Early Beginnings
1948 PMI Zelo 122 Competizione
The first Zelo car featured a racing chassis and a Fininparina styled body, and was handbuilt by in a local workshop outfitting racing team.
Powering the 122 C is the Colombio 12.20, a 1995 cc (60.0 mm x 58.8 mm) Direct-Acting Over-Head Cam 60° V12, producing 160 horsepower at 7100 rpm and 175 Nm of torque at 5600 rpm. Around the engine, a light, hand-made tubular frame and light-weight aluminum body paneling ensured this light road-legal race car could reach speeds over 180 km/h fairly comfortably.
Handling-wise, the 122 C was technically remarkable, with racing sway bars front and rear and finely tuned brakes, it did not suffer the twitchiness and nervousness of many of its competitors in the day.
Despite its exquisite driving abilities, and its success in late 40s, and early 50s racing, the car was very expensive and time-consuming to produce, and only 24 road-going examples were ever produced.
Stats – Zelo 122 C:
Suspension: F/R: Independent double wishbone
Engine: Cast Iron 1995 cc V12 DAOHC-24, double-barrel triple-carburated
Drivetrain: Front-engined rear-wheel-drive
Weight: 970 kg
Top speed: 195 kph
Acceleration: 0-100 in 7,4 seconds
Fuel Economy: 12,8 l/100 km at 50 kph; 13,9 l/100 km at 80 kph
Braking performance: 80-0: 37 meters
Wheels: F/R: P165/90C14 104H
1950 PMI Zelo Inter 122 S and 1951 PMI Zelo Inter 162 S
Using the same base engine block as the 122 C, but with a more road-friendly tune, a first true PMI Zelo car was developed. The Inter 122 S was not a sports car, but a 4-seater grand tourer, which luxurious interior. The 1995 cc engine now made a much lower 100 horsepower at 6100 rmp, but coupled to earlier accessible torque, with a peak of 158 Nm at 3200 rmp.
The chassis is a simple ladder frame with the engine and bodywork bolted on. This made the chassis available for coach builders, as well as other racing stall, which could modify the engine back into racing spec.
Feeling bold, PMI decided to start working on a V16 variant with the same (60.0 mm x 58.8 mm) bore as the 2 litre V12. The resulting 2660 cc engine was put into an even more opulent version called the Inter 162 S. With hand-made interiors and increased power output of 140 horsepower at 5800 rpm and 201 Nm of torque at 3500 rpm, the car was mostly intended for export.
Production was slow and limited, but the cars, luxurious and easy to drive though expensive, found a limited audience among successful post-war entrepreneurs, celebrities and among diplomatic missions.
Stats – Inter 122 S:
Suspension: F/R: Independent double wishbone
Engine: Cast Iron 1995 cc V12 DAOHC-24, double-barrel triple-carburated
Drivetrain: Front-engined rear-wheel-drive
Weight: 1221 kg
Top speed: 156 kph
Acceleration: 0-100 in 12 seconds
Fuel Economy: 9,4 l/100 km at 50 kph; 11,7 l/100 km at 80 kph
Braking performance: 80-0: 55,1 meters
Wheels: F/R: P155/105C15 108S
Stats – Inter 162 S:
Suspension: F/R: Independent double wishbone
Engine: Cast Iron 2660 cc V16 DAOHC-32, single-barrel quad-carburated
Drivetrain: Front-engined rear-wheel-drive
Weight: 1288 kg
Top speed: 179 kph
Acceleration: 0-100 in 9,6 seconds
Fuel Economy: 16,0 l/100 km at 50 kph; 13,4 l/100 km at 80 kph
Braking performance: 80-0: 55,1 meters
Wheels: F/R: P155/105C15 108U