GENEVA 2018 - Touring Superleggera makes world premiere of Sciadipersia, shows drop dead gorgeous Disco Volante Spyder #3 - AllCarIndex
88th INTERNATIONAL GENEVA MOTOR SHOW:
TOURING SUPERLEGGERA PRESENTS
TOURING Sciàdipersia
- Touring Sciàdipersia, a modern manifestation of the romance of travel, evoking the ethos of the Orient Express on four wheels.
- Touring, a leading name in the coach built car market, once again surprises the world with a new vision of Gran Turismo.
- Sciàdipersia, limited to just ten unique examples, takes its inspiration from a past Touring Superleggera icon.
- With extensive all-enveloping glazed areas the passengers get to enjoy the journey as much as the driver.
Touring Superleggera at the 88th Geneva Motor Show
At the Geneva Motor Show Touring presents a new limited edition custom-built car, an innovative interpretation of the gran turismo theme: a car designed for long journeys, where the passengers derive as much pleasure from the journey as the driver.
Touring Superleggera again confirms itself as a paragon of Italian design, and a master of the fuoriserie, offering a large, powerful, luxurious car, but cleverly designed to disguise its size, demonstrating that mastery of design and craftsmanship can lighten the appearance, adding an ethereal, diaphanous quality.
As it often happens, it was an admirer of Touring Superleggera's portfolio who commissioned the creation of this new model; a car designed to cover long distance with complete ease and in total comfort.
Sciàdipersiais a coach built four seater, to be built in maximum ten examples, each intended for the most discerning customers, who appreciate luxury and value their time. Time to indulge in savouring the journey.
Heritage
Touring Sciàdipersia celebrates the sixtieth anniversary of the bespoke coachwork designed by Touring in 1958 on the Maserati 5000GT rolling chassis for the ruler of Iran, a demanding and astute collector of fine motorcars, and nicknamed after him. For such a man a grand design of regal elegance was commissioned, and then as now, the client consented to a very limited production run, resulting in three cars.
Design
Touring Superleggera's style is renowned for its perfect proportions, and in the Sciàdipersia the line is that of a quintessential gran turismo, with flowing, elongated shapes that slip effortlessly through the air. In complete contrast to the current trend, Touring has adopted graceful proportions, that hint at a subtle haughty elegance, regal in every sense, exuding dynamism without aggression. Distinctive, refined, svelte, subtle and classy all define Sciàdipersia. The surface treatments portray an arrow about to be loosed from a bow, with a sharp front and a suggestion of the fletches at the rear.“The absence of visible support structures allows light to flood the cabin, allowing a total involvement with the surrounding environment, making the journey not only comfortable, but exciting, satisfying, absolute,” says Louis de Fabribeckers, Head of Design.
Dynamism is expressed by the horizontal feature line which divides the car, without disturbing the harmony of the silhouette. Smooth surfaces, joined by sharp edges on the side and tail enhance the purity of the design.
Different treatments are applied to the aluminium trim, with highly polished detailing juxtaposed with hand-brushed satin finishes, to reflect the light in different ways, emphasising the coachbuilt nature of the car.
The extensive greenhouse and glass roof, interrupted only by a brushed-aluminium C-pillar, immerses the occupants in the natural surroundings of the outside environment, with panoramic views out, and with the passing scenery a silent travel companion, the cosseting interior brings to mind images of luxury travel in the days of the Orient Express and the great ocean liners. Contributing to this effect is the Orient Night Blue, a sumptuously rich hue that reproduces a clear night sky, reflecting points of light like distant stars.
The interior carries themes over from the exterior, such as the continuous horizontal division wrapping around the occupants, suggesting a horizon, above which is blue sky and below is the land.
Touring used the finest hides from Foglizzo, supplier of bespoke luxury leather for unique cars since 1921 for the interior. The care for details went as far as to develop a special aroma, which Foglizzo reserves for Touring customers. The exterior's deep blue is matched by the seats, which are then highlighted with contrasting piping and stitching, while the centre of the headrest displays the Sciàdipersia name, carefully embroidered by hand. Delicate, lighter shades of natural colours are used to offset the darker colours of the seats.
As befits such a regal car, a set of fully-customised Foglizzo luggage sits comfortably in the boot.
As in the past, Touring Superleggera leads the way by bucking the current trend for aggressive frontal treatments, reverting instead to a sporting style more reminiscent of decades gone by: the low-slung front, clean side surfaces with edgy junctions, and a substantial tail. All the themes, however, are rendered in the strict Touring language design, where right proportions come first, followed by essential lines and surfaces, subtle ornaments and a sense of fulfilled harmony.
Chassis and Engine
Like the original car, Sciàdipersia is based on a Maserati rolling chassis. Choosing the Maserati GranTurismo as a basis gave Touring Superleggera the ideal starting point, its specifications being perfectly suited to the project, with excellent torsional rigidity, comfort and high performance. The glorious naturally aspirated V8 engine has a noble character and can provide effortless power and torque, giving the driver an immensely satisfying experience. The mechanical components, electrical systems and all electronics are retained unaltered from the manufacturer.
Manufacturing
Sciàdipersia is built entirely by hand in the Touring Manifattura in Milan blending traditional hand-beaten panels with lightweight carbon fibre elements. Precision and quality of the body must match the most compelling standard, and cutting-edge digital measurement tools are used to this purpose at each stage, from the panel fabrication through to the body-in-white and the finished car. The manufacturing process is completely documented and digitally logged to ensure repeatability.
