Rayton Fissore Magnum, the off-road vehicle forerunner of SUVs

In the 1980s there were several attempts made by ambitious Italian manufacturers to break into the off-road vehicle marketchallenging consolidated myths such as Land Rover and the emerging Nissan Patrol and Mitsubishi Pajero. In 1985 Giuliano Malvinoafter having taken over the historic brand of the body shop Fissorcreated the Rayton Fissures with operational base in Cherascoin the Cuneo area, announcing at the same time the start of production of the off-road vehicle Rayton the Great Fissor.

LUXURIOUS EQUIPMENT FOR THE “ANCESTOR” OF SUVs

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Il design was entrusted to the expert hand of Tom Tjaardaalready the author of several successful racing cars including the De Tomaso Pantera. The dimensions were conspicuous: tall 1,880 mmlong 2.010 mm and long 4.570 mmhad a total mass of approximately 2,200 kg. The mechanics were largely borrowed from the reliable Iveco 4X4 WM 40-10 from which they were taken differentials, brakes and suspensions. The body was characterized by the revolutionary “Everyone“, a square tube framework with body panels bolted together. This system further reinforced the rigidity of the subframe with side members and cross members. The bodywork was sober, with composite or PVC bumpers directly integrated into the lines of the Magnum and a no-frills line. The Magnum was, in fact, the first “before its time” SUV in automotive history. Two engines were initially planned, both petrol: one Fiat 2.0 twin cam Volumex four cylinder and one Alfa Romeo 2.5 V6 six-cylinder. The power of these engines was 138 and 160 HP respectively. Many the luxury details present on the Magnum including briarwood finishes, air conditioning, electric windows and a retractable stereo system.

THE UNUSUAL AMERICAN SUCCESS

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Despite a very expensive setup, the Magnum struggled in European marketsaccomplices numerous changes of ownership of Rayton Fissore. In the eyes of Italians the look was not particularly appreciated which could remotely resemble that of a “bombed” Fiat Uno. Paradoxically the Magnum found favor with American customers. The specimens “stars and stripes“they benefited from 5.0 V8 Ford and 6.0 V8 Vortec GM engines combined with a four-speed automatic transmission already highly appreciated on various Jeep and Ford models. Also contributing to US success an updated design by Pininfarina introduced starting from the late 1980s. Unfortunately, this exploit it was not enough to save Rayton Fissore from collapse. In the 1992 the Piedmontese house was declared bankrupt after yet another change of ownership, triggering a series of legal implications.

APPRECIATED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT

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As many as fifteen hundred examples of the Magnum were built for the policein particular for the police and financial police, also with armored bodywork. It was not uncommon, until the last decade, to find examples of the Magnum with police colors in the main Italian squares. However, it remained only in prototype status Magnum 4X4 Fast Attack Vehicle reserved for the Army. Equipped with eight seats e di Iveco Sofim 2800 cubic centimeter four-cylinder Turbodiesel enginehad among its particularities two removable chrome molybdenum roll bars, which allowed this vehicle to be potentially airdropable.

THE SAD EPILOGUE OF THE “ITALIAN SUV”

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After the bankruptcy of Rayton Fissore the company was reorganized as Fissore Co. also taking over a former Oto Melara a factory Gioia Taurowith the ambitious project of producing the new Isotta Fraschini T8 in addition to the Magnums. This project it didn’t take off e Fissore Co. went bankrupt in 2004 to then be renamed Tas Fissore and develop prototypes for third parties. The Cherasco plant instead passed to Magnum Industrialewhich continued to produce off-road vehicles reserved for the police until the collapse occurred in 1999. The American The strength took over the factory in autumn 2000 after having marketed the Magnum in the USA for a long time with good results. Production continued under the Laforza International name until 2003with the Magnums now equipped with engines Ford V8and then definitively ceased in the autumn of that year. Thus ended the story of the “ancestor” of SUVs, just as this type of bodywork was beginning its powerful rise on world markets.