Allegretti and Childrens Cars

Mario Allegretti was one of the most experienced and well-known crafters in the Modena area since the early 1950s. One of the earliest employees in Carrozzeria Fantuzzi, he would eventually move on to Maserati full time to produce the tubular frames and alloy bodies in the race department, most notably for the 250F and A6GS amongst others. In 1958 he founded a new company with his co-worker Anselmo Gentilini to create the short-lived but very prolific Carrozzeria Allegretti & Gentilini. In its short life this venture would be mostly known for working closely with Giulio Alfieri to dress the Maserati Tipo 60, 61, 63, 64 and the 151 Le Mans. Maserati’s troubled existence in those years didn’t allow the small coachbuilder to thrive and, after having collaborated with neighbouring companies on many projects, they ultimately closed Allegretti & Gentilini in 1963 with Mario joining Drogo Carrozzeria Sports Cars and Anselmo going to Neri & Bonacini. When eventually Carrozzeria Sports Cars closed in 1973, Mario Allegretti decided to dedicate his efforts to restore, rebuild and occasionally create bodies for various Ferrari 250 chassis’ for the next three decades.

Since 1969, in his spare time, Allegretti started making scaled replicas of the cars he created back in the fifties. The first examples were quite crude and powered by very basic electric motors until 1983, when engineer and fellow “Modenese”, Giuseppe Zani, walked in his workshop attracted by the sound of panel beating.  Zani and his four sons fell in love with Mario’s creations and joined forces to develop the cars further with the installation of a 50 cc two-stroke engine and eventually 250 cc four-stroke Benelli engines.

Only four examples were ever built with these incredible Benelli engines, a Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage, Maserati 250 F, Ferrari P4 and Ferrari 250 S. Alejandro De Tomaso, owner of the Maserati marque in those years, gave official permission to use the company name, however, Ferrari issued a ‘cease and desist’ letter ensuring their name could not be used, so these child’s cars were officially known as an Allegretti 250 S and Allegretti P4.

The Allegretti 250 S

The car offered here is the only 250 S built by Allegretti, inspired by infamous and fiercely competitive Ferrari sports racers from the 1960’s. The technical specifications are unheard of for most cars and would make a very competent prototype racer on a full scale car, so it’s not surprising that this is the only example ever built, with a price tag of 30.000.000 Lire (5.000.000 more than the other Allegretti models). As a reference, in those days that was the price of a fully equipped Lancia Thema, the latest flagship and top Italian luxury saloon.

The 250 S was the result of four months of work, which is an incredible amount of hours considering that the engine came directly from a Benelli “Quattro” motorcycle and that the interior was beautifully crafted by none other than Tappezzeria Luppi of Modena.

Removing the aluminium body panels makes immediately apparent how well engineered this little car really is. The mid-mounted, four-cylinder, 10,500 rpm Benelli screamer is perfectly located in the middle of the car supported by a tubular subframe with the unmistakeable “birdcage” look.

This little car is an incredible piece of engineering and it will no doubt be cherished in the future as much as it has been since it was lovingly hand made back in 1985

Specification

250cc, inline 4-cylinder, 4-stroke Benelli engine

27hp at 10,500 rpm

Top speed in excess of 100km/h

5 speed manual gearbox with differential

Four straight pipe exhaust system

Electronic starter

Alloy tube monocoque, rear tubular subframe

Independent front suspension

De-Dion rear suspension

4 vented steel brake discs

Leather interior by Luppi of Modena

Adjustable pedals

Weight – 270 kg

Price Upon Application