Autobianchi Stellina History

Debuting at the 1963 Turin Motor Show, the Stellina was a lightweight two-seat open spider built on the Fiat 600D's rear-engine chassis and clothed in a fibreglass body — making it Italy's first production car to use that material. The design is attributed to Tom Tjaarda, though some Italian sources credit Luigi Rapi; the sleek, forward-looking styling contrasted sharply with the humble mechanicals beneath.

Production was deliberately limited: just 502 Stellinas were assembled at Autobianchi's Desio factory between 1964 and 1965, comprising 343 first-series and 159 second-series cars. The car served primarily as a technology demonstration — proving that fibreglass bodies could work in volume manufacturing — rather than as a commercial flagship. Its commercial life was brief, but the Stellina's influence carried forward into Fiat Group thinking about lightweight materials and open-body niche vehicles.