It’s often said that things sound more exotic when they’re in Italian. “White’s Cars” certainly wouldn’t raise an eyebrow in English, but “Autobianchi” very much does.
The company, a collaboration between bicycle maker Bianchi, Pirelli, and FIAT, created some of the most stylish small cars of the 1960s - and that’s saying something for an Italian brand - aimed at being a classier alternative to FIAT.
Perhaps the best-known model from Autobianchi is the Bianchina. The pint-sized cabrio, based on the FIAT 500, had a starring role with Audrey Hepburn in How to Steal a Million (the film was also the origin of a famous advertising catchphrase, albeit for Renault), but it was one of several body styles offered by the brand.
The Panoramica as you see here was a two-door estate which shared underpinnings with the FIAT 500 Giardiniera. Both cars were introduced in 1960, featuring a 499cc two-cylinder engine tilted on its side to provide a flat boot floor for estate utility, though they’re far from utilitarian.
Autobianchi itself was a pretty short-lived brand, and the Panoramica only remained in production for just under a decade - ending in 1969.
There’s not a lot of paperwork from either side of the car’s life. As the car hasn’t been registered in the UK, you won’t find the usual UK documentation - V5C, MOTs, and so on.
That said, there are some documents around the time of the car’s transfer to its current owner. There’s a digital ownership certificate for Italy, which you can view through a QR code, and documents including a hand-written receipt, detailing the ownership change.
While the Panoramica is an estate car in name, it’s still quite small on the inside but still packs a lot in. That starts with a pretty spectacular colour scheme, featuring pale blue and black leatherette.
You’ll find this on both front seats and the rear bench, as well as the door cards and inside rear panels, and there isn’t a mark anywhere on it. Both front seats fold forward to access the rear, while the rear seat back folds forwards as one to increase the rear load space.
The boot is covered with a black liner to protect the floor and - as this is a rear-engined car - engine cover, though it does show signs of wear. It may well be that this has been a workhorse in Italy, but there’s no concerning damage.
Elsewhere the cabin is a basic affair, with just the steering wheel, instrument pod, and a couple of control switches; no complicated electronics to go wrong here! Rubber floor mats protect the metal floors throughout and there’s nothing hiding beneath to worry - it’s all in generally excellent condition.
That also applies to the fabric sunroof, a rare option on these cars. It’s in great condition and another testament to simplicity: flip the catch and throw it back for open air motoring.
On the outside the Autobianchi wears a pale blue colour which is very much of its era. Even without considering that the car left the factory 60 years ago, it looks pretty impressive and we can’t find much to fault it save the odd mark inside some of the panel shuts. The Panoramica has clearly been well cared-for.
On the underside, the car’s condition is broadly clean and straight - there are some areas that reflect its age a little more but nothing that causes any concern at all - and looks to have been undersealed. All the suspension components look in very good condition.
Unlike its Giardiniera sibling, the Autobianchi has a regular, top-hinged boot opening and standard side doors, and these all open and shut smoothly - with an old-school “thunk” absent from modern day cars.
All four wheels sport the classic chromed hubcaps, all in reasonably good condition, and the steel wheels are all straight and blemish free. There’s even a full-size spare in the nose, although a 125mm section, 12-inch item might not seem full-sized by modern standards!
It might be 60, but the tiny estate moves like it could be brand new. The engine fires up without complaint (once there’s some fuel in it!), with no smoking or rattles; although the opposed two-cylinder makes a bit of a din, it’s entirely the din it should make.
Driving around in the Autobianchi, nothing seems amiss at all. The gearbox works as it should in forward and reverse, the steering offers no complaints - and it’s light enough that the lack of steering assistance won’t make you complain either - and the suspension and brakes operate with no issues.
If FIAT’s 500, legendary though it is, is a little too commonplace for you, the Autobianchi is a must. It offers everything the 500 does but - just as it did in-period - adds on a little extra style and class. The Panoramica model might be the best of the body styles too, with estate practicality into the mix.
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1961 Autobianchi Bianchina Panoramica
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