Southern Spark - Back in the golden age of Italian automotive design, when bold ideas met equally daring execution, the dream of building an independent sports car was more than just a fantasy — it was a pursuit that fueled countless visionary projects. Among them, one of the most intriguing and often overlooked stories belongs to a sleek, ambitious vehicle that made its debut at the 1967 Turin Motor Show: the Siva Sirio. Though the name may have faded into the background of automotive history, the Sirio remains a vivid symbol of passion, ingenuity, and the hurdles faced by regional innovation.
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| The Siva Sirio was a mid-engined sports car that combined Italian design flair with Ford reliability—conceived by Achille Candido, originally styled by Giovanni Michelotti, and brought to life by the design house Stile Italia. (Picture from: Sccret-Classic) |
At the heart of the
Sirio’s creation was
Achille Candido,
a member of a prominent entrepreneurial family from Lecce in southern Italy.
Alongside his brother Sergio,
Achille ran a successful Ford dealership — a fact that would play a pivotal role in shaping the technical direction of their sports car project. Inspired by contemporary efforts like
Bizzarrini's compact GTs and
Ferrari’s Dino series,
the brothers envisioned a mid-engined sports car that would combine Italian design flair with Ford reliability.
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| The Siva Sirio was powered by a Ford-sourced 2.3-liter V6 engine, originally delivering 95 horsepower but later tuned to push up to 145 horsepower through the addition of triple Weber carburetors and a more aggressive camshaft. (Picture from: Coachbuilt) |
Their idea came to life through collaboration with
Virgilio Conrero, a race car engineer known for his expertise in performance tuning. The
Sirio was built around a tubular aluminum frame, reinforced with a built-in rollbar and supported by independent suspension on all four wheels. It was powered by
a Ford-sourced 2.3-liter V6 engine,
originally delivering 95 horsepower but later tuned to push up to 145 horsepower through the addition of triple Weber carburetors and a more aggressive camshaft. This was enough to promise
a top speed of 220 kilometers per hour — impressive for a car of its class and time.
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| The Siva Sirio was built around a tubular aluminum frame, reinforced with a built-in rollbar and supported by independent suspension on all four wheels. (Picture from: Sccret-Classic) |
The aesthetic identity of the
Sirio was no less ambitious.
Giovanni Michelotti, one of Italy’s most celebrated car designers, was initially tasked with styling the vehicle. His first design incorporated futuristic elements such as
pop-up headlights and
a Targa roof, echoing the shape of
the yet-to-be-released Fiat X1/9. However,
the Candido brothers had a different vision in mind. They turned to
the design house Stile Italia, which had just finished shaping
the Bizzarrini 5300 GT Spyder, for a fresh take.
The final Sirio prototype featured a refined silhouette with round headlights under glass covers, a pronounced waistline, and a sharp-edged rear — all formed from lightweight aluminum panels.
With compact dimensions and a dry weight of just over 800 kilograms, the
Sirio had all the ingredients for a nimble and exciting drive.
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| The final Siva Sirio prototype featured a refined silhouette with round headlights under glass covers, a pronounced waistline, and a sharp-edged rear — all formed from lightweight aluminum panels. (Picture from: Sccret-Classic) |
To formally introduce their creation to the world,
the Candidos established
the Società Italiana Vendita Automobili — or
Siva Automobili. Their debut at
the 1967 Turin Motor Show was a resounding success. The media, particularly in Italy, greeted the
Sirio with enthusiasm. Headlines celebrated the emergence of
a “200 kph bomb from the deep south,” a nod not just to its performance, but also to the bold decision to manufacture it in
Apulia, far from Italy’s traditional automotive hubs. Interest spanned well beyond Italian borders, drawing attention from the Netherlands, France, Japan, and even the United States.
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| The Siva Sirio, with its compact dimensions and dry weight of just over 800 kilograms, offered all the ingredients for a nimble and exciting drive. (Picture from: WebCarStory) |
Plans were ambitious.
Achille Candido spoke of producing 300 cars in 1969,
with an additional 500 units the following year.
Advance orders reportedly reached 1,500 following the Turin showcase — a promising sign for any new carmaker. Yet, despite the excitement, the dream began to unravel. Financial institutions were hesitant to back a production facility in southern Italy, seeing the region as an industrial risk. Local authorities also failed to recognize the potential benefits the project could bring to the Lecce economy, withholding support at a critical moment.
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| When the Siva Sirio debuted at the 1967 Turin Motor Show, it was met with resounding success. (Picture from: Sccret-Classic) |
As other manufacturers released cars that mimicked aspects of the
Sirio’s innovative design, market momentum dwindled. Without funding, and with enthusiasm giving way to frustration,
the Siva project quietly ended in 1970. Only a handful of prototypes were ever completed. The remaining example — unrestored but still standing — is a rare relic of a dream that almost was.
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| The media, especially in Italy, enthusiastically welcomed the Sirio, with headlines hailing it as a '200 kph bomb from the deep south'—a tribute not only to its performance but also to the bold plan to produce it in Apulia. (Picture from: Sccret-Classic) |
Today, the
Siva Sirio serves as a powerful reminder of what passion and vision can achieve, even in the face of overwhelming odds. It stands not only as a lost chapter in the history of Italian sports cars but as a symbol of regional ambition, daring design, and the kind of entrepreneurial courage that still inspires. Though the company behind it may have vanished, the spirit of the
Sirio continues to shine — much like the star it was named after.
*** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SECRET-CLASSIC | PINTEREST | COACHBUILT | WEBCARSTORY | ARCHIVIOPROTOTIPI.IT ]
