1946 Cisitalia D46 Monoposto

The story of Cisitalia (Compagnia Industriale Sportiva Italia) and its very first vehicle, the D46 began towards the end of the Second World War. Piero Dusio, a former soccer star turned wealthy textile merchant and industrialist, envisioned a new era of motorsport. With raw materials scarce, fuel strictly rationed, and financial capital drained across Europe, Dusio recognized that heavy, high-displacement pre-war Grand Prix machines were impractical in this new challenging era. Instead, he planned an lightweight, standardized single-seater that allowed Italian motorsport to be revived in a more cost effective form.

Drawing from aeronautical principles and utilizing a hidden cache of chrome-molybdenum steel tubing that Dusio had secured, Giacosa designed a structural grid of lightweight, small-diameter tubes, a multi-tubular spaceframe chassis. This provided immense torsional rigidity while keeping the total weight of the car under 400 kilogram. Underneath its tight aluminum body paneling, the D46 utilized an engine derived from the reliable 1.1-liter Fiat 1100 inline four-cylinder. Converted to a racing-spec dry sump lubrication system, it was modified from a modest 32 horsepower to reach between 60 and 65 horsepower at 5,500 rpm.

Cisitalia made its official competitive debut with the D46 (D for Dusio) on September 3, 1946, at the Coppa Brezzi in Turin's Valentino Park, attracting a legendary roster of drivers including Louis Chiron, Raymond Sommer, Piero Taruffi who also served as Cisitalia's test director and the flying mantuan himself, Tazio Nuvolari. The event entered racing lore during Nuvolari’s heat when his car's steering wheel detached, yet he managed to finish the lap holding on to the steering column itself before returning to the pits. 

This race proved to be an overwhelming statement of dominance for the new constructor. Cisitalia swept the entire podium, with Piero Dusio himself taking victory, followed by Franco Cortese in second and Louis Chiron in third. With Raymond Sommer taking fifth, Cisitalia placed four D46s in the top five finishers, instantly proving the competitive superiority of their new concept against established pre-war machinery. 

This specific Cisitalia D46 Monoposto was acquired by the current owner together with a 1948 Cisitalia 202 Corsa, Ch.067, one of three 202 Corsa’s entered in the 1948 Mille Miglia (Ch. 067 secured 5th place in the 1948 Mille Miglia).

The small monoposto has been brought back to life through a careful rebuild and restoration process that combined genuine Cisitalia drivetrain parts with a meticulously crafted chassis and aluminium bodywork still in its bare unpainted form. This combination of surviving elements and faithfully rebuild parts ensures that the vintage racer not only honors its original spirit but is also structurally prepared to take on tough competition once again.

The Cisitalia is in running condition and goes (and sounds) very well indeed. Some work Is still needed to bring it back to its former glory, such as the rebuild of the original cockpit gauges and a repaint of the car.

With just fifteen D46s believed to be left in existence this vehicle offers a very rare chance to follow in the footsteps of legends like Tazio Nuvolari and Achille Varzi who piloted these cars into Italian motorsport history.

Please get in touch for more info, photos and a video of the Cisitalia running.

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