Coachbuilder

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A coachbuilder is a manufacturer of bodies for carriages or automobiles. Initially, the skills used to build the wooden and metal bodies of vehicles was so specialized that most manufacturers procured contracts with existing coachbuilders to produce bodies for their chassis. For example, Fisher Body built all of Cadillac's closed bodies in the 1910s.

As coach (and automobile) manufacturers brought body building skills in-house, the practice of custom coachbuilding gained favor among the rich. Some ultra-luxury vehicles sold as chassis only. For instance, when Duesenberg introduced their fabulous model J 1928, it was offered as a chassis for $8,500 (in 1928 dollars). Other examples include the Bugatti Type 57, Cadillac V-16, Ferrari 250, and all Rolls-Royces produced before World War II. Many coachbuilders became associated with famed designers, such as Pininfarina and Giugiaro.

The advent of unibody construction made custom coachbuilding impossible. Many coachbuilders were purchased by automobile manufacturers and merged with their vehicle operations. Others became contract vehicle assemblers, building niche or localized cars for larger companies.

Coachbuilders often used native translations: "carrozziere" in Italian and "Karosserie" in German.