Professor Enrico Bernardi built a gasoline engine in 1883, and eleven years later was responsible for Italy's first car. It was an original and advanced con¬cept, as far as the engine was concerned. The little three-wheeler's power unit boasted a detachable cylinder-head, overhead valves, automatic lubrication, a jet carburettor of Maybach type, and fuel and air filters. It was capable of turning at 800 r.p.m., at which speed it developed up to i\ b.h.p. and drove the 6 cwt. car at 20 m.p.h. The S.A. Miari e Giusti of Padua acquired the Bernardi patents in 1896 and began to make his car under the name of Miari e Giusti. As was common at this early date, cars were built with minor variations, as illustrated. Notably, the machine above has wheel steering, while the one below is steered by tiller. In the same year, a four-wheeler was built. A model with a 3.5 h.p. engine was put into produc¬tion in 1899. The firm went into liqui¬dation in 1901, unable to compete with conventional small cars such as the F.I.A.T., and French imports and derivations.
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