Carrozzeria Colli
Carrozzeria Colli was a Milanese Italian coachbuilder known for lightweight aluminium bodies, racing cars, bespoke automobiles, Alfa Romeo projects, and specialized conversions.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Carrozzeria Colli was a Milanese coachbuilding company established in 1931 by Giuseppe Colli. The business included his four sons—Mario, Candido, Beniamino, and Tarcisio—and operated within Italy's tradition of specialist body construction, competition-car preparation, and low-volume automotive design. Its defining technical characteristic was the use of aluminium in its bodywork, a material valued for reducing weight and especially suitable for racing and high-performance cars. The company's early output included racing cars built around Fiat 1100 mechanical components and chassis. It also produced bodies using the Fiat 500, Lancia Astura, and Lancia Aprilia as foundations. These projects placed Colli in the market for individually constructed cars rather than standardized mass-production vehicles. The firm combined available mechanical packages from established manufacturers with its own body designs and fabrication expertise. During the Second World War, Colli's work shifted toward aviation-related production for air forces. After the war, it returned to automotive body construction and produced several notable special cars. Its post-war work included a pair of Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS-based cars, a car using Fiat 6C 1500 mechanical components, Lancia Aprilia-based automobiles, and a Fiat 500 barchetta prepared for the 1947 Villa d'Este event. These projects reflected the continuing importance of concours presentation, bespoke construction, and lightweight sports-car design in post-war Italy. In 1946, Colli developed the Aerauto PL.5C, an unusual roadable-aircraft prototype. The project illustrated the company's willingness to explore unconventional forms of transport and engineering beyond conventional coachbuilt automobiles. In the 1950s, Colli worked with Alfa Romeo on significant competition and experimental vehicles, including the Alfa Romeo 6C 3000CM and a unique Colli-built variant of the Alfa Romeo Disco Volante concept. Colli also had a role in open-wheel racing. In 1955 it constructed the Arzani-Volpini Formula One car, which used a twin-supercharged Maserati 1500 inline-four engine. The car had only a brief period of use, but it remains one of the more distinctive racing projects associated with the company. During the 1960s, Carrozzeria Colli broadened its practical work by converting Alfa Romeo Giulietta and Giulia models into estate cars. These conversions represented a different side of the coachbuilder's business: adapting production cars to meet body-style requirements that were not necessarily available from the manufacturer in the same form. Colli continued making car bodies until 1973, after which the brand is generally treated as defunct. Its historical importance lies in the combination of aluminium construction, bespoke Italian bodywork, competition-car projects, experimental vehicles, and close collaboration with Alfa Romeo.
History
Carrozzeria Colli was founded in Milan in 1931 by Giuseppe Colli, with his four sons—Mario, Candido, Beniamino, and Tarcisio—also involved in the company. From its beginning, the firm operated as a specialist coachbuilder rather than a high-volume automobile manufacturer. Its work centered on constructing bodies, often in aluminium, over mechanical components and chassis supplied by established Italian manufacturers. The company's initial automotive projects included racing cars based on Fiat 1100 components and chassis. Other platforms used by Colli included the Fiat 500, Lancia Astura, and Lancia Aprilia. This platform-based approach allowed the company to combine proprietary body construction with the engines, drivetrains, and chassis engineering of larger manufacturers. Lightweight aluminium was particularly suited to competition and sporting applications because it could reduce mass while allowing highly individual body shapes. The Second World War interrupted the company's normal automotive activities. During the conflict, Colli undertook work connected with air forces. Following the war, it resumed vehicle body construction and returned to the production of individually styled automobiles. Among its early post-war projects were two Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS-based cars, a car using Fiat 6C 1500 cc mechanical components, and cars built on Lancia Aprilia foundations. For the 1947 Villa d'Este event, the company created a Fiat 500 barchetta, demonstrating its participation in Italy's post-war culture of elegant, lightweight, and highly personalized automobiles. Colli's experimental outlook was especially visible in the Aerauto PL.5C, a roadable-aircraft prototype developed in 1946. Rather than being a conventional automobile, this project combined road and aviation concepts and showed how coachbuilding skills could be applied to an unconventional vehicle form. In the 1950s, the firm developed a close relationship with Alfa Romeo. Its work included the Alfa Romeo 6C 3000CM and a single Colli-built version of the Alfa Romeo Disco Volante. These projects connected Colli with Alfa Romeo's sports and competition-car activities and reinforced its reputation for specialized construction. In 1955, the company also constructed the Arzani-Volpini Formula One car. The car used a twin-supercharged Maserati 1500 inline-four engine and saw only brief use, but it remains a notable example of Colli's involvement in international single-seater racing. In the 1960s, Colli applied its body-conversion expertise to Alfa Romeo's Giulietta and Giulia models, turning them into estate cars. These conversions served customers seeking greater load-carrying practicality while retaining the mechanical basis and styling identity of Alfa Romeo production cars. The company continued producing car bodies until 1973. Its legacy is that of a technically capable Milanese coachbuilder whose output ranged from aluminium racing bodies and concours automobiles to experimental transport concepts, Alfa Romeo competition work, Formula One construction, and practical estate conversions.
