The Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera

After an honorable history of glory and full of wonderful cars designed in forty years, from 1926 to 1966, and mostly built thanks to the Superleggera patent, the Touring brand was taken over in 2006 by new owners.

The story begins with the naked chassis of the Isotta Fraschini first and then the Alfa Romeos. Carrozzeria Touring had acquired the rights to the revolutionary Weimann construction method. The great success came when designer Giuseppe Seregni was hired in 1927 and it was his Flying Star roadster, built on an Isotta Fraschini 8B chassis, that established Touring's reputation for stylistic innovation and unrivaled quality. Other Flying Star frames were born, many with the characteristic intertwined fenders. The driving force of Carrozzeria Touring was Felice Bianchi Anderloni. Self-taught engineer, Anderloni understood the advantages obtained by reducing both weight and aerodynamic drag, stating: "Weight is the enemy and air drags the obstacle". To pursue these objectives, he developed the Superleggera (Super Lightweight) body construction method, always associated with the Milanese coachbuilder, which consisted of an external skin of aluminum panels supported by an underlying structure of small diameter steel tubes. The first Superleggera bodies were built in 1937.

Led by Bianchi Anderloni's son, Carlo Felice, and designer Federico Formenti (hired in 1940), Touring will create some of the most beautiful and influential cars of the post-war period, starting with the Villa d'Este models on Alfa Romeo 6C chassis 2500. Formenti's other memorable projects include the 1952 Alfa Romeo Disco Volante and the 1959 Maserati 5000 GT Scià di Persia, while Carlo Felice Bianchi Anderloni was also responsible for the 1958 Aston Martin DB4. 1966. Carlo Felice Bianchi Anderloni and Carrozzeria Marazzi kept the "Touring Superleggera" brand and used it to support the company's assets until the current owners acquired the rights in 2006. The new company, in the new Touring Superleggera headquarters in Rho, is dedicated to the restoration of vintage cars but also to the creation of dream cars and exclusive cars in very limited series tailored to the customer and adhering to the principles of classic design established by the original founders.

The Sciàdipersia

In 2018 the Touring Sciàdipersia was launched, the work of designer Louis de Fabribeckers, inspired by the three Maserati 5000 GTs that Touring built in the late 1950s, the first of which was ordered by the Shah of Persia (present-day Iran), known Maserati enthusiast. The new car was presented at the Geneva Motor Show that year. Based on the mechanics of the Maserati GranTurismo, the two-door offers a retro design with old-fashioned proportions combined with modern details. Only one example of a planned production was made that had to be, however, limited to a maximum of 10 units, with the Sciàdipersia that would have differentiated due to the aesthetic customizations tailor made for customers, but also for the equipment and power of the V8 naturally aspirated. In this first and only model built, the 460 hp unit of the more performing 4.7-liter version was used. Weighing around 120 kg less than the GranTurismo, the Sciàdipersia accelerates to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds to reach an estimated top speed of 299 km/h (186 mph).

The base on which the car is made is practically unrecognizable: all the body panels are specially created by the Milanese coachbuilder and only some details of the interior can be traced back to the original Modenese car. The entire passenger compartment is revised with new leather upholstery and exclusive details, such as the aluminum inserts that recall the shapes of the exterior. Touring Superleggera distorts the setting of the original coupe, with a completely redesigned bodywork loosely inspired by the three-volume silhouette of the Touring 5000 GT, albeit considerably more slender. According to Touring Superleggera: "As with any masterpiece, it all starts with a simple concept: the arrow, which slims the center sections to extend the perceived length. Its natural dynamism is further enhanced by the front and rear fender ridgelines. Unusually, but fittingly for a full four-seater, passengers are immersed in the surrounding natural environment thanks to the extensive glazing and the vast glass roof, permitted by the slim architecture of the rear pillar ". The result obtained is more harmonious than the original Maserati car. The exterior color chosen for the specimen made and, now, at auction is called "Orient Night Sky", which according to Touring intends to evoke a clear sky at night, while aluminum accents are present on the nose, tail and “C” pillar, recalling the original. The front with point-shaped headlights is also very personal, thanks to LED components connected by a chrome plating that crosses most of the nose, combining with two other chromed profiles that emphasize the area of ​​the optical groups. New lines are also found in the bumper air intakes, supported by integrated openings in front of the doors and by unprecedented vents in the front of the bonnet. The side reproduces the lines of the roof of the GranTurismo, modified towards the rear with a totally new pillar that merges with a redesigned rear window and connected to a longer tail than the original model to create a retro look: rounded surfaces come together in this way to sharp lines creating a very sophisticated rear portion.

Of the small-scale series of 10 cars planned for production, each would be hand-built to order, and Touring Superleggera has always refused to set a fixed price, as it could vary depending on the owner's personal specifications. Currently, only one coupe (this car) has been completed, while all the others ordered, and currently produced, are convertibles.

This Sciàdipersia is based on a 2017 auto-donor and has only had one owner. Presented in perfect condition, it is offered with the original purchase invoice for € 760,620 and comes with its own set of custom Foglizzo suitcases. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own this automotive design masterpiece from one of the most famous names in Italian bodywork.