Merano Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian automobile manufacturer based in Merano, South Tyrol.
Early History
The company was founded in 1919 by the Austro-Italian automotive engineer Alfredo Morelli (1888-1963) as Carrozzeria Merano.
During the 1920s and 1930s the coachbuilder created distinctive and prestigious bodies for cars from numerous European manufacturers. In a time when automobiles were exotic and often idiosyncratic creations, the products of Merano were finely crafted works of art, elegant in conception and executed with due regard to combining function with exquisite form.
As the business grew, Alfredo Morelli would no longer concentrate solely on coachwork and pushed forward the in-house development of an engine and chassis. In 1934 the company introduced the Odysseus (T8), the first automobile entirely designed by Merano.
The Odysseus was not a mere luxury car, but among the most advanced, modern, and compelling luxury cars that money could buy.
Virtually every important piece was produced in-house in Merano’s fabrication shop, foundry and machine shop. The product of artisans, each of whom took pride in the performance, reliability, quality, execution, and appearance of his separate creation, these Meranos also reflected the overall responsibility of engineer Alfredo Morelli, who continually tested, evaluated, and improved their performance until they met his high, and growing standards.When the company, which employed hundreds of artisans, mechanics, and engineers to build only a few cars, encountered the inevitable financial difficulties, it was bought by an Austrian privateer, whose family still holds 52% of the shares today.
However, it was directed to build more saleable automobiles to generate cash flow and keep those hundreds employed.Debuting in 1938, the Perseus (T9) represented a generational shift. Where the older model featured a 3.3 litre inline eight-cylinder engine moving almost 2 tons, the new car would be lighter and more efficient. Nevertheless, with its Alfredo Morelli-designed inline six-cylinder overhead camshaft engine and independent front suspension, the Perseus still offered an elaborate combination of engineering refinement and luxury.
The outbreak of war in Europe would limit production of the T9 to only a few hundred examples during the years of conflict. However, at the end of the war, the T9 offered Merano the opportunity to re-launch its manufacturing efforts by returning to its advanced pre-war design.
Historic Models
- 1934-1938 Odysseus (T8)
- 1938-1953 Perseus (T9)
- 1953-1960 Demeter (T12)
- 1953-1956 Zelos (T22)
Current Models
coming soon
The company and other pieces of data used in this thread are fictional, any similarities are therefore purely coincidental.
