Though Itala existed for 30 years, their heyday was unquestionably the period before the Great War. They had also two leading designers in Giulio Cesare Cappa and Matteo Ceirano. Their renowned early big four-cylinder racing cars had capacities of 16,666cc,14,904cc and 12,045cc. Even production models had big engines of up to 12,942cc, though cars as small as 1942cc were listed. A 8336cc car, built in 1912, had a rotary-valve engine. New models came into being in 1920, a 2612cc (later 2811cc) four-cylinder and a 4423cc six cylinder. In the mid 1920s, a sv 1953cc four cylinder model became quite popular but was soon superseded by a 1991cc six-cylinder ohv version. There was also a short-chassis sv 2811cc sports version, which competed in many events. In 1926 Itala built a special racing car with a Hispano-Suiza engine and also a works racer with ohc 1094cc and 1450cc Vl2 engines and Roots-type superchargers. ©VEA
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