and Rapid, was an Italian car manufacturer founded by Giovanni Battista Ceirano in Turin in July 1904.

In 1921 it was acquired by the S.P.A. (Società Piemontese Automobili) company that had been founded by Giovanni Battista's brother Matteo Ceirano, and which, in 1925, was taken over by Fiat.

[1] In October 1898 Giovanni Battista and Matteo co-founded Ceirano GB & C and started producing the Welleyes motor car in 1899.

Giovanni Battista was employed by Fiat as the agent for Italy, but within a year he left to found Fratelli Ceirano & C. which in 1903 became Società Torinese Automobili Rapid (S.T.A.R.)

In 1906 Matteo left Itala to found S.P.A. (Società Piemontese Automobili) with chief designer, Alberto Ballacco.

Production moved to a 50,000 square meters plant in Barriera di Nizza, Turin, where 500 people worked.

In 1925 Giovanni Agnelli converted the Rapid factory at Barriera di Nizza, Turin, into 'Officine Meccaniche Villar Perosa S.p.A.' (RIV) to manufacture ball bearings.

A common feature of both models was the shaft transmission and the radiator front section with a flat oval profile.