Tariffs and their effects on automobile production are nothing new. At the turn of the 20th century, numerous European automakers decided to try their hand at building cars on the other side of the Atlantic, in a bid to avoid onerous import taxes. Most famous and successful of these was Rolls-Royce, which built its cars in Springfield, Massachusetts, for over a decade. Daimler tried too, as did Fiat, which produced its fine Italian machines for wealthy American motorists in Poughkeepsie, New York, from 1910 to 1918.

Fiat offered several different American models under the memorable tagline of “The Master Car,” but the majority were four-cylinder cars, built very closely to the Italian designs. The Type 55 featured a nearly 9.4-liter or almost 534-cubic-inch four-cylinder engine, cast in a very modern monobloc design with a chrome nickel steel crankshaft, delivering about 60 horsepower through a four-speed selective-shift transmission. It was a brawny giant, capable of a top speed in excess of 70 mph, which made it among the fastest luxury cars of its era.

“The 55 H.P. is one of the most powerful and fastest stock cars which Fiat has ever produced, and anyone interested in extreme power and speed, and at the same time having the easy luxurious riding qualities of all models, should see and ride in the Type 55 before purchasing any other car,” boasted the factory brochure. “The difference in construction, power, speed, economy in operation and easy riding qualities, as compared to any other motor car built, is apparent.”

The Type 55 offered here, one of very few known survivors, was restored with a rakish speedster body, of the type very popular with wealthy young sportsmen of the era and, subsequently, with early restorers in the 1930s and 1940s. Reportedly, the restoration included a new radiator as well as a recast engine block. It was completed by the well-known collector and restorer, Gary Wales, noted for his excellent speedster builds from this era. The car joined the Vehicle Vault Collection in early 2013, where it has remained on display since. It has recently been mechanically recommissioned in preparation for sale.

Handsomely finished and presented, this big Fiat tells part of a fascinating Brass Era automobile story—one when European automakers first reached out to American shores. It promises much driving excitement for its next owner, both around town and on tour.