1924 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A Landaulet (by Sala & Riva)
Introduced at the 1924 Paris Auto Salon, the Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A represented the pinnacle of Italian luxury and engineering sophistication. It succeeded the groundbreaking Tipo 8 (world’s first production car powered by an inline eight-cylinder engine) with a redesigned chassis, improved suspension, and a more powerful engine.
The Tipo 8A arrived with what was then the most potent mass-produced straight-eight engine in the world: a 7.3-liter overhead-valve unit producing approximately 115 horsepower. The engine had a single overhead camshaft and twin carburetors mounted directly to the block, eliminating the need for an external intake manifold.
Power was delivered through a three-speed manual transmission to a live rear axle, while both axles were suspended by semi-elliptical leaf springs. Four-wheel mechanical drum brakes with vacuum power assistance provided impressive stopping performance for such a large automobile.
As with other Isotta Fraschini models, the company sold only bare chassis to custom coachbuilders, allowing prestigious carrozzerie such as Castagna, Sala, and Worblaufen to craft bespoke bodies. The Landaulet configuration offered chauffeur-driven elegance with an enclosed rear compartment and open driver’s area, exemplifying the marque’s opulent character.
In the United States (where roughly one-third of production was sold), the Tipo 8A commanded prices that exceeded even those of the Duesenberg Model J. The chassis alone cost $9,750, while fully bodied examples could reach $20,000.
Favored by Hollywood celebrities and European royalty alike, the Tipo 8A became America’s second-most popular imported luxury automobile after Rolls-Royce during the late 1920s.
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