About Tough to Crack Puzzle #170 Moretti 850 Sportiva

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There was some consternation after we awarded points to you, car puzzlers, two weeks ago. And it was all our own fault, too. We had to get used to our own new system of counting points! Anyway: It should be fine now, all is sorted, so over to last week’s puzzle. Despite the title of our quiz here, there’s no doubt this was not a very tough one. The car shown was of course Moretti’s beautiful take on the Fiat 850: the Moretti 850 Sportiva Coupe. The car was designed by Dany Brawand from Switzerland, who came from Ghia-Aigle, but spent most of his designing life at Moretti’s and who passed away in 2012. The Sportiva was presented in February 1966 at the Saloncino dell’Auto da Competizione. Production figures vary, and Steve Bousfield tackles that just right: “There seems to be some uncertainty about production numbers, some sources saying 300, but Moretti himself saying only 40.” We trust the 300 number certainly to be more accurate.

Over to the link with that other car then. Gerd Klioba: “Presented in February 1966, thus eight months before the similar looking Fiat Dino Spider. But both designs were probably derived from Pininfarina's 1965 Ferrari Dino Berlinetta Speciale. In 1969 the Sportiva's front was altered, making it look more like a Dino 246 GT.” Erler Thomas: “The Dino was shown 8 month later than the Moretti (Saloncino dell Auto da Competizione di Torino) and one could think that Moretti was first. But the Dino speciale 206 was shown earlier 1965”. Fritz Hegeman’s answer was perhaps the best here: “Folks, they´ve shrunk the Dino!?”

As for the rest, we liked Alan Spencer’s uncovering, unknown to us: “Responsible for Michelotti's designs for Moretti, Brawand was fired in late 1965 for selling his designs directly to the client.” But Marco Gastaldi deserves top points this time with an awful lot of insight information in his answer: “Born in 1934 in Vevey, Switzerland, Brawand started working at Ghia-Aigle in 1952, under Michelotti. In 1956 Michelotti moved to Turin and later Brawand joined him, learning the basics of design (he never attended a technical school). In 1959 Michelotti opened a small workshop to built his own prototypes and signed some important contracts with the big manufacturers. Brawand was part of the team, but keeping links with Moretti, selling his own projects to Moretti directly, without Michelotti's authorisation. Hence Brawand was fired and became head of Moretti development and design in 1966.” Well done Marco, you’re in the race now!

1. Gerd Klioba
2. Fritz Hegeman
3. Alan Spencer
4. Luc Ryckaert
5. Henk Visscher / Robbie Marenzie

(Pictures Jeroen Booij)


 

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