Officine Ermini Firenze was an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Florence.
| Industry: | Automotive |
| Founded: | 1932 |
| Founder: | Pasquale Ermini |
| Defunct: | 1956 |
| Hq Location: | Florence |
| Website: | http://www.erminiautomobili.it/ |
The company was founded by Pasquale Ermini in 1932 with the opening of the first workshop in Florence, in via Campo D'Arrigo n°7, operating as a preparer of sports cars for local drivers.
1946 was the turning point, when he developed his first car based on the Fiat Alfa Romeo 2500 ss with which he managed to win the title of Italian vice-champion in the Sport Maggiore category. Also in 1946 he designed and built his first twin-cam head, to be applied to the Fiat 1100 base.
In 1947 he founded the Scuderia TESS (testa emisfera super sport) with which he achieved seventh place overall at the Mille Miglia of the same year.
Due to the founder's health conditions, Ermini ceased production in 1956, but continued to provide assistance to its drivers until 1962, the year in which the last workshop in Viale Matteotti finally closed.[1]
The first model had a tubular frame chassis.[2] [3] The drive was provided by a four-cylinder engine with DOHC valve control and two downdraft carburettors. A five-speed gearbox was used. The Gran Sport Coupé model was later presented at the Turin Motor Show. The drive was provided by a four-cylinder engine from Fiat, which had been enlarged to 1350 cc displacement. This engine produced 90 hp with DOHC valve control, dual ignition and Weber carburettor. The body was made by Pietro Frua. In 1956 the 1100 model, an open two-seater, followed.
Between 1946 and 1955, Ermini built twenty cars plus a chassis:
The brand was reborn in 2007.[4] [5] In 2014 the Ermini Seiottosei was presented.[6] The chassis was developed by Osella on the basis of its sports prototypes, with bodywork design by Giulio Cappellini and equipped with a 320-horsepower Renault engine, with an estimated production of 9 units.[7]