Quality control processes include static and dynamic tests before the vehicle is approved for road use. High standards of panel alignment, panel gaps and clearances, painting, polishing, leather craft and stitching are all rigidly adhered to. Functional tests are conducted in a climatic chamber. Dynamic tests for air and water tightness, road noise, wet and dry handling, driveability, braking, NVH and all performance aspects are carried out on track. Tests are also carried out for maximum speed and rough surface behaviour.
Type Approval
Sciàdipersia has received Type Approval under European Directive 2007/46EC for cars in small series production. The engine complies with the EURO 6 regulations.
Delivery Times and Costs
The price for Touring Sciàdipersia is available on request. Touring Superleggera is able to deliver the complete car within six months of receiving the donor car. Each part produced or modified by Touring Superleggera is covered by a two year, unlimited mileage warranty, subject to normal terms of use. The procurement of parts produced or modified by Touring Superleggera is guaranteed for life.
TOURING Sciàdipersia
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions
Length: 4965 mm
Width: 1903mm
Height: 1353mm
Wheelbase: 2938 mm
Boot volume: 260 litres
Fuel tank capacity: 86 litres
Weight: 1700Kg
Engine Cylinders / Type: V8, 90 degree
Displacement: 4691cc
Transmission
Rear wheel drive.
MC Maserati transmission 6 speed electro-actuated sequential synchronised shifts
with steering wheel-mounted controls and automatic function
OR
6 speed automatic ZF gearbox with torque converter.
Wheels
Tyres: front 245/35 ZR20,
rear 285/35 ZR20
Rims: forged aluminium
Performance
Maximum speed (estimated): 301 Km/h
Acceleration (estimated) 0 to 100 Km/h: 4.6 seconds
Power: 338kW (460 HP) @ 7,000rpm
Maximum torque: 520 Nm @4750 rpm
Emission Rule: EURO 6
Fuel consumption: Urban: 23l/100 Km,
Extra urban: 10l/100 Km,
Combined: 15l/100 Km
Co2 emissions (combined): 337g/Km
The History of Touring Superleggera
Carrozzeria Touring was established in 1926 by one of the world's foremost car designers, Felice Bianchi Anderloni, and the company immediately sealed its position as a creator of the finest designs of the time, winning the most prestigious concours d'elegance, at Villa d'Este, among many others. The wealthiest customers and the most exalted brands came to Touring to have their coachwork designed and built; brands like Alfa Romeo, Isotta Fraschini, Lancia and BMW. In the post war period just about all of Europe's top sports and luxury car makers went to Touring for their landmark cars. Ferrari (most of that firm's production up until 1952), Lamborghini, Maserati, Pegaso, Aston Martin and Bristol are just a few of the many great names whose cars were clothed by Italy's most distinguished couturier.
The patented "Superleggera" (or extra light) construction method allowed Touring's designs to excel on the race track, and an unprecedented 11 outright wins on the Mille Miglia, together with victories in grands prix, Le Mans and every other conceivable major series are testimony to that.
Some of the better-known masterpieces from Touring include the Isotta Fraschini Flying Star (1931), the Alfa Romeo 8C 2900s (1937), 2500 Villa d'Este (1949), and Disco Volante (1952), the Maserati 3500 GT (1957), the Ferrari 166MM Barchetta (1949), the Aston Martin DB4, 5 and 6 and the Lamborghini 350GT (1963), but the back catalogue is one of the noblest and most extensive of any coachbuilder.
More recently the historic name was purchased by a private European group specialising in luxury car brands. This led to the Maserati Bellagio (2008), the A8GCS Berlinetta, which won the "Best Supercar of the Year" award in 2009, and the Bentley Continental Flying Star (2010).
In 2011 Touring Superleggera created the Tornante, a supercar commissioned by Gumpert, and in 2012 a new Disco Volante was unveiled to celebrate the 60th anniversary of a true icon of automotive design, the Disco Volante C52. True to form, Touring used innovative shapes and volumes to create a stunning new design, which debuted in production form at the Geneva Salon in 2013. Based on the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, the car went on to win the prestigious Design Award at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, before displaying at Pebble Beach and the St. James Palace Concours of Elegance and again winning at Chantilly.
In 2014 Touring was commissioned by MINI to produce a new concept, exploring new frontiers of automotive design. The MINI Superleggera™ Vision was displayed at Villa d'Este before winning the coveted "Best Concept Car of the Year" awards at Salon Privé and the Automobile International Festival in Paris. MINI Superleggera™ Vision displays Touring Superleggera's potential to offer manufacturers turn-key projects delivering creativity and flexibility as much as rigour in engineering and executing.
In 2016 The Alfa Romeo Disco Volante Spyder, based on the 8C Spider, was debuted at the Geneva Salon before going on to win the "Design Award for Concept Cars and Prototypes" at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este and the "Spirit of Motoring" award at the Windsor Castle concours of elegance.
For 2017 Touring Superleggera collaborated with Artega on a new project using electric powertrain, and the new Artega Scalo Superelletra was debuted at the Geneva Salon. This car, with incredible performance, blends perfect styling from Italy's leading coachbuilder with technological efficiency from Germany.
All of Touring's products are designed and manufactured at the headquarters in Terrazzano di Rho, just outside Milan, Italy.
