Founded as Bianchi in Abruzzi in 1885 by Edoardo Bianchi, the company manufactured bicycles and then luxury cars until World War Two. With the factory destroyed by war time bombing, and Edoardo dying in 1946, manufacture of cars ceased but continued for bicycles, motorcycles and goods vehicles. In 1955 Bianchi's general manager negotiated a return to car manufacture with partners Pirelli tyres and the Fiat group, and Autobianchi was formed. The new Autobianchi began by assembling Fiat components into upmarket microcars. The Bianchina was launched in 1957 with Fiat 500 components wrapped into a new body to sell above the Fiat-branded 500s. Other Fiat-inspired models followed until 1968 when Bianchi had to sell its part of Autobianchi and concentrate on its other businesses, and Fiat took over keeping the Autobianchi named alive until 1996.