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SPA (automobile)
Encyclopedia
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
manufacturer, produced cars between 1906 and 1926.
The company was established by Matteo Ceirano
Matteo Ceirano
Matteo Ceirano was an Italian businessman in the early automobile industry.His father, Giovanni Battista Ceirano, was an automobile pioneer, and with his brothers Ernesto Ceirano and Giovanni Ceirano, Matteo worked in his father's automobile workshop. With Giovanni, he created the Ceirano Matteo &...
and Michele Ansaldi in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
under the name of Società Piemontese Automobili. The first cars were exhibited at the Esposizione di Torino. These models, designed by Ceirano, were called 28/40HP and 60/70 HP.
In 1908, the company merged with Fabbrica Ligure Automobili Genova (FLAG) and the new company became Società Ligure Piemontese Automobili. The headquarters was in Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
while production continued in Turin.
Next year an SPA racer driven by Ciuppa won the Targa Florio
Targa Florio
The Targa Florio was an open road endurance automobile race held in the mountains of Sicily near Palermo. Founded in 1906, it was the oldest sports car racing event, part of the World Sportscar Championship between 1955 and 1973...
race. Before the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, there were twin, four and six cylinder cars - the biggest had an 11.536cc displacement.
In 1916, both Ceirano and Ansaldi left.
After the war, production was resumed with pre-war models (25/30 HP and 14/16 HP). In 1923 the company moved to Turin again. New sporting models (Tipo 23, Tipo 24 and Tipo 25) were marketed - the most progressive model had a six cylinder dohc 24 valve engine.
Following to financial problems of the company, Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
took over in 1925 and the company soon discontinued manufacturing cars in favor of commercial and military vehicles. After the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Fiat resumed car production for a while but in 1947 the company was finally absorbed into Fiat.