1961 Fiat 600 D Model ‘Y’
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Pininfarina undertook a formal series of aerodynamic research projects designated X, Y, and Z, led by Professor Alberto Morelli of the Polytechnic University of Turin. The work explored how advanced body shapes could reduce drag and improve stability, using humble Fiat platforms as the engineering foundation.
The 1960 Project X was the most radical of the series. It was built on a Fiat 1100 chassis with a diamond-shaped four-wheel layout and an exceptional drag coefficient of just 0.23. It was a pure research exercise, entirely impractical for production.
The Model Y followed in 1961 as a more realistic evolution of those ideas. Based on the Fiat 600 D and its rear-mounted 767cc four-cylinder engine, the Y retained a conventional four-wheel layout while wearing a completely bespoke aerodynamic berlinetta body designed by Morelli.
Prominent tail fins served a functional purpose, forming part of Pininfarina’s research into directional stability for rear-engined cars. The project is believed to have been personally championed by Sergio Pininfarina, son of company founder Battista “Pinin” Farina.
Only one example was constructed. After its period as a show and research vehicle, the Model Y was personally gifted by Sergio Pininfarina to the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada.
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