The Innocenti 950 Spider was the first car designed by Innocenti itself: a small open two-seater with a body by Ghia, built on Austin-Healey Sprite mechanicals and presented at the Turin motor show in November 1960.
Innocenti 950 Spider at a glance
| Maker | Innocenti, Lambrate, Milan |
|---|---|
| Production | 1960-1969 |
| Body | two-seat spider by Ghia, design by Tom Tjaarda |
| Assembly | OSI, on Austin-Healey Sprite mechanicals |
| Engine | 948 cc A-series four, 43 hp |
| Top speed | about 140 km/h |
| Price at launch | 1,150,000 lire |
| From 1963 | 1098 cc engine, 58 hp, renamed 1100 Spider |
| Final version | Innocenti S, with front disc brakes and a hardtop option |
| Production run | nine years, with very few cars built |
The 950 Spider has no English Wikipedia article; this page is based on the Italian article (one source).
History of the Innocenti 950 Spider
A first car of its own
Innocenti was famous in the 1950s for the Lambretta scooter, and in 1960 it widened its horizons to car manufacture. It had bought from the British Motor Corporation the licence to build the Austin A40 saloon, and that car was soon joined by a model of Innocenti’s own design, the 950 Spider.
Ghia body, British mechanicals
The Spider was conceived on the mechanical basis of the English Austin-Healey Sprite. Its body was built by Ghia to a design by Tom Tjaarda, with assembly by OSI. It was presented at the Turin motor show in November 1960 at a competitive 1,150,000 lire. The style was typical of the period, with rear-wheel drive and small rear fins borrowed from American fashion. Equipment was generous even against more famous spiders: the hood had a double layer of canvas for better waterproofing, and there were aids for opening and closing it.
1100 and S
The weakest point was performance: the 948 cc engine produced only 43 hp and gave the car barely 140 km/h, even after 3 hp were added the following year. From 1963 the Spider received a 1098 cc engine of 58 hp and was renamed the Innocenti 1100 Spider. A light facelift late in its career brought the name Innocenti S, front disc brakes and the option of a hardtop in place of the canvas roof, which effectively turned it into a small coupé. Production ended in 1969 without a successor, after a very small number of cars had been built in nine years.
Design and features
- Italian body, British chassis: Ghia styling by Tom Tjaarda on Austin-Healey Sprite mechanicals.
- Small fins and rear-wheel drive: a classic late-1950s look aimed at young Italian buyers.
- Well equipped hood: a double layer of canvas and easy opening and closing.
- 1100 engine from 1963: 1098 cc and 58 hp in place of the original 948 cc unit.
Innocenti 950 Spider versions
- 950 Spider (1960-1963): 948 cc, 43 hp, about 140 km/h.
- 1100 Spider (1963-): 1098 cc, 58 hp.
- Innocenti S: late facelift with front disc brakes and an optional hardtop.
The Spider was joined by the Innocenti C coupé, which used a modified version of its chassis. The first car Innocenti built was the licence-made Innocenti A40. More models are in the Innocenti collection.
Video: Essai Innocenti Spider 950 1962
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Innocenti 950 Spider, Italian Wikipedia: design, engines, prices, production
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