OSCA 1500S History

In the late 1950s OSCA accepted a contract to supply its twin-overhead-cam 1,491 cc four-cylinder engine to Fiat for installation in a new Pininfarina-designed sports car. The result — sold as the Fiat 1500S with OSCA mechanical specification — went on sale in November 1959. The engine produced 90 PS SAE (80 PS DIN), transforming what was otherwise a conventional Fiat platform into a credible open-road sports car.

Pininfarina designed and bodied both a coupe and a convertible (cabriolet), the latter replacing the earlier Fiat 1200 Spider. The cars offered the refinement of Pininfarina styling with genuine twin-cam performance at a price accessible to a wider audience than OSCA's pure racing machines. Approximately 1,000 OSCA-engined 1500 S units were produced before the engine was bored out for the 1600S successor in 1962.