Pegaso 1951-1958 - Spanish image carriers
Summary
There were around 10,000 car brands and designers - most of them have disappeared. One of these vanished brands is Pegaso, the pride of the Spanish in the 1950s. Advanced technology and attractive design made this Ferrari desirable in Spain, but comparatively few vehicles were built overall.
Estimated reading time: 3min
Preview (beginning of the article)
The Spaniards were really proud of their former sports car brand Pegaso. Its inventor, the highly talented engine designer Wilfredo P. Ricart, had already developed various sophisticated power sources before he took up a senior technical position at Alfa Romeo in 1936, where he created high-performance engines for racing. After the war, he was entrusted with the reconstruction of the Spanish state-owned automotive industry. As a by-product of the commercial vehicle company Enasa, Ricart put a super sports car on wheels in 1951: the Pegaso Z-102 was fitted with a V8 aluminum engine with 2472 or 2816 cm3 capacity and 2x2 overhead camshafts, a rear-mounted 5-speed gearbox and a De-Dion rear axle. The bodywork, some of which was beautifully designed, others extravant and spectacular, came from Enasa itself or from specialists such as Touring (Italy), Saoutchik (France) or Serra (Spain). A 3178 cc version was added in 1953. With two superchargers, the power range extended to 310 hp, but racing did not bring the hoped-for success.
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