Mefistofele Steals the Show at FIAT’s 125th Anniversary Celebration
- On the occasion of FIAT’s historic anniversary celebrations, the Centro Storico FIAT will be open to the public to pay homage to the legendary Mefistofele, created in 1923 by the Englishman Ernest Eldridge,and the speed record of 234.98 km/h it set 100 years ago.
- On July 12th, 13th and 14th, the museum’s famous Art Nouveau building in Turin will host a series of events dedicated to the ‘diabolical’ car, including a conference, a multimedia exhibition and guided tours.
- This occasion will strengthen the indissoluble bond between Fiat and Turin, with their shared history of setting records and producing iconic cars.
On the occasion of FIAT’s 125th anniversary celebrations and the 100th anniversary of the iconic Mefistofele’s speed record of 234.98 km/h, the Centro Storico FIAT will host a free entry special opening for the public on the afternoon of Friday July 12th from 3pm to 7 pm, and for all of Saturday July 13th and Sunday July 14th, from 10 am to 7 pm.
Under the patronage of Turin 2024 Capital of Business Culture and supported by the National Automobile Museum of Turin (MAUTO), the event will pay tribute to an authentic legend from the turn of the 20th century. The celebrations will start on July 12th at the Centro Storico FIAT in Turin with the conference “The Mefistofele and record-breaking cars with aero engines”, in which industry experts,
academics and relevant figures will speak. Additionally, during the three days, visitors will be able to admire a special exhibition dedicated to the racing car, as well as take part in guided tours and activities for families and children to learn about the fascinating history of the ”diabolic” car built in 1923 by Ernest Eldridge.
It all began when the Englishman, a motor racing enthusiast, bought a 1908 Fiat SB4 race car at the end of its career. His idea was to create a record-breaking car based on his ideas and the pioneering philosophy of the time. The car was modified by lengthening the chassis and equipping it with a Fiat A12 aircraft engine (the “A-12 Bis”) which had been converted to deliver 320 HP at 1800 rpm.
The nickname “Mefistofele” was chosen by the press who were astonished by its exceptional performance and hellish presence as it passed by: “… the car swells and quickly disappears again amidst dust and flames”.
The moment the red fireball broke the world speed record on July 12, 1924 in Arpajon (France) remains etched in everyone’s mind, reaching 234.98 km/h on a hard road. Eldridge managed to break three more records in 1925 at Montlhery: on the 5 and 10 km at a speed of over 200 km/h and on the 5 mile at 206 km/h. In 1969, Giovanni Agnelli purchased it from the heirs of Sir Eldridge. Today it is kept at the Centro Storico FIAT, which brought this unique model back into perfect working order after a careful and laborious restoration.
Turin, July 10, 2024