Italian title

Chassis No. 5350048 Engine No. 5350048

- 48th example, prototype of the US model

- 1st Haflinger sold in Italy

- Original engine, superb well-preserved condition

- No reserve

 

Launched in 1959 by the Austrian brand Steyr Puch, the Haflinger was a lightweight off-road vehicle with astonishing off-road capabilities, thanks to its front and rear differential locks and its low weight. This particular example is exceptional, as it is the 48th one produced which left the factory on the 22nd October 1959. Originally intended for the Austrian army, it was kept at the factory in order to create a prototype for the US market, identifiable by the size of its headlights and its odometer graduated in miles. As it was never shipped to the USA, it was finally sold to Fiat (the brand’s distributor at the time) on the 24th October 1960 and then registered in Turin.

This is the first and only example delivered to Italy in 1960. It was discovered in the small mountain village of Curiglia in Italy, hidden in a tool shed only accessible via a stone path. Its current owner then had a restoration carried out while preserving the originality of this machine as much as possible, thanks to a specialist of this model. Its engine (the original one) was fully stripped down and rebuilt.

Only the required body parts were repainted; the soft top and lateral protections were redone using fabric from the Austrian army. The 11,990 miles displayed on the odometer are most certainly genuine. Unique in its history and specifications, as well as its well-preserved condition, this Haflinger is an exceptional collector’s item.