Images Courtesy of Artuciral Auction House
In the automotive world, many brands were less known to automotive enthusiasts today. One of them is Serenissima, the automotive brand founded by Count Giovanni Volpi of Venice in the 1960s for his racing team under the full name of Scuderia Serenissima. As is known at first, Count Volpi's racing team used Ferrari-engined racing cars to achieve many victories on the racing circuit at the time.
However, when its founder later funded a new company called ATS which several former Ferrari employees founded, so made Enzo Ferrari not pleased and decided not to sell his car anymore to Serenissima. So the company turned to De Tomaso, ATS, and Maserati, and it is also known that Volpi and Serenissima halted their operations in the world's automotive in 1970.
This time, we will discuss another car model made explicitly for Giovanni Volpi's racing team: Serenissima Agena. The car was initially designed as a mid-engined high-end Grand Tourer, which was relatively new at the time. Only several famous manufacturers have chosen this engine set-up. The most prominent is the Lamborghini Miura, first presented at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show, followed by De Tomaso Mangusta, carrying an American engine. Still, it said not as innovative as the Lambo's car.
Inside the cabin of the Serenissima Agena's dashboard is an impressive number of instruments and a three-spoke steering wheel with six Allen bolts.
The Serenissima Agena is designed by Piero Drogo and built on a boxy structure with tubular front, and rear subframes; and is powered by a Massimino Tipo 358 V engine. The drivetrain is a 3.5 liter overhead twin-cam V8 engine coupled with twin-spark ignition plus four Weber DCN14 carburetors; at first glance, this layout is identical to the Le Mans spyder. Besides that, the two-seater coupé has a reasonably light aluminum body made by the Modena-based coachbuilder Carrozzeria Sports Car.
There are two leather-covered bucket seats, a gear lever in a solid grille with dog-leg first gear, and a lock for reverse inside the cabin of the 1967 Serenissima Agena sports car. (Picture from: RouteVecchie)
As stated by the brand's owner, initially, the car installed louver lights, but then the front was modified by mechanics to install four lights. After finishing looking less elegant, the vehicle was redesigned to perfect its looks. As a result, the car is featured with closed headlights and more matched with lower air intake. While for several occasions, the rear spoiler was installed, but it was removed after the event ended.
Inside the cabin are two leather-covered bucket seats, a gear lever in a solid grille with dog-leg first gear, and a lock for reverse. While on its dashboard, you could be found an impressive number of instruments such as a rev counter marked in red at 7,000 rpm, an oil temperature and pressure gauge, a water temperature gauge, a battery charger and voltage gauge, a clock, and even an air intake temperature gauge.
These aviation-styled dials and gauges are four screw-mounted each, giving the dashboard an experimental feel, reinforced by a three-spoke steering wheel with six Allen bolts. The interior is featured with a touch of comfort, also completed with a Becker Grand Prix radio and a Philips cassette player with an eight-track cartridge.
While the rear spoiler was attached to the Serenissima Agena sports car for specific events, it was removed after the event ended.
The Agena is only made in one unit, which is intended as a prototype. Once completed, the Agena was not used much and is still in pristine condition, apart from the bodywork above modifications. Amazingly, the car was sold by none other than the marque owners responsible for the vehicle in the 1960s.