Zust (originally Züst) was an Italian car manufacturing company operating from 1905 to 1917.

The company was founded by engineer Roberto Züst, an Italian industrialist of Swiss origin, who owned a precision tool manufacturing plant at Intra, near Lago Maggiore (formerly the Guller & Croff iron foundry). Züst experimented with prototypes of cars from around 1900 on and in Milan in 1905, he founded the Zust company for manufacturing cars and commercial vehicles. His first models were huge and expensive machines propelled by four cylinder engines from 7432cc to 11308cc. These were joined by a slightly smaller 5 litre model in 1908. A Zust 28/45 HP participated in the New York - Paris race in 1908 and finished third.Giustino Cattaneo (later of Isotta Fraschini) worked for him.

In 1906 Züst decided to also make smaller cars, so with his five sons he founded a new company known as Brixia-Zust in the city of Brescia. (Zust and Brixia-Zust are often confused). Due to financial problems, Brixia-Zust closed down in 1912, the Milan factory was sold and production of Zust cars concentrated in Brescia where production continued until 1914. The last new models, the 15/25 HP or 2S 365 (2592 cc) and the 25/35 or S305 (4712  cc), appeared in 1913.

On October 1, 1917, the company was taken over by Officine Meccaniche of Milan, who continued to make the S305 until 1923 under their own name. The Zust is thus one of the ancestors of Fiat and IVECO.

 

If you have a Photo of a Züst and would like to see it displayed here.
Please send it us and help contribute to Automotive History Online.

 

Contact Us      Home      Italy     Links    Site Updates

Copyright © 2005 - 2007 Randall Glover, All rights reserved.

Much of the material on this website is in the public domain and has no copyright attached to it. Original articles & Photo's appearing herein are subject to copyright. Please don't copy stuff from this site without asking; it may belong to someone! Material on this website is presented solely for historical research and educational purposes only. Any trademarks appearing on this site are the sole property of the registered owners. No endorsement by the trademark owners is to be construed, nor was any sought. The products, brand names, characters, related slogans and indicia are or may be claimed as trademarks of their respective owners. The use of such material falls under the Fair Use provisions of intellectual property laws.

If you enjoyed the site we ask that you check out our sponsers.