The Fiat 805-405 is a racing car from 1923, developed by the Italian automobile manufacturer Fiat. It was the first Grand Prix car to feature an engine with supercharger.
History The Fiat 805 was externally much like its direct predecessor, the Fiat 804 of 1922. Mechanically it was, however, a pioneering vehicle, being the first Grand Prix car to use a supercharger to increase its engine's output. The noteworthy improvement in engine performance that Fiat achieved could soon also be found in some competing cars, e.g. the Bugatti Type 35 and the Alfa Romeo P2 (the latter shared many mechanical parts with the Fiat), so its initial advantage was soon caught up.
The Fiat 805 had a 1,979 cc engine with 8 cylinders in line (Tipo 405), which produced with a centrifugal Witting compressor and later with a Roots blower. It weighed and could reach a top speed of about . The two seats were not exactly in line, and also the coachwork behind the seats was asymmetrical. The wheels were by Rudge-Whitworth, the brakes had a servo.
Famous drivers of the 1920s, such as Pietro Bordino and Carlo Salamano, used this vehicle. Although much to the dismay of Giovanni Agnelli, Fiat would abandon the world of racing in 1927, due to the frequent fatal accidents that claimed the lives of numerous drivers.
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