where he would make his name.
The failure of the Regent (Allegro) led to further losses and thus to Leyland's withdrawal from Italy in December 1975. Innocenti was purchased by Alejandro de Tomaso, but only the Minis (both the original style and the Bertone-styled version) continued in production. De Tomaso later struck a deal with Daihatsu which saw with the Bertone Mini gain the Charade's three-cylinder, 993cc engine and transmission in 1982.
In 1990, De Tomaso sold Innocenti to Fiat, and the Innocenti Mini's days were numbered; production finally ceased with the closure of the factory in March 1993, but the Innocenti name lived on until 1996, on cars imported to Italy by Fiat (namely, the Yugo 45 and the Brazilian Uno-based Elba).
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