1. 1940s and 1950s

2. Post-1950s

3. In popular culture

4. References

Barchetta ({{IPA-it|barˈketta}}), which translates as "little boat" in Italian, is a term used by Italian car manufacturers for two-seat sports cars with either an open top or convertible roof.

The term was originally used for lightweight open-top racing cars of the late 1940s through the 1950s. Since the 1950s, the name barchetta has been revived on several occasions, mostly for cars with convertible roofs that are not specifically intended for racing.

1940s and 1950s

The first use of the term "barchetta" was by the editor of the Italian sporting newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, Giovanni Canestrini,^[1] to describe the new Ferrari 166MM displayed at the 1948 Turin Auto Show.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}} The name barchetta has been associated with the 166MM model ever since. The 166MM barchetta won the 1948 and 1949 Mille Miglia, and the 1949 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Targa Florio, the only car ever to win all three races in the same year. It also won the 1949 Spa 24 Hours. Motor Trend Classic rated the 166MM barchetta sixth out of the ten "greatest Ferraris of all time".^[2]

Other barchetta versions of Ferraris include the Ferrari 212 Inter^[3][4] and the Ferrari 250 MM (built by Vignale).^[5][6][7]

In 1948, the Maserati brothers released the O.S.C.A. MT4,^[8][9] a 1452 cc, {{convert|130|bhp|abbr=on}} barchetta.

In 1953, Moretti Motor Company began producing a barchetta version of the Moretti 750.^{[10][11][12][13][14]}

Some barchettas have no windscreen, while others have a shallow, racing-type ("aero") screen.^[15]

Post-1950s

In 1966, Abarth released the Abarth 1000SP Barchetta, which had a very successful racing career^[16][17][18]

The Fiat Barchetta was produced from 1995 to 2005. It is a mass-produced two-seat convertible which was intended as a road car, rather than for motor racing.

In 1991, the Maserati Barchetta was released as a racing car for a single-make racing series.^[19] Seventeen cars were produced.

Ferrari revived the name in 2001 for their 550 Barchetta Pininfarina, which marked Pininfarina’s 70th anniversary. The car was first shown at the 2001 Salon de l'Automobile and 448 examples were built. It is "[i]n many ways...the legitimate successor to such legendary open Ferraris as the 166MM..."^[20]{{According to whom|date=September 2018}} Designed as a roadster for use on public roads and not as a full-bred racing car, the 550 Barchetta has a rudimentary convertible top "whose mechanism is said to require strength, skill, and patience."^[20]{{According to whom|date=September 2018}} The top is intended only for emergency use in a sudden downpour and the manufacturer advises against using it at speeds above {{convert|70|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}. The top "doesn't look as if it would survive the sacrilege of an automatic car wash."^[20]{{According to whom|date=September 2018}}

Bachetta concept cars include the 2005 Lamborghini Murcielago Barchetta,^[21] the 2001 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Barchetta^[22] and the 2007 Bertone Barchetta Concept (based on the Fiat Panda 100 HP).^[23][24]

In popular culture

"Red Barchetta" is a song by rock band Rush from their album Moving Pictures.

References

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