Benelli “4TN”, 1939, Italy The Benelli workshop was born in 1911 thanks to Teresa Benelli, who wanted to guarantee a future for her 6 fatherless kids. In 1919 a 75cc 2-stroke engine was produced, the prelude to the first Benelli motorcycle in 1921: the Velomotore, a 98cc light motorcycle. From this moment on the production increased and...
Moto Guzzi, 1948, G.T.W.
Moto Guzzi “G.T.W.”, 1948, Italy The Moto Guzzi GTV was produced from 1934 and represents a turning point in Moto Guzzi production: it’s in fact the first model to be powered by an overhead valve engine, replacing the opposite valve one. The GTW, cosmetically identical to the GTV, was the sports version, with a higher compressione...
Gilera, 1952, Saturno Sport
Gilera “Saturno Sport”, 1952, Italy One of the most important models for Gilera, the Saturno is considered a masterpiece of Italian motorbike production. According to experts it had just one rival: the Moto Guzzi Falcone. The successore of the Otto Bulloni was designed by Luigi Salmaggi in the late 30s and presented at the 1940 Milan...
Bianchi, 1933, Freccia Oro
Bianchi “Freccia Oro”, 1933, Italy With its elegant livery and the gold and blue badges, this carefully restored motorcycle had a huge success in the 30s thanks to an important person who was photographed while riding it: Benito Mussolini. The press wrote the first Italian motorcyclist to praise the Dux, Bianchi shined and the sales increased especially...
Henderson, 1925, 1300 De Luxe
Henderson “1300 De Luxe”, 1925, USA Henderson was not the first 4-cylinder motorcycle built in the US, but it’s probably the best known. Bill and Tom Henderson started making motorcycles in 1912 in Detroit. The first bikes had odd peculiarities, such as the passenger seat on the tank, in front of the driver, that soon was moved to its...
Bianchi, 1956, Tonale record
Bianchi “Tonale 175cc” record, 1956, Italy In 1956 the Tonale 175 won the Motogiro d’ Italia with Gino Franzosi and the Milano Taranto with Daminelli in the class “Stock derivatives“. At the end of 1956 Franzosi again in Castelfusano beat the mile record and missed the kilometer one by an inch. In 1957 the Tonale is wrapped with a special long fairing for the endurance records where Eng. Nardi, plane designer, worked on too. The frame...
Fongri, 1921, 5 1/2 Hp
Fongri “5 1/2 Hp”, 1921, Italy Fongri was born in Turin in 1910 from the Grignani brothers, motorbikes manufacturers, and Fontana. Fongri initially built single-cilinders side-valves JAP-powered motorcycles. Eugenio Grignani, cofounder of the brand and technical manager of the company, was a meticulous technician and cared for details, so much so that contrary to the use, he...
Triumph, 1923, Model H
Triumph “Model H”, 1923, England The Triumph model H (also known as “Type H” and “The Trusty”) is a British motorcycle produced by Triumph Engineering Co ltd in Coventry, England. 57.000 Model Hs were made from 1915 to 1923. In early 1914 the English governement needed an efficient way to communicate with the troups at the front and...
Scott, 1914, 3 3/4 HP
Scott “3 3/4 HP”, 1914, England Alfred Scott popularized the water-cooled 2-stroke engine The Scott kept at the Museo Nicolis is an unprecedented model that stands out for its innovation and design. Moved by a twin-cylinder 2-stroke 486cc engine, it in fact features several technical refinements including water cooling, as is evident from the large...
Alcyon, 1924, Light Touring Motorbike
Alcyon “Light Touring motorbike,” 1924, France Alcyon was a French bicycle, automobile and motorcycle manufacturer between 1902 and 1954. Born as a bicycle company in 1890, in 1902 Alcyon started producing motorcycles. The first models were powered by V-twin engines and inline-2s, later in 1912 even single-cylinder racing engines. In the years that followed Alcyon...
Labor, primi ‘900, da uomo
Labor ‘man’s bicycle’, early 1900s
Frejus Piuma, 1948, racing bicycle
Frejus, Special model “Corsa Piuma”, racing bicycle, 1948, Italy Frejus is one of the oldest and most glorious Italian bicycle brands. Established in Turin in 1896 by Elmo Guelfi, Frejus has always been focusing on quality sports products. The company has always considered racing as a marketing instrument, that’s why it has been taking part...
Olympia Freccia Tour De France, 1935, racing bicycle
Olympia Freccia Tour de France, racing bicycle, 1935, Italy With this 1935 special model the old company from Milan really wanted to mark an epoch. The frame finishing, the famous “chromed arrows”, still remind this today. With one of these bicycles, the Tuscan ace, Raffaele Di Paco, also known as the Rodolfo Valentino of cycling,...
Colnago, 1970, racing bicycle
Colnago, racing bicycle, 1970s, Italy Company established in the 50s by Ernesto Colnago. Colnago, was professionally raised by Focesi of Milan (where the legendary Gloria bicycles where built), and became an appreciated racing bicycle technician over time, following important teams. He’s appreciated by the great champions too: Magni, Merkx, Motta, Saronni, just to mention a few. After opening...
