Itala and Osca return with Massimo Di Risio: the story, the new Itala 35 and Fabbrica Italia

There are stories that never end, they simply wait for the right moment to be remembered. Al National Automobile Museum of Turinthe air is that of special occasions, but with a different aftertaste than usual. It’s not just the presentation of a new car, it’s the end of a silence that lasted almost a century. Italy 35/45 Hp from 1907the one that Prince Scipione Borghese brought from Beijing to Paris across 16,000 kilometers of steppe, mud and silence, 20 days ahead of the second arrival. It is there, under the lights of the museum. Under a blue cloth instead, almost as if asking for permission, there is the new one Italy 35. Time separates the two cars, yet, they share the same name. Someone believed that the time had come to give them back the space they deserve. Together with her, she brought herself back to attention Oscathe legendary creature with which the Maserati brothers, after selling the family business, continued to dominate world motorsport and which we will see very soon on a dedicated stage.

1 A story that very few people remember

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We need to start from the beginning, because this is not just any story. Itala was born in Turin in 1903 at the hands of Matteo Ceirano. It wasn’t just a car factory: it was a laboratory of ideas and technologies that, at the time, sounded like science fiction. Itala was responsible for inventions adopted all over the world: the cardan transmission, the aluminum piston and the avalve engine. The customers? Elite personalities, starting from Queen Margherita of Savoyfor which a unique example was built, renamed “Palombella” by herself. The brand was the first premium brand in Europe, second in the world only to Cadillac. Then, one day, silence. Ninety-two years of silence. Together with Italyanother story was waiting to be told: in 1947, in Bologna, the Maserati brothers – Bindo, Ettore and Ernesto – founded Osca (Specialized Automobile Construction Workshops). For twenty years they dominated the racing scene. In 1954, with Stirling Moss at the wheel, they achieved the 12 Hours of Sebring feat. Then, for them too, the curtain falls. Two brands. Two legends. Decades of dust and silence.

2 The man who dared to awaken Itala and Osca

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Massimo Di Risio he is not new to this type of betting. Founder of Dr Automobiles Groupea great enthusiast of historic cars, built his project Historic Italian Brands (Hib). A great dreamer, but also a true entrepreneur. He looked for the right platforms, called the right people, waited for the right moment. The backstory that not everyone knows concerns how Di Risio came to gain the trust of Alfieri Maserati (Ernesto’s son and sole heir), who chose him as a witness to bring the brand back to its former glory. Over the years, the Osca brand has been courted by countless multinationals and investors. However, Alfieri did not accept any proposal until he met Massimo Di Risio. He chose him because he saw in him “a still romantic vision of motoring” combined with excellent entrepreneurial ability. For Di Risio, bringing Osca back to its former glory has become, first of all, a moral commitment.

3 “Historical Italian Brands”: reawakening a myth, without betraying it

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The industrial project behind it all is called Historic Italian Brands and is supported by the new industrial project Italian factory which will see the birth of two new factories in Macchia d’Isernia, Molise, built entirely by Italian companies. The first will open in September with flexible technology, capable of reconfiguring production lines in a few hours depending on the most requested models. To clear the field of the doubts of the purists who are already turning up their noses: yes, the technical base, the chassis and the engine come from Gacan Asian giant known for its high construction standards. But stopping here means not having understood Massimo Di Risio’s operation. With Fabbrica Italia, the aim is not to assemble: the engineer was called in to fine-tune the set-up, the electronic management, the suspension sector, the driving dynamics, the infotainment and even the braking system. Roberto Fedeli. Precisely he, who in his CV has signed the dynamics of Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo and, until yesterday, was CTO of Aston Martin. There is also a detail that did not go unnoticed at Mauto: the three Itala 35 prototypes displayed for the preview are not made of ordinary sheet metal. They were made specifically for the presentation, with much of the carbon bodywork.

4 Identikit of a rebirth: how the Itala 35 is made

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The name is already a tribute. Italy 35/45 Hp it was the car of Beijing-Pariswhich made the brand famous throughout the world. The new 35 takes that number and builds a new and fresh identity on top of it. A compact cross-styler, with a refined character and a highly distinctive style: the chrome inserts on the grille, the two-tone livery, the glossy black rear spoiler and the panoramic sunroof. The full LED front and rear headlights help create a modern and captivating profile. Under the hood beats the 1.5 turbo from 170 HP combined with a gearbox 7-speed DCT. The numbers say more 190 km/h of top speed, one 0-100 covered in 7.5 seconds and average declared consumption of 6.8 liters per 100 km.

5 The interiors of the Itala: customizable Italian style

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Inside, elegance is the priority: selected Italian leather, Alcantara inserts on the seats, on the door panels and on the dashboard band. The technology is present but not invasive, managed by two digital screens (7 inches for the instrumentation, 10.25 inches for infotainment) and soft ambient lights in different colours. The impression is of a refined environment, which does not try to amaze with technology but to aim for essential elegance. Itala 35 offers as standard Adas level 2with a functionality that is still quite impressive today: fully automatic parking, parallel, plug-in or transverse, without touching the steering. The new Itala 35 is completely customizable with special paintwork, wrapping, opaque PPF films and interiors that can be configured in materials and colours. The real challenge, however, is the price: 35,000 euros all included. Two other Crossover/SUVs will also arrive: Italy 56 (4.68 meters and 170 HP) and the Italy 61 (4.98 meters and 231 HP). Subsequently, the time will come for electrification with superhybrid, full hybrid, plug-in and 100% electric.

6 The meaning of all this

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A journey that, not surprisingly, starts again exactly where it all began 123 years ago: Turin. It is here that the first showroom will open in partnership with the Biauto group. The commercial objective is to inaugurate 50 showrooms across the country by the end of 2026, before tackling international markets. In the short term, the launch of Osca is also expected, scheduled for a special occasion dedicated to the history of the brand. It is striking how, in a world of cars that is now quite flat and standardized, there is still someone who invests large sums of money to bring to light unique experiences such as the Beijing-Paris and the feat of Stirling Moss. It’s not nostalgia. It is proof that, perhaps, there is still room for dreams and stories in the car.