Moretti offered a range similar looking 2 and 4-seater coupes based on Fiat's 850, 124 and 125 models. The Moretti GS 1.6 (or 1600 GS) was based on the Fiat 125 and was the most luxurious and best looking of them all. This model was introduced in 1967 and manufactured up to 1971. The car shown here is a 1.6 GS of the first series from around 1968 and expertly restored.

From the side it looks a bit out of balance but still it's a nice flowing design. It shows how a Pininfarina Fiat Dino coupe might have looked if Fiat hadn't turned to Bertone for the coupe design. Pininfarina itself also presented two prototypes of the Fiat Dino spider with a roof: a coupe and a hardtop. Both didn't find much acclaim at the time and it's hard to find some info about these cars now. As mentioned in the Fiat Dino pages the hardtop was produced as an accessory for a while in a limited number. It was however considerably less spacious than this 4-seater design.

At the front and the rear the Fiat Dino Spider inspiration is best visible, though there are certainly lots of differences preventing it from being a mere copy.
Moretti was probably the most successful Italian small scale special manufacturer of the post-war period; it put its first car on the road in 1946 and didn't end production until late in the 1980s. The company reached its peak in the late 1960s, early 1970s when about 2500 to 3000 cars were manufactured annually. Most classic and valuable Morettis are however those of the early years with self designed mechanics, like the 750 Sport coupe from 1954 with a 748 cc double overhead camshaft (dohc) Moretti engine producing an impressive 75 hp @ 8000 rpm.

The Moretti GS 1.6 was powered by a standard Fiat 125 engine. There were two versions available: the regular 4-cylinder 1608 cc dohc version producing 90 hp @ 5600 rpm and the "Special" version which offered 100 hp @ 6000 rpm. The car on the pictures has the 125 Special engine.
Though originally fitted in the dull 125 sedan bodyshell these engines were modern and sporty and offered great performance. Maximum speed of the Moretti was around 180 kph and it accelerated from 0-100 kph in under 11 seconds.

How many Morettis GS 1.6 have been produced and the amount of them that have survived is unclear. It's certain however that they are quite exotic and rarely seen outside of Italy. It's a much more unique car than the Fiat Dino but it's valued only by a very limited group of enthusiasts, which makes it a hard car to trade.
The GS 1.6 and its various sister models are elegant, typical Italian cars that deserve to survive. They can't be regarded as a profitable investment, but can be enjoyed as easy to maintain collector's items fit for a daily drive and enjoying classic car events.

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