Frazer Nash Targa Florio History

The Targa Florio model was introduced in 1952 and named in honour of Franco Cortese's outright victory in the 1951 Targa Florio — one of the most gruelling road races in the world — at the wheel of a Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica. The new model replaced the Mille Miglia and was built on a revised parallel-tube chassis featuring rack-and-pinion steering, torsion bar rear suspension, and twin-leading-shoe brakes.

The body was a beautiful full-width alloy open roadster with the distinctive Frazer Nash grille. Power came from the 1,971 cc Bristol six-cylinder engine in either Gran Sport (120 bhp) or Turismo (100 bhp) variants, either of which was sufficient for 110 mph or more. One car was fitted experimentally with an Austin Atlantic engine.

Exactly 15 Targa Florios were built. The final five cars were essentially open versions of the Le Mans Coupé body, with a longer tail and open nose rather than the earlier short-tail roadster shape. All 15 survive, making them among the most traceable and documented small-series British sports cars of the 1950s.