Pegaso Z-102 Cupula comes to the Museum

From the end of May, the 1952 Pegaso Z-102 BE Cup (Berlineta ENASA Cupula) can be admired for the first time at the Louwman Museum.

The car will then return from America after taking part in the Concours dElegance at Amelia Island. At this prestigious event, Pegaso was chosen by the international jury as Best of Show

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'Best of Show' 1952 Pegaso[/caption]

The lines of this Spanish Pegaso were inspired by the then prevailing hype surrounding UFOs and flying saucers. The bodywork, made of aluminum, virtually encloses the chassis. There are no bumpers; instead, rosettes with impact rubbers are fitted. The most distinctive design feature, however, is the dome shaped rear window, hence the type designation Cupula.

The futuristic design is created by ENASA, which is also the parent company of Pegaso, and is exhibited in 1953 at the New York Auto Show.

Not only because of its design, but also thanks to its striking color scheme of yellow with a green interior and red sidewalls on the tires, the car attracts everyones attention, including that of Rafael Trujillo, president of the Dominican Republic. Trujillo buys the Pegaso and keeps it until his death in 1961. Since Trujillos ownership, this Pegaso has carried the nickname El Dominicano.

After the car has had several different owners, the Louwman Museum acquires the Pegaso in 2006. Three years later an intensive restoration begins, which will last until 2015. The car is finished just in time for the concours at Villa d'Este in Italy, where the Pegaso, among other things, wins the jury prize for best design.

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The Pegaso in Villa d'Este, Italy.[/caption]

The Spanish company ENASA (Empresa Nacional de Autocamiones SA) emerged from the nationalization of Hispano-Suiza in 1945. Under the brand name Pegaso, after the winged horse Pegasus from Greek mythology, ENASA produces trucks, buses and military vehicles. For reasons of prestige, a sports car, the Z-102, is introduced in 1951. Although fitted with powerful engines and beautiful coachwork, the expensive Pegaso sports cars are not a success in postwar Europe; only about a hundred are built, and around 1957 the factory switches back entirely to producing trucks. In 1990 ENASA is taken over by Iveco and shortly afterwards the Pegaso brand name disappears.