1940 Auto Avio Costruzioni 815

1940 Auto Avio Costruzioni 815

Auto Avio Costruzioni 815 (1940): Full Specs, Performance, Dimensions, and Features

Discover everything about the Auto Avio Costruzioni 815—the first car built by Enzo Ferrari under his wartime company before the Ferrari brand existed. Commissioned in 1939 for the 1940 Mille Miglia, it set the engineering foundations for future Ferraris, featuring an innovative straight‑8 engine based on Fiat components.

Overview

Assembly: Modena, Italy (by Auto Avio Costruzioni)
Body style: 2‑seat barchetta (open‑top sports)
Class: Pre‑Ferrari sports/racing prototype
Designer: Carrozzeria Touring
Layout: Front-engine, rear-wheel drive
Manufacturer: Auto Avio Costruzioni
Production: 1940 (2 cars built; one survives)

Aerodynamics and Design

Bodywork: Hand-formed “Superleggera” aluminum-magnesium (Itallumag 35) tubed over steel frame
Windscreen: Plexiglass twin wind deflectors
Coachbuilder: Touring Superleggera; fitted on a modified Fiat 508 Balilla chassis

Dimensions and Weight

Wheelbase: 2,420 mm (95.3 in)
Front track / Rear track: 1,240 mm (48.8 in)
Dry weight: 625 kg (1,378 lb)

Engine

Configuration: 1.5 L straight‑8 OHV (semi‑dry sump), based on two Fiat 508 Balilla blocks merged
Bore × stroke: 63 × 60 mm (~2.48 × 2.36 in)
Displacement: 1,496 cc (91 ci)
Carburation: Four Weber 30DR2 carburettors
Power output: 75 PS (56 kW; 75 hp) @ 5,500 rpm
Torque: ~90 Nm (66 lb‑ft) @ 3,100 rpm

Transmission

Gearbox: 4-speed manual (Fiat‑based, modified by AAC)

Performance

Top speed: ~170 km/h (106 mph)
0–100 km/h: Not recorded

Wheels and Braking

Wheels: Borrani wire wheels with Rudge hubs, 5.50 × 15 tires
Brakes: Drum brakes front and rear, mechanically operated

Production and Series History

  • Two cars built in early 1940: chassis #020 (short-tail) and #021 (long-tail)

  • Both raced in the 1940 Mille Miglia (Brescia Grand Prix); both DNFs

  • Chassis #020 was destroyed; #021 survived, raced post-war, and is preserved in the Righini Collection near Modena, Italy

Related

The models listed below share a connection with the Auto Avio Costruzioni 815.

1947 Ferrari 125 S

The first official Ferrari-branded car, carrying forward the straight‑8 to V12 sporting ambition.

1947 Ferrari 125 S