Ercole comes from a theatrical family. In 1915, following the untimely death of his father, he is called upon to show off all that his father had taught him and that he had learned: for the previous ten years he has been technical manager at the factory.
That which seemed to have been born only as a fashion fad, becomes a habit for some. Orders for motorcars become ever more numerous and the premises in via della Chiusa are now inadequate.
Ercole decides to move the business to new premises, which he has specially built, with a layout that facilitates all the production processes and can accommodate the workforce required to satisfy the increasing demand from all over the world.
“Carrozzeria Castagna & C.” makes the best chassis, above all those exceptional ones, such as the Isotta Fraschini, Mercedes-Benz, Hispano Suiza, Daimler, Lancia, Duesenberg and Alfa Romeo, transforming them into the epitome of comfort.
The entire world recognises the Milan coachbuilder’s style and that of his “dream factory”.
The models displayed for the first time in the halls of the Hotel Commodore in New York became famous, namely the “Prince of Wales” sedan, based on an Isotta Fraschini chassis and purchased by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, and the “Commodore” roadster, based on an Isotta Fraschini and Mercedes Benz chassis.
Comm. Castagna is always present in the factory: he is the first to arrive in the morning and the last to leave at night.
Convinced that the difference lies in the detail, the quality of assembly and the finish, every vehicle produced is meticulously inspected by him before being shipped or delivered to the customer.