- 1973
End of car-body production
[1]Carrozzeria Colli made car bodies until 1973, marking the end of the documented operating period.
- 1960
Alfa Romeo estate-car conversions
[1]During the 1960s, Colli converted Alfa Romeo Giulietta and Giulia models into estate cars.
- 1955
Arzani-Volpini Formula One car
[1]Colli constructed the Arzani-Volpini Formula One car, powered by a twin-supercharged Maserati 1500 inline-four engine.
- 1950
Alfa Romeo collaboration expands
[1]Colli worked with Alfa Romeo on vehicles including the 6C 3000CM and a unique version of the Disco Volante.
- 1947
Fiat 500 barchetta for Villa d'Este
[1]The company created a Fiat 500 barchetta for the 1947 Villa d'Este event, alongside other post-war bespoke bodies.
- 1946
Aerauto PL.5C prototype
[1]Colli produced the Aerauto PL.5C, an experimental roadable-aircraft prototype.
- 1940
Wartime aviation-related production
[1]During the Second World War, the company worked for air forces rather than concentrating on its normal civilian automotive output.
- 1931
Carrozzeria Colli is established
[1]Giuseppe Colli founded the Milanese coachbuilder, with his four sons also joining the business.
- 1930
Early Fiat- and Lancia-based racing and road-car work
[1]In its early period, Colli built racing cars using Fiat 1100 mechanical components and worked with Fiat 500, Lancia Astura, and Lancia Aprilia foundations.
Products and positioning
A specialist Milanese coachbuilder focused on lightweight aluminium bodywork, bespoke automobiles, racing projects, experimental designs, and low-volume conversions for Italian and Alfa Romeo-based vehicles.
Coachbuilding · 1931
Aluminium coachbuilt bodies
Aluminium body construction was a central feature of Colli's work. The material enabled lightweight structures and distinctive one-off or low-volume shapes, particularly for racing cars, sports automobiles, and vehicles built over Fiat, Lancia, and Alfa Romeo mechanical foundations.
Racing and bespoke automobiles · 1931
Fiat- and Lancia-based racing and special cars
The company built early racing cars using Fiat 1100 mechanical components and chassis, and also produced bodies based on the Fiat 500, Lancia Astura, and Lancia Aprilia. These cars represented Colli's core practice of pairing proprietary coachwork with established Italian mechanical packages.
Coachbuilt automobiles · 1946
Post-war bespoke automobiles
After the Second World War, Colli produced several special cars, including Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS-based examples, a car using Fiat 6C 1500 cc mechanical components, Lancia Aprilia-based cars, and a Fiat 500 barchetta presented at Villa d'Este in 1947.
Experimental vehicle · 1946
Aerauto PL.5C
The Aerauto PL.5C was a 1946 roadable-aircraft prototype. It was an unusual hybrid project that extended Colli's fabrication and body-design capabilities beyond conventional automobiles into experimental road-and-air transport.
Competition and sports cars · 1950
Alfa Romeo 6C 3000CM-related bodies
During the 1950s, Colli worked with Alfa Romeo on the 6C 3000CM. The project formed part of the company's broader contribution to Alfa Romeo's specialized sports and competition-car activities.
Experimental sports car · 1950
Colli Alfa Romeo Disco Volante variant
Colli produced a single variant of the Alfa Romeo Disco Volante. Its one-off nature reflects the coachbuilder's role in creating specialized bodies and variants rather than standardized production lines.
Formula One racing car · 1955
Arzani-Volpini Formula One car
Constructed by Colli in 1955, the Arzani-Volpini Formula One car used a twin-supercharged Maserati 1500 inline-four engine. It was used only briefly but is an important example of Colli's single-seater racing work.
Automobile conversions · 1960
Alfa Romeo Giulietta and Giulia estate conversions
In the 1960s, Colli converted Alfa Romeo Giulietta and Giulia models into estate cars. These bodies added practical load-carrying capacity to Alfa Romeo platforms through specialist coachbuilt conversion work.
Sources1 sources
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