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
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Two cars built in early 1940: chassis #020 (short-tail) and #021 (long-tail)
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Both raced in the 1940 Mille Miglia (Brescia Grand Prix); both DNFs
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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.
