A 1913 SCAT 25/35 HP owned by respected Italian car collector Corrado Lopresto was accorded the FIVA Preservation Award at the recent Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on the shores of Lake Como. The award is presented at major events by the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Ancien to “a car that truly demonstrates what preservation is all about.”
“While almost all contenders in the Concorso were in immaculate condition, the 1913 SCAT 25/35 HP owned by Corrado Lopresto shone out as exceptional,” FIVA senior vice president Mario Theissen, was quoted in the organization’s news release.
“A car more than 100 years old, in remarkably original shape and fully running, this is a perfect statement of what FIVA stands for,” he added.
The Societa Ceirano Automobili Torino was founded in 1906 and produced vehicles until 1932. Its cars won the Targa Florio in 1911 and 1912 and again in 1914.
SCAT was founded by Giovanni Battista Ceirano, one of four brothers involved in the early Italian auto industry. The Cierano brothers were sons of a watchmaker.
Giovanni Battista apprenticed with his father, and then began building bicycles called Welleyes. Why the British name for his two-wheelers? Because the British name enhanced sales.
His brother, Matteo, joined him to begin producing Welleyes-branded motorcars in 1899. They sold that company to Giovanni Agnelli, who used their work as the technical basis to launch his Fiat brand.
Giovanni Battista worked for Agnelli for one year but then founded companies that produced the Rapid and later SCAT vehicles. Meanwhile, Matteo would found Italia and then SPA.
It was Giovanni Battista’s brother, Ernesto, who drove a SCAT to victory in the Targa Florio in 1911 and again in 1914.
THE "SCAT" would be the perfect car for Herman Munster, and family. First thought I had when
seeing the photos. Talk about a "made for TV" vehicle. I should look so good and still be "running"
at 100. Thanks for showing it.
Now that may be looking great, butt it still has a crappy name.