Firefighter Bicycle, 1910
Firefighter Bicycle, 1910 This bicycle, built in the early 1900s, was used by the firefighters that worked in petrochemical industries. The bicycle was equipped with a fire hose rolled in the frame, a crowbar, a little axe, the siren (operated by the friction with the front tire) the helmet and a carbide headlamp. Grips and pedals are made...
Lancia, 1960, Flaminia 2.5 berlina
Lancia “Flaminia 2500 berlina”, 1960 The Flaminia, presented at Turin Show in 1956, was Lancia’s great flagship, the heir of the Aurelia. It was designed by Professor Fessia. Sold at extremely high prices for the thime and therefore with a rather low number of vehicles produced, it was still a top symbol of Lancia production...
J-Ax & Fedez – Piccole cose – Official Video
In the new Video, J-AX drives DeLorean DMC 12, 1981, Museo Nicolis www.museonicolis.com
Mostra, “Oltre l’Uomo”, l’auto universale e le invenzioni che portano oltre.
Oltre l’Uomo: la mostra dedicata all’ ingegno umano da Leonardo alle biotecnologie. Il Museo Nicolis partecipa con l’auto che cambiò il volto dell’industria: la Ford T, la prima a dare avvio alla catena di montaggio e alla motorizzazione per tutti.
Fiat, 1968, 125 Samantha
Fiat “125 Samantha”, Vignale, 1968 The Fiat 125 Vignale “Samantha” was made by Vignale on the Fiat 125 frame and unveiled at the 1967 Turin Car Show. It’s a four-seater coupé with pop-up headlights and despite it didn’t arouse a huge admiration, it went into production. The 1608cm3 Lampredi twincam engine came straight from the...
Porsche, 1969, 911 T
Porsche “911 T”, 1969 Born as the replacement for the 356, the Porsche 911 is one the most-known sports car ever. Its design, drawn by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, will remain unaffected for decades, from 1964 to 1989 with the 964 series. The car in the Museo is a 1969 911, year when the flat-6 engine...
Maserati, 1958, 3500 GT
Maserati “3500 GT coupé”, Touring, 1958 The first mass-produced Maserati Grand Touring car, the A6 1500, was introduced in 1947, after the firm had been moved to Modena following the acquisition by Cav. Adolfo Orsi in 1937. At the 1957 Geneva Motor Show, Maserati introduced the 3500 GT, an elegant and powerful coupé designed by...
Maserati, 1968, Mistral 4.0
Maserati “Mistral 4.0 coupè”, Frua, 1968 Following the commercial success of the 3500 GT Touring, Maserati launched a new 2-seater coupé at the 1963 Turin Motor Show. Designed by Frua, the new Mistral anticipated some styling innovations like the hatchback or the integrated front bumper with the front grille inside, that will be adopted by...
Lancia, 1972, 2000 i.e. Berlina
Lancia “2000 i.e. Berlina “, 1972 The Lancia 2000 was born to replace the missing spot left by the Flaminia in 1970. Lancia needed a new flagship model and by substantially modifying the Flavia berlina, the 2000 Berlina saw the light. Powered by the Flavia’s flat-4 engine, the 2000 will be the first Italian car (and one...
Lancia, 1941, Ardea I° serie
Lancia “Ardea I° Serie”, 1941 The Lancia Ardea stemmed from the need for a smaller and cheaper alternative to the Aprilia. The result was a 9/10 scale model of the big sister, with the same design, very streamlined for the time, but also the same technical solutions, mantaining the typical Lancia’s class and refinement intact. The Ardea was...
Lamborghini, 1969, Espada 400 GT Bertone coupé
Lamborghini “Espada 400 GT coupé”, Bertone, 1969 Presented in Geneva in March 1968, the new Espada aroused a great deal of interest due to its highly innovative and extremely aerodynamic line, then defined as “artistic”. It was produced to compete with the spacious and wonderfully comfortable coupé vehicles that Maserati with the “Mexico” and Ferrari...
“THE CHARM OF RACES”. Meeting at the Museo Nicolis
Wednesday, November 16th at 21:00 - Free entrance
Coordinator Danilo Castellarin
President of the Commission for ASI History and Museums
Event organized by Veteran Car Club Enrico Bernardi
Fiat, 1914, 18P military truck
Fiat “18 P”, army truck, 1914 The Fiat 18 is a military truck made by Fiat Veicoli Industriali, used by the Royal Italian Army during WWI. Together with the lighter 15, the 18 will be the protagonist of motorizing our army forces and built in the BL, BLR, DC and P (pesante – heavy) versions....
Fiat, 1953, 500 C Topolino, trasformabile
Fiat “ 500 Topolino, tipo C, trasformabile”, 1953 In 1934 Fiat gave the designers Antonio Fessia and Dante Giacosa the important job of designing a new small popular car. Two years later the “500” was born, the smallest production car ever produced, with a tiny 569cc engine. Commonly known as “Topolino” (Mickey Mouse), this new car was inspired by the design of her big...