Fancy starting up a 2.84-liter 1910 Fiat S76 racecar but aren’t sure how to do it? Well, YouTuber NM2255 Raw Car Sounds has uploaded a sensational video of the car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which shows the startup procedure for the car as well as a run up the famous hill climb.
Built in 1910 by Italian manufacturer Fiat, the car became known as the “Beast of Turin,” and it became famous for setting several world land speed records, taking them away from the famous Blitzen Benz. It is one of the most dramatic cars ever made.
Fiat produced just two examples of the car in 1910, although one of those was eventually dismantled by the Italian manufacturer. In more recent times, the car has been seen at events in the UK, showcasing its speed and also the noise produced by the massive 28.3-liter inline-four engine that sits under the hood.
As you might expect with a racecar from the 1910s, starting up the Fiat is not an event that you can miss. In fact, it’s almost more dramatic than simply driving the classic racecar. Firing the car up also gives us a glimpse as to how it got its nickname.
How the Fiat S76 Became the Beast of Turin
It is the huge engine under the hood that gave the car its nickname. Powering the Fiat S76 is a giant 28.3-liter Fiat Type S.76 inline-four engine. These engines were initially built for airships such as the Forlanini models, and it was adapted to fit inside the new car. The tall stature of the Fiat is evidence of the monster that lurks below the surface.
The first car was built in 1910. While this was kept by Fiat, a second car was built and sold to Russian Prince Boris Soukhanov in 1911. Over the years, the car set several world records, such as hitting 116mph on the Saltburn Sands beach in England, and the car made another world record attempt at Ostende. This saw the Fiat SR76 reach a top speed of 132.27mph/
Following this, the first S76 was dismantled and used as spare parts for the company. The surviving car meanwhile was sold to Australia and given a new Stutz engine. It was crashed at Armadale in the early 1920s, before it was eventually shipped to the UK by Duncan Pittaway. The car made its public debut again after a full restoration in 205, and its display at Goodwood was its first for more than half a century.
How To Start up the Italian Racecar
The video doesn’t give a full rundown of the start-up procedure, but it is clear that getting this monster going is an event all in itself. Starting it up requires turning a handle at the front of the car, while things such as the choke are pulled inside the cockpit. As it starts up, a huge plume of black smoke emerges, and the car starts to spit flames out of the side.
When they say the car is a flamethrower, they really do mean it. The Fiat also makes an interesting rumbling sound as it is running, unlike any racecar that you will see on racetracks in 2026. The flamethrowing doesn’t stop there either. The video also shows this wild car head up the Goodwood hillclimb, with one of the best soundtracks you could wish for at the special event.