Thursday, January 20, 2022

Pegasos with Factory-Built Bodies

I wrote about an astonishing Pegaso design here and here.  For me, that  Berlina Cúpolo is what I think about when Pegaso comes to mind.

But there was only two of those built.  What of the other 80 or so Pegasos?  The present post presents two early cars with factory-built, rather than custom-built bodies.

Gallery

1952 Pegaso Z-102 2.5 Berlineta Cúpula - ENASA Body - unknown image source
ENASA (Empresa Nacional de Autocamiones S.A.) was a Barcelona based builder of trucks (and a few Pegaso automobiles).  This, perhaps the most famous Pegaso, is clad with a body made at the factory.  It seems that two were made, and one survives.  Most later Pegasos had bodies built in Italy and France.

1951 Pegaso Z-102 Berlineta prototype - ENASA body - for sale photo
Styled in the spirit of contemporary Italian custom designs, this car established Pegaso's frontal theme.  Wheel openings are extended towards the rear and topped by character lines intended to reduce the visual bulk of slab sides.  The vent on the front fender doesn't relate well to the items just mentioned.  There is no front bumper.

However, there is a minimal rear bumper.  The curved trunk lid and nearby rear fenderline are simple.  An interesting touch is the three-segment wraparound back window.  It's clearly influenced by American designs, but is rather short, cramped, perhaps due to glass forming limitations of the time.

1952 Pegaso Z-102 cabriolet - ENASA body - Bonhams auction photo
This is the open-top version.  Both cars have an odd, tacked-on air intake behind the door cutline.  The front has tiny bumper-guards, but no bumper.

Another type of minimal rear bumper.  Again, a simple, rounded shape.  Fender openings conform more to wheel shape than on the previous car.

1954 Pegaso Z-120 berlinetta by Touring - unknown source
An example of a later, Italian-built body found on many Pegasos.  Touring was doing excellent work in those days.  Yet there is still no front bumper.

No comments: