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An “unidentified object” on wheels that aroused curiosity and speculation, leading both journalists and the public to come up with stories bordering on science fiction. A skilful marketing trick by the Portello-based company, in partnership with Carrozzeria Touring, that led to a very unique car, and we will tell you all about it through another very special encounter. Words Fabio Morlacchi Photography Paolo Carlini Archive Courtesy of Alfa Blue Team, Sanesi Family, Fabio Morlacchi Archives Introduction Looking back at the story told by SpeedHolics of the Alfetta 158 on show at MAUTO - National Automobile Museum in Turin, “Alfa Romeo 158: the 159.109, a Milanese in Turin” (see the Yearbook 2023) , at the end of the long interview directly with “her”, the 159.109 pointed out another racing car further back in the half-dark hall, another Alfa Romeo that she often chatted to when things were quiet. And looking in the direction she indicated, I thought I saw a faint flash. The Disco Volante 3000 during a practice session in the winter 1952. The single windscreen was replaced by a longer one. As I believe that some cars communicate with us, I went back to the MAUTO a second time to hear the story of that other car, the C.52 Disco Volante 3000. And here I am again, in that large, half-dark hall. And once again, I see that faint flash coming from the Carello headlamps ... Disco Volante - “I haven’t had a busy life, in the sporting spotlight like the 159.109 over there, and I’m not used to talking. Please let her do it for me. But remember, there’s something that has annoyed me for a very long time, like a stone stuck in the tyre treads. My engine isn't the CM.3000 3500, but the previous 3000 developed by Giuseppe Busso! I don't know why, but after the first edition of the Museum catalogue, they always wrote that I had a 3500!” So here I am, tasked once again with telling you a story. A Fiat CR.32 formation in the late 1930s. The fighter plane had a Fiat A.30 RA Bis engine, a 24-litre V12 600 HP, designed by the engineer Tranquillo Zerbi. Perhaps the aliens were watching from above The story Monday 22 August 1936, in the sky between Venice and Mestre. Two pilots and their Fiat CR.32 biplane fighters took off from a Royal Italian Air Force airbase nearby, hit the throttle hard on the Fiat A.30 RA Bis 600 HP engines and managed to tail, for a short time, a metallic flying saucer with a diameter of between 10 and 12 metres, before it disappeared from view at high speed. The alarm was given across the skies of North-Eastern Italy. Benito Mussolini was promptly informed of the event:  “Are they armed? Are they friends?” “Duce, perhaps they are English!” “What did the pilots see?” “A Saturn-like, disc-shaped aircraft that gave off a regularly flashing bright orange-white light, with smoke and sparks.” “Deny, deny any version you hear! Put it all down to an optical effect.”  With its developments monitored by Mussolini in person, this was the first sighting of a flying saucer documented by the military in Italy, and many others would follow. The facts became known after the war.  On 24 June 1947, the US businessman Kenneth Arnold was flying his plane when he saw a formation of large flying saucers over Mount Rainer, near Seattle. This was when the term “flying saucer” was first coined and became immediately popular. In an incident a few days later, on 8 July, in Roswell, New Mexico, an alien flying saucer crashed to the ground in the desert and was recovered by the US Air Force. In 1952, the same United States Air Force coined the term UFO, Unidentified Flying Object, to define these unknown objects. In the popular imagination, we continue to talk of flying saucers – or “disco volante”, in Italian. There were many “sightings” after the war, arousing both curiosity and apprehension among the people, not without a strong attraction to those alien ships about which nothing technical was known, except that they were able to chase off even our most modern planes. But did people really see them? Were they Martians? At the time the popular belief was that the aliens came from the nearby red planet … Alfa Red?  But there’s more: in spring 1952, some flying saucers were seen in the sky above Milan. And, in early May of the same year, Alfa Romeo announced the presentation of a new Sport category car in Monza. This was quite unusual; this type of car was never presented officially to the press and was usually kept under wraps until just before the race. This is the first oddity. Between late May and early June, the journalists and curious onlookers at the Autodromo saw a red flying saucer. It went really fast, but had 4 wheels and some of the people there swore that they saw not an alien, with green skin, a trumpet-shaped nose and pointed ears at the wheel, but Consalvo Sanesi, Alfa Romeo's chief test driver and an able F1 driver.  Sanesi entered the track driving the new C52 Disco Volante spider with a 3000-cc straight-6 engine, the first version to be ready and tested. The Alfa Romeo Chairman Pasquale Gallo was also present. Gioachino Colombo, the car designer, standing near the entrance gate, shouted some final advice to the driver above the roaring engine and the “music” that came out of the poorly-silenced short twin exhausts. Sanesi put his foot down hard, accelerating along the straight in front of the stands and into the short circuit, causing the Disco Volante to skid visibly into a slight counter-steer with a clear side roll into the porphyry bend on the Brianza circuit. At the end of the first day of test runs, the 3000 had driven at an average speed of 177 km/h, while on one of the following days, the 2-litre, 4-cylinder model, completed in the meantime, recorded an average of 164 km/h, faster than the Formula 2s! Test driver Consalvo Sanesi enters the track with the Disco Volante 3000 during the first tests in Monza. Gioachino Colombo stands on the right, shouting out some advice The Disco Volante 3000, driven by Sanesi, slightly counter-steering during the first tests in Monza, May-June 1952 Curiously, to track the new car and take the official photographs to be used for the analyses, one of the three 1900 sedan prototypes that remained at the “Sperimentale” (the Alfa Romeo Experimental Department in Portello) was fitted with test plates.  The journalists began to wonder where the incredible cars they had just seen were heading, also because everyone’s lips were sealed at Alfa on the subject. This was the second weird thing. They wouldn’t be competing in the Mille Miglia as they thought because, it had just finished . Perhaps Le Mans that was in less than a month, the Targa Florio, and certainly the 1953 Mille Miglia, they wrote! Alfa had timed the event perfectly to get the journalists’ imagination going. Initially the two versions were recognisable by a few details, and the 3000 was slightly wider, with a twenty-centimetre longer wheelbase and a more pronounced rear overhang, which gave the car a more slender line. The tyres were also wider. But these were all characteristics that were hard to note when looking at the car on its own or in motion. During the first test runs in Monza between late spring and summer 1952, the 3000 version had a single windscreen in front of the driver’s seat, while the very slightly later 2000 had a longer windscreen running across the two seats. On the smaller 4-cylinder version, the twin exhaust pipes were at the rear, while in the 6-cylinder version they were beneath the left-hand door. The headlight frames also different, practically non-existent on the 2-litre version and very visible on the 3-litre version. In subsequent tests, when the 2000 was also ready, the 3-litre version also had the same long windscreen, probably useful for protecting any engineer-passengers, at least from the wind racing in their faces, leaving them to enjoy the adrenalin rush caused by Sanesi’s “heavy foot”. The Alfa Romeo had just left the Formula 1 having won the first two World Championships in 1950 and 1951. The “Alfettas” – the 158 and its evolution the 159, with 450 HP reached on the test bench by some particularly successful and “fresh” engines, had reached the end of their development and began to occasionally show the first signs of failure in some engine parts, including the cylinder head. To remedy these problems, everything had to be done from scratch, or at least preparing new crankcases and heads to replace those that had been in use for years, with costs that Finmeccanica, the state financial holding of the IRI Group that Alfa Romeo belonged to, wasn't willing to cover. Better to withdraw undefeated. Perhaps these futuristic Disco Volantes were the cars intended to race in the Sport category after the three special competition berlinettas, the C.46 Competizione or Sperimentali, with a prepared 6C 2500 engine. The sports journalists already saw them as rivals of Mercedes and Ferrari. Aside from the engines, the new Sport category cars were the work of the engineer Gioachino Colombo, assisted by part of Orazio Satta’s team and watched with interest and curiosity by the Alfa Chairman, Pasquale Gallo. Having worked at Portello in the 1920s and later at Itala in Turin, Gallo was a technician, a poet and a bit of a dreamer, and very much in love with Alfa Romeo. When he was hired at Portello in January 1924, Colombo was “loaned” to Ferrari, which managed the Alfa Romeo racing team until 1929. In 1937, he designed the 158 in just a few months. Returning to Alfa Romeo, after the Alfa Corse racing department had been set up in late 1938, he was deputy manager of the racing car design department. Colombo left Alfa in August 1947, to return in February 1951 to manage the car design department, and left again on 31 August 1952, finally leaving the technical team in the hands of Satta and Busso. Returning to the C.46 Competizione, it is worth mentioning that the third and last car built was never equipped with the racier 145 HP 6C 2500 engine, but rather a unique 2995-cc straight-6 engine based on an engine designed by the technical team of the Spaniard Wifredo Ricart just before he left Alfa Romeo in March 1945. When Gioachino Colombo left Alfa Romeo in 1947, he was replaced temporarily as head of the design team by Luigi Fusi until Busso's return. Having returned to Portello in January 1948 after a short break working for Ferrari for 18 months, Giuseppe Busso began to design a new engine at the end of the year, having assessed the one made by Ricart, a straight-6 2700 cm3, originally fitted with a single overhead camshaft, hydraulic tappets, coolant pump driven by an electric servomotor, underlining the fact that nothing is created from scratch in motor mechanics, things are merely developed. The 6C 3000 engine mounted on the Disco Volante 3000 The engine was completely redesigned by Giuseppe Busso, inspired by the Gazzella 2-litre, a sedan prototype developed during the war. It had a 3-litre engine capacity and a crankshaft with double overhead camshaft, originally intended for a large, American-style sedan, the 6C 3000. This was the replacement of the 6C 2500, the engine of which had been in production, initially with a 2.3-litre engine capacity, since 1934. Life-size plaster model of the large US-style 6C 3000 sedan, totally out of tune with the Alfa Romeo tradition. The project was stopped and replaced with a smaller, more agile sedan, the 1900, later known as the “sedan that wins races”. Now that’s a real Alfa! Busso started developing the engine in the autumn of 1948, and in the summer of 1949 three engines were ready, complete with spare parts, and bench testing began. Consalvo Sanesi tested the chassis of the large sedan in November 1949, but in early 1950 Finmeccanica stopped the project for this large and expensive car. 1949 saw the start of the project for the first modern Alfa Romeo, the 1900, finally equipped with a monocoque and a 4-cylinder, 1.9-litre engine with double overhead camshaft, officially presented in Milan for the first time in the autumn of 1950. In 1951, developments began on a 4-cylinder, 2-litre engine based on the 1900 type. The relationship between the 6-cylinder, 3-litre and the 4-cylinder is clear, even though the 2-litre, 4-cylinder had an aluminium crankcase, in contrast to the cast iron engine block produced as standard on the 1900 and those used on the engines of the four subsequent 2000 Sport/2000 Sportiva cars from 1954-56. The 6-cylinder, 3-litre version, originally designed during wartime and so in a period when precious materials such as aluminium, destined almost exclusively for building planes, were scarce, had a cast iron crankcase from the start, with only the crankshaft in aluminium. This choice was also imposed to ensure the required rigidity for the cylinder block with six straight cylinders, reducing the torsion effects of the long shaft. The final bore measurement chosen by Busso while developing the engine, was 82.55 mm (3 1/4 inches), common in 6 and 4 cylinders but unusual with the strange decimal places, explained by the need to source the pistons and processing machinery from England immediately after the war when it was practically impossible to find anything in Italy. The piston stroke was also different, 92 mm for the 6 cylinders and 88 mm for the 4 cylinders, with actual engine capacities of 2995 and 1884 cc. After Finmeccanica stopped the 6C 3000 project, as we have seen three 3-litre engines (and respective spare parts) had already been built, and one of these was fitted on the third berlinetta C46 Competizione, consequently renamed the 6C 3000 C50; this was driven by Sanesi in the 1950 Mille Miglia. In the 4-cylinder engine used on the Disco Volante, the bore had been taken to 85 mm, with an 88 mm stroke, and an actual engine capacity of 1997.4 cc. The preparation had a good thrust, and indeed the engines apparently delivered 158 HP at 6,500 rpm. This was quite high, and might have indicated a compliance with the US SAE regulation, which required that engine power be measured without any accessories or exhaust systems mounted. 130 HP at 6000 rpm, the data given on the official technical data sheet of the time drafted by Alfa Romeo itself, would appear more plausible; it would seem to be indicated here according to the German DIN or Italian CUNA standards, where power was measured practically in the actual operating conditions. The data provided by Luigi Fusi in the notes he made in the ‘60s from memory are improbable: according to these, on the bench the 2000 reached an outstanding 188 HP, i.e., 94 HP/l, in November 1952! The data probably refers to the 3000-cc version, as for the 3-litre it states around 190-200 HP at 7000 rpm, the engine prepared with more thrust than the one mounted on the berlinetta C50 Competizione, which reached 165 HP at 6000 rpm. Not bad at all, if we think that the original mono-carburettor version envisaged for the large 6C 3000 sedan delivered 120 HP at 4800 rpm. Weighed unladen, the scales stopped at 660 kg for the 2-litre Disco Volante and 100 kg more for the 3000, with a much larger engine built mostly using the much heavier cast iron. The cars were in any case very light and aerodynamic, modern, very unusual and attractive, with a name that was also clouded in mystery. What could be more intriguing for fans of the time, when UFOs were often seen in the skies around the world? We have seen that – much to the chagrin of Busso and his technical team, Colombo returned to Alfa Romeo once more in an executive role. And so the engineer from Legnano had to manage the project and the first developments of the new sports car. This is why two groups of engineers were set up in Alfa. One looked at the new car in an overly diffident and critical manner, the other with the enthusiasm that is usually devoted to one’s own creations. The genesis of the new car was very quick. Alfa Romeo filed the patent for the original “Bodywork for cars with symmetrical biconvex profile with on-board wing-flared sides” in the summer of 1952, in the name of Colombo just before he finally left Portello, and with the approval – under duress – of Carrozzeria Touring, which at the time included Alfa as one of its largest and prestigious clients.  The light steel pipe chassis of the Disco Volante at Touring handles easily and effortlessly. The Disco Volante takes shape at Touring In fact, the Disco Volante was the result of a very close and secret collaboration between Alfa’s Colombo, along with some of his close colleagues, Carlo Felice Bianchi Anderloni and Federico Formenti, respectively owner and head of the Touring Style Centre. Only the Chairman of Alfa Romeo, Pasquale Gallo, was “kindly” allowed to take part in the meetings. The project was drafted during secret sessions held both during the day and often during the evening.  The secret design (… of course, it was for a flying saucer!) was developed considering the mechanical dimensions very closely. The chassis continued to follow the new tubular technique, integrated and completed by smaller pipes housing the aluminium panels shaped by the panel beaters, which formed the bodywork in line with the classic Touring method. It was therefore indispensable to work in synergy, to avoid doubling the parts and increasing the weight, and that was how things were done. Although a serious project, it was actually great fun for the people involved. Who would ever have thought of designing and building a car that was fundamentally unsuited for racing due to the width of the bodywork without being able to exploit it to widen the axle tracks to improve the road holding, a powerful, bare-bones car built cheaply that would become a legend for its unique beauty! Then there was the issue of the original name, “Disco Volante”, which, as explained, in November, again in agreement with Touring, Alfa Romeo deposited for its own exclusive use. The suspensions of the new Sport were taken from the standard 1900 sedan, including the rigid rear axle, in the new version with  lower longitudinal tie-rods and upper central triangle to control the transversal axles shaking and complete the guide in extension . This type of rear suspension with rigid axle was to characterise all Alfa Romeo’s production up to the advent of the Alfetta in 1972. Busso’s team wanted to use a rear De Dion axle, which was what then happened for the later 3000 CM and 2000 Sport/2000 Sportiva, designed when Colombo had once again left Alfa Romeo for the last time.  The 6-cylinder Disco Volante 3000 engine tested on the bench; the three large Weber 48 mm dual-body carburettors clearly visible. On the right, the test driver, driver and mechanic Alessandro Gaboardi Winter 1952, Alfa Corse department on the corner of Via Traiano and Viale Serra. In the foreground, a 3000 CM coupé with a temporary front, bodied by Colli. Probably the first one prepared The brakes had two shoes for each brake (4 are often specified, incorrectly), with helicoidal-finned aluminium drums, while the engine returned to the aluminium crankcase of the first sedan prototypes, later abandoned due to the known problems of flexure and noise, which were unacceptable on a passenger car. But here it was significantly ribbed during casting with a thick rhombus pattern to stiffen the cylinder block. According to Giuseppe Busso, it was Colombo who wanted this solution, which turned out to be expensive while saving only five or six kilos in weight. Counter-weighted engine shaft, single fuel supply with two Weber double body horizontal draught carburettors with simultaneously opening throttles, the same as the ones used on the 3000-cc engine, which however mounted three of them. The dynamic air intake on the carburettors of the 3-litre were characteristically positioned against the right-hand horizontal lobe of the chassis and covered by a mesh, originally further back and poorly visible on the 2-litre.  Four spider versions of the Disco Volante were built, one 3-litre and three 2-litre. After the tests conducted in the summer of 1952, in order to improve the aerodynamics Touring successfully modified the style of a spider 2000 to become a coupé, to offer three configurations of the same car to be tested and “fed” to journalists and enthusiasts: 2000 spider, 2000 coupé and 3000 spider. Today the beautiful coupé seems almost to be the inspiration that led Sir William Lyons’ team of stylists to create the 1961 Jaguar E-Type, another wonderful car legend that, in this case, was produced in series. The 1900 Disco Volante coupé in its final appearance, photographed outside the Touring sheds. Note the wording ‘Superleggera’ and that never used elsewhere, “Disco Volante”, in the same font in the place of the license plate. With the polished aluminium perimeter profile. Note the mirror-finished twin exhaust beneath the left-hand door without silencers Detail of the rear mirror reserved for the registration plate, with the identification wording that was never seen again Perhaps at this point, if he was still alive, Henry Ford would even have agreed to not wear a hat any longer! Poor Mr. Ford, I always end up mentioning him, but with some Alfa Romeos that is inevitable! In October, to present its range of new production and racing cars, Alfa Romeo organised a day in Monza called “A chilling encounter”, to which artists and scholars, poets and philosophers, painters and dramatists were invited, all people usually considered distant from the car world. Drivers including Ascari, Fangio, Farina and Sanesi, took these unusual guests out in the various versions of the 1900 and the Disco Volante on the Brianza track, slippery with rain, and the spectacular success of the event was assured. Although considering that the Disco Volante was not designed for racing, in the autumn of that magical year 1952 it was decided to modify one of the two remaining spider 2000s for uphill racing, removing the characteristically large sides to narrow the bodywork to a conventional size in order to make it more drivable both on the circuits and on the mountain routes. Also in this case, Touring made all the changes quickly and easily, and the Disco Volante, defined somewhat hypocritically, as Busso said, as the “narrow hip” type, began its competition career in January 1953, the only Disco Volante to do so. Alfa Romeo never had the “narrow hip” Disco Volante compete officially but often loaned it to private drivers to take part in races, mainly in southern Italy, in 1953 and 1954. In 1954 the car was sold to the Swiss driver Jean (Willy) Ducrey, who raced it a few times in Switzerland and France. In 1959, the “narrow hip” returned to Italy, purchased by the Neapolitan driver Luigi Bellucci, who raced it in 1953 while it still belonged to Alfa Romeo. Fritz Schlumpf bought it from Bellucci in early April 1963 through Jean Studer, a former driver and partner of an Alfa Romeo dealer in Switzerland. Carlo Felice Bianchi Anderloni of Carrozzeria Touring recalls a fifth Disco Volante and gave the VIN number, but there is no trace in any archive or any memory of this spider 3000. It is very probable that the chassis was built, not completed with bodywork and later destroyed at the “Sperimentale”, given the “propagandist” intention of the car, and also because there was only one other 3000 engine available, which they perhaps preferred to keep as a reserve for the existing 3000 or the berlinetta C50. And then, the 1900 was already in production and had to be marketed. It was therefore quite logical to afford more space to the 4-cylinder version. It should be noted that efforts were in any case made to exploit the 6C 3000 engine. In late 1951, negotiations were held with the Paris-based company Facel-Metallon, which was interested in the construction licence for the engine and related production machinery, and a contract was drafted specifying an initial royalty of 3% on each of the first 1000 (!) engines built and the related spare parts. It is not known which car the French wanted to mount it on (and they would in any case have to use the wording “Manufactured on licence from Alfa Romeo”), but nothing came of it and, after its brief period on the Disco Volante 3000, the 6C 3000 engine finally entered Portello history. Winter 1952, Alfa Corse department on the corner of Via Traiano and Viale Serra. In the foreground, a 3000 CM coupé with a temporary front, bodied by Colli. Probably the first one prepared Alfa Romeo exploited the ownership of the Disco Volante name even after the original Touring creations. The subsequent 3000 CM spider and coupé (but with a 3.5-litre engine) which raced intensively in the following sporting seasons in the hands of drivers of the calibre of Fangio, Kling, Sanesi and others, initially received this name from journalists and enthusiasts, practically forcing Alfa Romeo to adopt it semi-officially, even though they did not have the typical biconvex bodywork and were not bodied by Touring, but by Carrozzeria Colli.  In fact, in early December 1952, Alfa asked Touring to make the new sports cars with the new 3500-cc engine at a cost that could not exceed the offers of other coachbuilders, a sign that it had “already had a look around”. The matter was finally solved in late August 1953, when Alfa received Touring’s official refusal to produce the bodywork for the new Sport at the indicated financial conditions. In any case the job had already been given to Colli, in Viale Certosa in Milan, a few hundred yards from Touring’s headquarters in Via Ludovico Da Breme, also close to Portello. The letter, dated when Alfa already had a few of Colli’s 3000 CM taking part in the races, seems to be done at the request of an “official” reply (verba volant, scripta manent...) and relieved Alfa from any potential problems.  It is worth remembering that the new racing car not only didn't have the same original type of bodywork of the Touring Disco Volante, but neither the chassis, the suspensions or the mechanics generally. As Giuseppe Busso well recalls, their 3.5-litre engine was based vaguely on the 3000 originally intended for the 6C 3000 sedan, but this is practically a new project with completely different vital measurements, despite keeping that now-classic Alfa layout with six straight cylinders and double overhead camshaft with hemispherical expansion chamber and single power supply, here with six Weber 50 DCO horizontal monobloc carburettors. Some accessories were in a different position, and the distributor was splined to the rear of the exhaust camshaft like on the standard 1900 and the 3-litre Disco Volante 2000, while on the 3.5-litre it was positioned to the side of the crankcase. The tappet system was also different; on the 3.5-litre they were done by interposing valve lifters in oil bath, adjusted by calibrated pads, between the cam and the valve, instead of the classic adjustable plates. The subsequent reduction to a 3-litre engine, used on the “PR” (acronym of Passo Ridotto, “reduced wheelbase”) was also obtained by reducing the 3.5-litre engine stroke. But for now, as they say, that’s another story. The only Disco Volante 2000 of the three built, the spider with convex sides, polished and finished with greater care and equipped with a twin exhaust beneath the door, continued its “promotional work” and was loaded onto a Douglas DC.3 twin-engine plane and taken to New York, where from 21 February to 1 March 1953 the “World Motor Sport Show” was held in Madison Square Garden. The world’s production of the most beautiful sports cars of the day was on show at this prestigious exhibition, in a parade that made dreams come true! While it was travelling to Linate in an Alfa Romeo 450 truck, the ill-fated driver of a Vespa 98 hit the mudguard of one of the truck's rear wheels. Who knows, perhaps it was even one of the very first Vespas, with the body and cylinder built by Alfa... keeping things in the family! Transport from Portello to Linate airport for the BEA DC3 flight to New York. A Vespa 98 turns out of a junction as the Alfa tipo 450 passes and hits the rear right-hand mudguard. It may have been one of the very first Vespa 98s, with body and cylinder made in Portello... The Disco Volante waited patiently on the truck while the police assessed the scene, and at last it reached the airport, where the terminal was still under construction. The loading operations were stressful and it took a long time getting the car into the wide side door of the plane, pushed by hand and overseen by Formenti and Touring’s lawyer Ponzoni. At Milano-Linate airport, at last. At Linate airport, the Disco Volante 2000 is loaded into the BEA DC3 fuselage with a few hitches! Note the perplexed expression on some people’s faces ... Return to Milano-Linate: the rear damage caused when unloading it from the plane is clearly visible. The sides of the car touched the edges of the plane door and the car had to be slid inside directly from the truck, turning it immediately to fit longways inside the plane's fuselage. This was certainly the reason why the 3000 was not sent to the States, as the extra 42 cm length would have been an insurmountable problem for loading it onto the plane. It was weird that nothing went wrong, but on its return to Italy, during the unloading operations, the tail violently hit a beam, slipped and was ruined. The event in New York was a huge success, but despite this the Disco Volante was assured none of the much-expected commercial success that was described in the press. It was simply put to one side. Perhaps the mysterious fifth car was not completed but destroyed precisely for this reason.  The spruced-up Disco Volante 3000 at the Alfa Romeo stand at the 1953 Geneva Motor Show, among the 1900 range. We have seen how this car was deemed a brilliant exercise in style but ineffective in the sporting field. Or, perhaps that was precisely its purpose, to arouse international interest and advertise mass-produced cars, an amazing marketing strategy at reasonable costs, seeing as most of the mechanics were already available, including the now-useless 3-litre engine taken to the limits of its potential, and further fuelling the “Alfa Romeo legend”. Perhaps Sanesi knew or realised this, and that was what came across in the photos portraying him during the test runs at Monza. In one photo he has that typical, restrained and enigmatic smile, his penetrating gaze telling the photographer: “Nice isn’t it? Desire one, but buy a 1900. I’ll show you what it's capable of driving round the track in mine, but you will never know how awkward it would be among the other racing cars on the tight bends. Nothing like Le Mans!”. I hope the ladies won't be offended, but the real Disco Volante is like a curvy woman with wide, sensual hips, a slim waist and generous bust, totally unsuited for competition sports... As the interest aroused by the car confirms, Alfa continued to receive letters in the late ‘50s from enthusiasts from different countries, first and foremost the United States, asking how and where they could buy a Disco Volante. Today, all four Disco Volante “sisters” still survive in their original configuration or modified condition, aside from a few details. The 2000 spiders (the one taken to New York and the coupé) are on display at the Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese. “Our” spider 3000 – the star of this story – is at the National Automobile Museum in Turin, gifted by Alfa Romeo in the 1950s, and as she herself has “told” us, she is often incorrectly indicated as having a 3500-cc engine. Curiously, only the first edition of the catalogue (1960) correctly stated that she has a 3000-cc engine. The 2-litre “narrow hip” is on display at the National Automobile Museum in Mulhouse, France, bought by Fritz Schlumpf, shortly after the end of her long, if not intense, sporting career that ended in 1959. When other 4-wheeled flying saucers have been or are seen, they are merely the monsters created in the mind of a modern Mary Schelley. This is the story of a car that seems to come from deep space. A skilful marketing operation that produced a four-wheeled dream, that still today makes enthusiasts’ hearts beat faster.  Disco Volante - “Thank you so much! You know, here there’s another Alfa Romeo that has a few stories to tell, you must know her. She’s older than me and the Alfetta 159.109, her name is P2...”. I look around for her... I’ll be back to you again as well, I promise. And it’s been exactly one hundred years since ... Credits and Acknowledgments The author, Fabio Morlacchi was born in Milan in 1960, and studied architecture and advertising graphics. In 1983, he started working for an advertising agency, on the launch of the Alfa 33. A car fanatic from a young age, Alfa Romeo was a passion at home too, as both his parents worked there: his father was a designer and his mother worked in Sales. His love of planes came from his paternal grandfather, who was a bomber pilot and officer of the Regia Aeronautica (Italian Royal Air Force) from 1918 to 1943. He is a member of the Alfa Blue Team, historian, speaker and writer on car history, particularly that of Alfa Romeo, as well as the history of Italian aviation. The photographer, Paolo Carlini , is a professional photographer from Milan with over thirty years of experience. He is a member of the Order of Journalists and the National Association of Prifessional Photographers Tau Visual. Specializing in commercial imagery, he has worked with prominent clients both in Italy and internationally. Carlini has captured portraits of artists, designers, and entrepreneurs, which have been exhibited in prestigious shows. He has also published photography books and shares his expertise through workshops and courses. Paolo Carlini is a respected figure in the world of photography SpeedHolics thanks the MAUTO – National Automobile Museum in Turin, for having made available the “Disco Volante” from its prestigious collection for this article. Appendix The Disco Volante “narrow hip” drivers and races Piero Carini: 2nd in the Coppa Sant'Ambroeus on 11-01-1953, 10th in Messina on 25-07-1953, 4th in the Coppa Intereuropa on 11-09-1953 Pietro Palmieri and Francesco Matrullo: withdrawn from the 12 Ore in Pescara on 16-0 8-1953 Goffredo Zehender and A. De Giuseppe: withdrawn after 8 hours at the MM on 16-04-1953 Soldani and Vivaldo Angeli: 11th at the 10 Ore in Messina on 07-7-1953 Nicola Musmeci: 8th in the Coppa D'Oro in Siracusa on 10-10-1954, position not known at the 1954 Catania-Etna Luigi Bellucci: 2nd in Avellino on 12-07-1953, 3rd in the Giro di Calabria on 02-08-1954, withdrawn at the G.P. Supercortemaggiore in Merano on 06-09-1953 (won by Fangio in the 3000 CM) Jean (Willy) Ducrey took part in several races during the 1954-1955 season, 3rd in the uphill race in Cote de Planfoy (F), withdrawn on the Bremgarten Circuit (CH), position unknown at the Gran Prix d’Orleans (F) on 05-06-1954, position unknown at the uphill race in Kandersteg (CH) in 1959.

At the heart of this story lies a car: the Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 Aerodinamica Spider, also known as the extraordinary Jankovits Aerospider. For years, debates swirled around its origins and legitimacy, fueling discussions across countless internet forums. Back in 2012, while researching this model for my book "Quando le Disegnava il Vento" (1), I found myself navigating a labyrinth of conflicting theories. “It has sparked schools of thought and divergent opinions,” I wrote then, “starting with the fundamental question: Is it truly an Alfa Romeo?” (2) Words and Drawings Massimo Grandi Today, however, I believe the story has been clarified, thanks to a monumental monograph titled “Alfa Romeo Aerospider” (3) written by its current owner, German collector Georg Gebhard. He dedicated years to research, collecting extensive documentation and introducing a rich array of original materials from the car's creators, courtesy of the son of one of them, who also authored one of the book's prefaces. Eugenio (Gino) Jankovits was born in Fiume (today Rijeka, Croatia) in 1911, followed by his brother Oscar in 1912. After the premature death of their father, the brothers were raised by the wealthy family of their grandfather, Eugen Fabich, a prosperous timber merchant. Upon finishing high school, the two young men enrolled at the Polytechnic University of Turin: Eugenio in the Faculty of Engineering, Oscar in Architecture. However, they both shared a passion for engines, automobiles, and speed. They convinced their grandfather to invest in a garage where they could experiment and work on their ideas and projects. Thus, the “Autorimessa Lampo” was established in Fiume—a garage that was the largest and most modern in the region. It employed skilled craftsmen, mechanics, coachbuilders, and upholsterers. With space for 100 cars, it also became the exclusive dealership for Alfa Romeo and OM (Officine Meccaniche Brescia) in the Istrian region. Unable to balance their studies in Turin with work at the garage in Fiume, the brothers decided to leave the university to fully dedicate themselves to their projects. It was 1933. The adventure was about to begin. At the time, Alfa Romeo was facing challenges in its racing activities with its prestigious and successful P3 GP car due to fierce international competition, particularly from Germany’s Auto Union. The technical director and head of design at Alfa Romeo was Vittorio Jano. In January 1934, Jano was invited by Ferdinand Porsche to witness the testing of the new Auto Union Type A on the track. Jano was highly impressed by Porsche's revolutionary car, which featured a tubular frame and a 16-cylinder engine positioned not at the front but behind the driver, in a mid-engine layout. This configuration wasn’t new to Porsche, who had experimented with it during his collaboration with Edmond Rumpler for the Benz Tropfenwagen in 1923. The Tropfenwagen also had a mid-engine design, was low and streamlined, and, when viewed from the side, resembled a teardrop (in German, “Tropfen”). Ferdinand Porsche maintained this configuration in all his subsequent Auto Union GP cars and in the Cisitalia Tipo 360 . Jano, already aware of the advantages of a mid-engine layout, was convinced by the Auto Union Type A to pursue a similar project for Alfa Romeo: a 12-cylinder mid-engine GP car that could compete with the German machines. However, he knew that Alfa Romeo couldn’t handle the simultaneous development of a new engine, chassis, and body, not to mention the financial risk. Unlike Germany, where Auto Union and Mercedes-Benz enjoyed government funding of 300,000 marks each, no such state investments existed in Italy. Jano understood that Alfa Romeo’s board of directors would never approve his project. Nonetheless, he was determined to proceed. To do so, he needed external facilities, technicians, and, most importantly, funding. This “outsourcing” would also help keep the project hidden from competitors and even Enzo Ferrari, who at the time managed Alfa Romeo’s racing team. Jano was unwilling to risk the project falling into other hands. Jano had previously met the Jankovits brothers when they were students at the Polytechnic University of Turin, an institution he maintained close ties with from his time at Fiat. The Polytechnic was advanced in mechanical and aerodynamics studies, boasting a wind tunnel and producing top engineering talents. Jano recognized the brothers’ talent, preparation, and passion for engines and racing cars. He had even taken them to the aforementioned Auto Union Type A tests in January 1934. The Jankovits brothers had everything needed to start the project: a well-equipped garage, the skills and motivation, and the financial means. Jano proposed his idea to them, and they enthusiastically accepted, immediately starting work. Blueprints and sketches were regularly reviewed and discussed with Jano. Unfortunately, much of the early-stage materials were lost during the war and the Jankovits’ flight from Fiume. Jano managed to supply the brothers with an Alfa Romeo chassis (#700316), prepared for a 12-cylinder mid-engine layout, along with a temporary 95-horsepower engine, a gearbox, Alfa Romeo suspension components, and racing wheels. Modified Ford 8V rear suspension, Lockheed braking parts from a 1938 Buick, and a differential from a Lancia Dilambda were also used. By 1935, the project had progressed significantly, with the design resembling a sporty spider. While it was conceived as a single-seat GP car, its design disguised its true purpose to maintain secrecy. Evidence of this is the centrally positioned driver’s seat. Looking back at the photos taken during the road tests, one cannot help but notice the temporary nose covering the car's radiator—a nose that appears to draw inspiration in its shape from Porsche's Auto Union cars. One could also, purely as a flight of imagination—just as an exercise of fantasy—try to envision a hypothetical form for Jano's GP car. The car’s body took shape by 1937, featuring a sleek, aerodynamic profile. Lacking rear lights and fitted with only one headlamp, it was unmistakably a racing car. But in 1937, Jano left Alfa Romeo, and in his place, engineer Wilfredo Ricart was appointed. Thus, the ambitious GP project fell apart, leaving the Jankovits brothers with a race car that, in its current configuration, had no future. To recoup their investment, they decided to transform the racing spider into a road-going spider. Between 1938 and 1939, they modified the car’s racing design to make it suitable for street use. The P1 engine was replaced with a 6C 2300 engine, two passenger seats were added on either side of the central driver's seat, and a large three-piece windshield was installed to protect the two lateral passengers. This windshield, while functional, was not very consistent in size or shape with the sleek and flowing lines of the bodywork. However, it was attached to the body using screws at the base of its supports, making it easily removable. Additionally, rear lights and a license plate were installed, along with two low, round headlights at the front. With all these modifications, the car was fully homologated for road use. In 1939, the car was truly groundbreaking. Aside from the GP Auto Union cars, no road vehicle featured a mid-engine layout. To see something similar, we must fast forward to 1948 with the creation of the first Porsche 356, the No. 1—a sporty roadster with a comparable architecture: the engine mounted longitudinally at the center of the chassis, between the passenger seats and the rear axle. Even in its exterior design, the car was absolutely original. Aerodynamically efficient, it vaguely recalled the extreme lines of the German record-breaking vehicles, such as the Auto Union Type C Streamliner of 1932. The bodywork does not merely clothe the bare mechanics but is shaped based on aerodynamic principles of drag resistance and, above all, the flow of air streams around its mass. Its clean and harmonious lines, low profile, long descending tail, and smooth, rounded flanks all respond exclusively to aerodynamic and fluid-dynamic needs. The architecture consists of three elements: a central fairing that follows the teardrop shape principle and two pontoon-style fenders with a descending rear profile. The sides are smooth and uninterrupted, with the only exception being the slight protrusion of the rear wheel covers. At the front, there is a low hood beneath the fenders, an air intake designed and cut directly into the body without any grille, and two low, round headlights integrated into the structure. The three volumes blend seamlessly, sculpting an interplay of concave and convex lines in the transverse profile. This integration extended to envelop the entire underbody, preventing turbulence between the road surface and the vehicle’s body. The overall design concept is that of the "Alaspessa," already present at the end of the 1930s and later widespread in sports cars of the 1940s and 1950s. This concept features a longitudinal airfoil-shaped profile with compact forms, fenders, and headlights integrated into the car's bodywork. However, unlike other similar designs, the engine is no longer placed at the front but at the center of the vehicle, immediately behind the driver. This change leads to the evolution of this design concept, revolutionizing the form system: the front attachment, or the car's nose, which drops below the fender profiles; the absence of bumpers; and the headlights integrated flush with the bodywork—these are all elements that together help improve aerodynamic penetration and minimize disturbances to the airflow at the front of the car. In this perfect synthesis of aesthetics and aerodynamics, as previously mentioned, the large windshield in the road version noticeably clashes. While it served to protect the two side passengers from the wind, its size and square shape broke the fluid, streamlined coherence of the bodywork’s design. Today, after passing through many hands and being restored by its current owner, Professor Georg Gebhart, the Aerospider shines once again. Painted in a deep petrol blue-green, it can be admired at the Technik Museum in Sinsheim, Germany. An automobile conceived for racing and speed, its every detail reflects a pure functional philosophy. This purity of concept and simplicity of design make the Jankovits Aerospider a timeless masterpiece, nearly 85 years after its creation. (1) M. Grandi , “ Quando le disegnava il vento ”, Libreria Automotoclub storico, Torino, 2012 (2) Editor's note : Despite the numerous publications and ongoing discussions surrounding this remarkable car, there remains no definitive proof regarding the exact circumstances that led to its creation. Much of the narrative is based on historical interpretations, but the full story continues to be shrouded in mystery. The details of its conception, design, and development remain elusive, leaving room for further research and exploration. (3) G. Gebhard , “ Alfa Romeo Aerospider ”, published by Georg Gebhard, Waldbröl, Germany, 2018 -- Massimo Grandi , architect and designer, previously director of the Car Design laboratory at the Design Campus of the Department of Architecture at the University of Florence. Member of the ASI Culture Commission. Among his published works: “La forma della memoria: il progetto della Ferrari Alaspessa”, “Car design workshop”, “Dreaming American Cars”, “Ferrari 550 Alaspessa: dall’idea al progetto”, “Quando le disegnava il vento”, “Il paradigma Scaglione”, “La più veloce: breve storia dei record mondiali di velocità su strada” (with others).

Giovanni Michelotti, my father, was one of the most influential designers in the world of automotive design. With a confident hand and an unmistakable aesthetic, he left a lasting mark on the industry. The Historical Archive preserves over six thousand of his drawings—a mere fraction of his works, many of which remain scattered across the world. Those drawings capture his vision, his ability to create forms with spontaneity and certainty, making each stroke a concrete expression of his ideas. Words Edgardo Michelotti Photos and drawings Archivio Storico Michelotti (http://www.archiviostoricomichelotti.it/) The Archivio Storico Michelotti represents only a small portion of my father’s lifetime production. It offers just a glimpse into my father’s life, with countless sketches and figurines beyond its collection, often treasured by collectors or sold at auctions. His real body of work could easily be three times larger than what’s catalogued. The sketches we have are enough to understand his methods: he drew effortlessly, almost as if transcribing what he already saw in his mind. Watching him in the 1950s was remarkable—each line flowed without hesitation or correction. For my father, creating automobiles wasn’t just work; it was genuine enjoyment, a pure expression of his passion and creative genius. His creative process was as original as it was direct. He never started with preliminary sketches or small-scale plans. Everything was in his mind, and his lines took form directly at a 1:1 scale, ready for realisation. This aspect made his creations authentic and distinctive. I had the privilege of witnessing the drafting of his “piani di forma” (shape plans) at a 1:1 scale, without ever starting with preliminary sketches or smaller-scale designs. His ideas were born fully formed in his mind and were directly transferred to technical drawings, complete with all necessary views: side, top, front, and rear. These drawings were intended for the construction of the wooden model and the subsequent shaping of the prototype, including sections and mechanical details. The "Piano di Forma" was a large-scale drawing, typically 5-6 meters long and about 1.5 meters high, gridded every 20 cm – and every 10 cm in more complex sections. It depicted the profiles and sections of the car’s outer bodywork, including the side view and, overlaid, the top view, with half of the front and rear views placed on either side of the main lines. This tool contained all the information and lines necessary for modelers to build the wooden prototype, used for shaping the metal sheets, as well as to design the equipment required for assembling the shaped panels created by the sheet metal workers. In addition to the main profiles, the Piano di Forma also detailed the mechanisms, such as the linkages for door handles, window regulators, retractable headlights, and the hinges for doors, the hood, and the trunk. In essence, this drawing served as the foundation for constructing the complete car prototype. I saw him use any available tool, from pencils to felt-tips, brushes to ballpoint pens, on any type of surface he could find—tracing paper, cardboard, or drafting film—without ever erasing a line. For him, both the tool and the surface were completely irrelevant: he would use any type of pencil, felt-tip pen, ink pen, or ballpoint, regardless of color. Similarly, he had no preference for the surface: white paper, the back of a sheet of packing paper, cardboard, a notepad, or any other available surface. In my archive, I keep sketches made on graph paper with ballpoints in various colors. He often drew on the white margins of the magazine La Settimana Enigmistica while solving a puzzle or completing a crossword grid. The one thing I never saw him use was an eraser: he never erased anything because his ideas were immediately clear and definitive. He didn’t like making changes and rarely felt the need to do so. The certainty with which he shaped his forms made his work instantly recognisable. I watched him create car forms with a disarming simplicity, in a timeframe so brief that it left me astonished. He drew exactly what was already in his mind, as though he were printing a snapshot of his thoughts. My father loved to set his cars within evocative contexts, giving each project life and character. His works reveal cars speeding alongside motorboats on rivers, models posed against American backdrops like the Lily Ann shop, and perspectives from circuits like LeMans or racecourses. He was capable of building a narrative around every car, enriching his figurines with details that brought them to life. This is one of the traits that made him unique: he was not just a designer but a visual storyteller. Giovanni Michelotti was a tireless seeker of new lines, driven by a constant need to innovate. For him, drawing knew no limits of time or place: every moment of the day and any available surface became opportunities to give shape to his ideas. It wasn’t uncommon for him, while working on a project commissioned by a client, to add a sketch inspired by a sudden intuition. A striking example of this spontaneous creativity is the image below, which depicts the Triumph 2000/2500 second series. This drawing was created in an entirely unique way: he made it during a Sunday evening TV broadcast on Rai, aired before dinner, which commented on the first half of a recently concluded football match. His work pace was relentless. Working in the evening and continuing late into the night was a routine for my father, as he was often busy during the day visiting clients or artisans who created wooden models or components destined for production. When he had his studio at Corso Francia 35, on the top attic floor, he would design on paper while simultaneously overseeing the creation of 1:5 scale plaster models, working directly alongside the modelers. In the various workshops he had set up over the years, he had a drafting table and a large vertical desk where he worked side by side with sheet metal workers, assemblers, wooden frame builders, and upholsterers. This allowed him to stay close to the bodywork process while continuing to draw, always maintaining a direct connection with production. Often, after the employees had left, he would stay for several hours to finish his projects. At home, dinner never began before 9:00 or 9:30 pm, as it was a tradition to dine together as a family, with very few exceptions, and my father never returned earlier than that. Despite the intense rhythm of his days, he never showed signs of fatigue: he had exceptional stamina, a strength and resilience that made it seem as though he never felt tired. By day, he would supervise the progress in Turin’s body shops, but at night, in the quiet of his studio, he allowed creativity to flow freely. He would spend whole nights drawing, producing up to five coloured figurines in a single session, accompanied by the radio, a glass of whisky, and a couple of sandwiches. I can still picture him whistling between strokes, fully immersed in his world, building what, to him, was already a complete car. By morning, his colleagues would find the finished drawing hanging on the drafting board, ready for modelling. A quick splash of water to wake up, a shave, and he would start again, enjoying his work immensely—just him and his cars, exactly as he envisioned and dreamed them. In the photo above, Giovanni Michelotti was captured in his design studio one morning after a night of intense work creating nearly life-size renderings. These detailed drawings were prepared for presentation to the engineering teams at British Leyland, showcasing his tireless dedication and passion for automotive design. One of his personal trademarks was the arc he often drew at the top of some figurines, almost as an implicit signature, a sign of approval. It was his way of saying, "All right, it’s finished now." One of the figurines dearest to me is that of the Reliant Scimitar SS1 Spider. It was the last project he managed to complete before his illness forced him to stop. That drawing, created in the summer of 1979, symbolises, to me, a life wholly dedicated to design and stands as a testament to his unwavering dedication. My father's work is not only a tribute to the automotive world but also a window into his way of seeing and living design. Every line he traced spoke of his passion and his confidence: he never drew to find an idea but to show it exactly as he saw it. And in each confident stroke lay all the spontaneity of a man who had no doubts about what he wanted to create. Another example of Giovanni Michelotti's creativity is the colored figurine shown above, crafted using tempera on blue Canson paper. This artwork was created for a project presentation to Luigi Chinetti, the owner of the N.A.R.T. (North American Racing Team) based in Connecticut. The illustration showcases the car in a ¾ front view, emphasizing its dynamic lines and unique character, a testament to Michelotti's ability to blend technical precision with artistic expression. Today, years later, Giovanni Michelotti’s work continues to be studied and admired in the world of automotive design. My father demonstrated that the value of an idea lies in the clarity with which it takes shape—immediate and spontaneous, without second thoughts. This is what renders his name immortal, a symbol of authentic creativity in the automotive landscape. About the author Edgardo Michelotti: Born in 1952, I hold a diploma as a surveyor and pursued a degree in Architecture in Turin. I began working alongside my father in 1973 until his illness and passing in early 1980. I continued his work until 1991, when I transitioned away from the automotive industry. For the next 15 years, I focused on industrial design, while also engaging in photography and archival digitization from 2003 to the present. This allowed me to manage an extensive archive, including the specific cataloging and complete digitization of approximately 6,000 graphic units, 20,000 photographs, 7,000 kg of full-scale design plans, as well as scale models, tools, correspondence, and periodicals. The archive spans over three decades, covering the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.

Ing. Marmiroli this time introduces us to a unique chapter of Lamborghini's history: the brand's adventures not on land, but at sea. The story follows Automobili Lamborghini’s venture into the world of powerboat racing, supplying their iconic 12-cylinder engines to superboats competing for world titles. From Ferruccio Lamborghini’s personal "Aquarama" motorboat to world championship wins, it's a fascinating tale of speed, innovation, and passion beyond the racetrack. Words Luigi Marmiroli Photography Courtesy of Luigi Marmiroli Archive Italy’s most famous encyclopaedia, Treccani, defines the term speed as the “rate of movement of a body over a distance in a given time". It does not specify if this movement is on land or on sea. So I’m sure that our “Speedholics” will enjoy this story of speed without wheels. The story relates to the marine activities of Automobili Lamborghini, which passed smoothly from competition supercars to superboats. For around twenty years, from 1987 to 2000, the company supplied its famous 12-cylinder engines to various teams, often coupled to an unusual and innovative gear to optimise the rpm of the boats’ propellers. But allow me to digress for a moment: the World Powerboat Championship was and remains a world offshore motorboat championship, consisting in a series of Grand Prix boat races in open sea. The Class 1 boats were driven by a pair of engines and achieved maximum speeds above 250 km/h (160 miles/hour). Chosen at the team’s discretion, the engines could be twelve or eight cylinders and powered by petrol or diesel. All the boats had to have a minimum weight. The philosophy was very similar to that of the Formula 1 GPs. Performance had to be maximised through continuous research into aerodynamics and fluid dynamics, innovative materials, engine development and appropriate propulsion studies. The crew was formed by at least a pilot and a co-pilot. One at the helm and the other at the throttles (one for each engine) that controlled the boat acceleration. The boats were divided into two classes: mono-hulls and catamarans. The drawing here explains the difference. Originally the races were mainly organised over offshore routes with long stretches in open sea. Thereafter, the routes went along the coast to offer the greater visibility demanded by the sponsors. This also made rescue operations quicker in the event of incidents or breakdowns. Back to our story..... everything began when in 1967 the founder Ferruccio Lamborghini ordered an “Aquarama” motorboat from the famous company Riva, but had the normal engines replaced with two Lamborghini V12 engines that had already been mounted on the company’s first cars: 350 GTVs. The motorboat immediately achieved very high speeds and its beauty, assured by the use of wood and a curved windscreen, made it an icon in the sector, and was even used by numerous VIPs and actors during their holidays. The wooden models of a large V12 engine with a huge engine capacity - almost 8000 cc - were lying on the shelves of a dusty warehouse. When I joined Lamborghini, I was told that the founder Ferruccio had wanted the engine to be mounted on a large sedan that was to compete with US cars and the English Rolls Royce, but I have never been able to confirm this story. Patrik Mimran, a shareholder at the time, saw that the engine was too big and had the lucky idea of recovering them for use on competition power boats. The first pair of engines were mounted on a boat that, by chance, was called “Miura”, built by Cantieri Riuniti in Viareggio and which successfully competed in the Italian and world championships. One of the following projects was the AXESS Quetzal, the first all-Lamborghini power boat launched in 1984. The 39-foot craft, powered by two Lamborghini V12 engines with modified carburettor, reached a maximum speed of 65 knots. And here I should underline that these Lamborghini engines had to be absolutely reliable. As you can well imagine, breaking down in a boat on the open sea is very different from breaking down on the motorway. The working conditions of nautical engines are very different and cannot be compared to those of a car. Especially when the weather conditions are favourable and the sea is calm, these engines are used at maximum power for much longer than car engines. In Formula 1 GPs, the engine maintains maximum power for a few tenths of a second, but in Offshore GPs for dozens of minutes at a time. The Lamborghini engines continued to be developed, passing from the carburettor version to one with mechanical fuel injection and finally electronic injection, and this is why the results came quickly with Walter Ragazzi and Renato della Valle. In 1987 the L804V4 engine project began to take shape. It was built entirely in light alloy, with 12 cylinders, 4 valves per cylinder and 880 HP at 6800 rpm. The materials used offered incredible resistance to thermal shocks and even to the typical corrosion of the sea water used to cool the engines. After 88 wins, national, European and international titles, on 25 November 1994 the last world championship race was held in Dubai. The whole world was charmed by Norberto Ferretti and Luca Ferrari's super boat called Giesse Philosophy, which after a season of brilliant successes won the World Class 1 Offshore Title bearing the Italian flag. The two powerful Lamborghini L804 V12 engines played a key role in this victory. The winning series of Lamborghini engines mounted on various boats with different pilots and international teams continued until 2007 with a dozen World Championship victories. In open sea, in any condition, the speed of the boat, often flying over the water, offered a full charge of adrenalin. If you don't believe me, listen to what a man who made speed his life - and unfortunately also his death - had to say. Yes, Ayrton Senna. Invited by Ferretti to try out the GIESSE catamaran powerboat, he said that it was a wonderful experience and was sorry that the sea had been so flat on that day. He praised the smooth handling of the craft and the progressive speed obtained as he lowered the throttles with his own hands. He was amazed by the sound of the two Lamborghini engines, which really gave an impression of power. This was all told very well in an article published in the journal Power in 1984, with a few pictures taken by Domenico Pirazzoli. Luigi Marmiroli was born in Fiorano Modenese in 1945. After graduating in mechanical engineering at the University of Padua, in 1970 he was hired by Ferrari to introduce electronic computing to Maranello for the first time. In 1976 he founded Fly Studio with Giacomo Caliri, designing and managing competition cars on international circuits. Their main works were for Fittipaldi Copersucar, Autodelta, ATS and Minardi, with whom they joined forces. The developments in the partnership with Autodelta led Marmiroli to manage the technical unit of the Euroracing team in 1983. Two years later he was hired by Lamborghini to design the heir of the Countach. Other projects came after the 17 versions of the Diablo, though due to the continuing changes of ownership of the Sant’Agata based company, they were never put into production. Marmiroli relaunched Fly Studio in 1997, providing consulting services. One of the projects of the last few years is the development of microcars, quadbikes and commercial vehicles, including electric versions.

In 1949, Giovanni Michelotti embarked on his freelance career, marking the beginning of a successful journey in automotive design. With the establishment of the "Laboratorio Automodelli" in Turin in 1959, he created a hub of innovation that would give rise to legendary prototypes. Architect Edgardo Michelotti sheds light on this pivotal moment in Carrozzeria Michelotti’s history and its impact on the automotive world . Words Edgardo Michelotti Photos and drawings Archivio Storico Michelotti (http://www.archiviostoricomichelotti.it/) I had the privilege of witnessing the most significant years of my father Giovanni Michelotti’s career up close, and I am here to recount a crucial moment that marked his professional evolution: the founding of his coachbuilding firm. Reflecting on those years and revisiting the drawings of the vehicles created during that time constantly reaffirms for me how essential that period was—not just for our family but for the entire automotive design world. After twelve years working at Stabilimenti Farina (1936-1948), where he honed his craft and learned the importance of detail, in 1949 he made a life-altering decision: to embark on an independent career as a freelance designer. He was just 28 years old but already had a clear vision of what he wanted to achieve. Over the next fifteen years, he collaborated with nearly all of Turin's coachbuilders—a city that, during the 1950s and '60s, was the epicentre of automotive innovation. I recall his discussions with the great names of the era, where they would spend hours talking about shapes, curves, and aerodynamic solutions. Michelotti had a deep affection for Turin, a city that provided him with the challenges and opportunities he needed to express his creativity. In 1957, he experienced a major turning point. He began working as a consultant for leading international car manufacturers such as BMW, Standard Triumph, Prince, Ford, and Alpine. Not long after, in 1965, the Dutch company DAF also joined his client list, which I will cover in a future article. He wasn’t content with simply creating something beautiful; he focused on functional, modern solutions that appealed to international tastes. It was during this time that he realised the importance of having dedicated spaces for developing prototypes destined for major manufacturers. Previously, these projects were entrusted to trusted coachbuilders like Vignale and Allemano, but there was always the risk that his designs could be seen and copied. He decided to open his own "Laboratorio Automodelli" at Via Levanna 2 in Turin. This workshop, staffed by seven master craftsmen, became a nerve centre for creativity and innovation. Each team member had a specific role: panel beaters, welders, and assemblers worked in synergy to bring the designer's ideas to life. It was a space dedicated to creating prototypes for discerning clients who aspired to "stand out" with special vehicles. That same year, he also relocated his design and styling studio from our family home on Corso Duca degli Abruzzi to a penthouse on the eleventh floor of a building on Corso Francia—a space that offered both privacy and a perfect environment for work. From his studio, he enjoyed breathtaking views of the entire Alpine range surrounding Piedmont, a panorama often mentioned in his conversations as a source of reflection and inspiration. The studio quickly became one of the most important in Europe, attracting interest from car manufacturers seeking innovative and functional solutions. My father loved sharing his passion with young talent, encouraging them to experiment and bring their ideas to life in an environment where learning and creativity naturally intertwined. Under his guidance, embryonic concepts, colourful sketches, and shape plans took form and transformed into complete automotive projects. In his atelier, prototypes that would shape automotive history were born, the result of a collaborative and inspired creative process. One of the most significant prototypes produced during those years was the Fiat Osca coupé, presented at the Paris Motor Show in 1959 and at Geneva in 1960. The car, with its modern front and "pagoda" roof, became a reference for many manufacturers. The Lancia Fulvia coupé, designed by Piero Castagnero in 1963, borrowed many stylistic elements from the Osca, while the Mercedes 230 SL, with its pagoda roof, unveiled that same year at the Geneva Motor Show, confirmed the success of Michelotti’s innovation. My father often recounted an episode linked to the Osca Coupé: French journalist Alain Bertaut initially criticised the roof design, but Michelotti made a deal with him. If other manufacturers adopted the design, Bertaut would publicly acknowledge Michelotti as the originator. And so it happened—Mercedes adopted the pagoda style, and Bertaut kept his promise. It was a time when intellectual honesty still held great value. Another important chapter in his career was marked by his involvement in racing. During the 1960s, track and hill-climb racing was highly popular, and my father contributed to the creation of models like the Triumph Le Mans coupé and the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce, both prepared by Virgilio Conrero. I clearly remember Carlo Peroglio, the driver of the latter, telling us about his feats at Monza, where the Alfa Romeo, mainly driven by Peroglio, surpassed the Alfa Abarth Zagato at a speed of 222 km/h. This success did not go unnoticed: Carlo Abarth called my father in and asked him what he had "put inside" the car to make it so fast. The answer was clear and direct—it was all down to aerodynamics and lightness. Among the most significant collaborations with Triumph, in addition to defining the style of some of the brand’s most iconic models, such as the Spitfire, Herald, and TR4, an important chapter was the creation of the Le Mans coupé, a model developed specifically for endurance racing. This car represented the perfect synthesis of elegance and performance—qualities that Michelotti masterfully combined. Michelotti never ceased to innovate. Another example of his genius was the prototype on a Maserati 5000 GT chassis created for Briggs Cunningham. The retractable pop-up headlights were a true innovation for the time, once again demonstrating his ability to anticipate automotive design trends. Today, these vehicles remain in the hands of collectors in Switzerland and the United States, and they are still fully functional. The exhibition "Giovanni Michelotti: Genie et Élégance," held in Aigle, Switzerland, in 2022, paid tribute to the centenary of his birth. The Alfa Romeo Conrero, one of the models on display, still stands as a testament to his ability to create cars that harmoniously combined beauty and performance. About tha author Edgardo Michelotti: Born in 1952, I hold a diploma as a surveyor and pursued a degree in Architecture in Turin. I began working alongside my father in 1973 until his illness and passing in early 1980. I continued his work until 1991, when I transitioned away from the automotive industry. For the next 15 years, I focused on industrial design, while also engaging in photography and archival digitization from 2003 to the present. This allowed me to manage an extensive archive, including the specific cataloging and complete digitization of approximately 6,000 graphic units, 20,000 photographs, 7,000 kg of full-scale design plans, as well as scale models, tools, correspondence, and periodicals. The archive spans over three decades, covering the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.

The story, known previously to only a handful, of an Alfa Romeo test driver and racer who walked away from the sport directly after winning the Italian and European titles in one of the most prestigious car championships. Words by Mario Simoni. Photos by Centro Documentazione Alfa Romeo , Foto Alquati Milano , Quattroruote, Leone Pelachin Archive, Mario Simoni Archive. From 1976 to 1983, hundreds of skilled drivers participated in the Alfa Romeo Promotional Trophy – a series of races held on circuits across half of Europe. In those championships, two young drivers who later rose to Formula 1 fame took part, the Spaniard Luis Perez Sala and the even more famous Gerhard Berger. Monza, Imola, Zeltweg, Nürburgring, Paul Ricard, Zandvoort, and Hockenheim were just some of the racetracks. In front of hundreds of thousands of Formula 1 spectators, real battles took place in the pursuit of the Alfasud and Alfa Sprint Continental Titles. Of those drivers duking it out, Leone Pelachin – in his Alfa Romeo – always stood out for his sportsmanship and gentlemanliness. These were the years in which Alfa Romeo regained its prestige in the world of racing thanks to the skill of a great technician like engineer Chiti and the capabilities of a racing team like Autodelta. In 1975, it had just won the World Championship for Makes with the 33TT12 and entered Formula 1, supplying its 12-cylinder engine to Brabham from '76 to '79. Also in 1979, Alfa returned to the World Championship as a constructor, where it remained as a team until 1983. The awareness that competitions were the best business card to win over sports clientele led, in those years, to focusing on a racing version of the best-selling and most popular Alfa Romeo sedan, the Alfasud. Thus, in 1976, the Alfasud Trophy was born, reserved for the racing version of the coupé birthed in ‘72 by Rudolf Hruschka – one of the most skilled technicians in automotive history who had started his career at Porsche and Cisitalia. In Hruschka’s Alfasud project, a sporting soul was imbued in the compact two-volume sedan, equipped with an excellent front-wheel-drive chassis (the first in Quadrifoglio's history) and a 4-cylinder boxer engine capable of optimizing weight distribution, but above all with great potential for sporting use. For the engineers at Autodelta, tasked with developing the kit that would transform the comfortable Alfasud into a real racing car, the task was not the most challenging. There are few drivers who, without a "father" or a sponsor behind them, have managed to reach Formula 1. Among them, it's worth mentioning Consalvo Sanesi and the great Lorenzo Bandini, who went from being a simple mechanic to an unlucky Ferrari driver. The real major hindrance to Leone Pelachin's career, besides his family, was the handicap of starting racing at the age of thirty, when the careers of many drivers are already on the decline. Not so much for physical or skill reasons, as demonstrated by the successes of "grandfathers" like Alonso at 42 and Hamilton at 39, but also the incredible career of Nuvolari, who at over fifty risked winning the Mille Miglia twice. But Leone Pelachin had all the strength and desire to continue racing and winning at 35, and that farewell at the peak of his career and the dream of a lifetime must have been the most difficult moment after years of success. MS: Leone, did you never think about starting racing until you were thirty? LP: I'd always had a passion for cars and racing, but I never thought I would have the chance to race on the track. In reality, I wanted to be a tester. Racing was a dream that came true when I realized I was really good at driving, but before reaching that point, I had to cover tens of thousands of kilometers, first on the roads and then on the Balocco track with Alfa Romeo models under development. It was at Balocco that I truly learned to drive: hundreds of accelerations from a standstill, top speeds, recoveries, special tests with all the prototypes of Alfa production cars, always collaborating with the designers from Arese, including engineer Felisa, who later became CEO and Managing Director of Ferrari and Aston Martin. But before becoming ‘good’, how many mistakes, how many breakdowns, how many accidents... Fortunately, never with any consequences. MS: How did you go from being a simple mechanic to a tester for Alfa Romeo? LP : At 14, I started as a mechanic in a workshop in Rho, just a stone's throw away from Arese, but my dream was to work at Alfa Romeo. So, in 1969, after my military service, I applied and was hired as an engine/carburettor technician. I was already capable of dismantling and reassembling an engine by myself, and I enjoyed that work. After not even a year in the experimental department at Arese, my dream increasingly became to become a tester. The desire was so strong that I asked my workshop head every day to be transferred to that department, and after being told "no" a hundred times, he finally said, "Okay, if you really want to, try it..." The test went well, and so, after covering almost 100,000 km in less than a year on the roads of Lombardy, along the Apennines, and over the Alpine passes to test the new Alfa models, the big day arrived. The chief tester called me and said, "Pelachin is doing well, from Monday he goes to Balocco track." I'll never forget that day. It was as if the gates of Heaven had opened. I could have cried tears of happiness! MS: And how did you find Balocco? What cars did you drive? LP: I drove all the production models from that period, from the Alfa 6 to the Montreal to the Alfasud. But my main task was to develop and verify tires for the new models before putting them into production. We conducted endless tests, especially at night, to avoid being photographed by "prototype hunters," and of course, we drove a lot on wet surfaces. That's how I became a true expert in driving in the rain, as seen in the wet races of the Trophy. Among the testers, there was also a sort of time challenge on the Balocco lap, and after a while, I was the fastest of all, both on dry and wet tracks. At first, no one believed it, until I had to compete for a series of tests – first with my chief tester Bruno Bonini, whom I "defeated" driving an Alfetta prototype, then with the head of all the Balocco testers, Guido Moroni, who at the end of the tests with a GTV 2000 declared, "It's right that the apprentice goes faster than the master." There was also a tester from Autodelta, as well as a driver in the World Championship for Makes, who once, invited to a challenge with me by the head of the Balocco timekeepers, preferred to turn down the invite. Who knows, afraid of being beaten maybe? MS: In the many tests you conducted, is there one you'll never forget? LP: The most incredible of all was driving the Montreal: a "speed test" from Reggio Calabria to Lubeck. From the extreme south to the extreme north of Europe in just 20 hours with the Montreal. It was a report published by the magazine Quattroruote with the title "See you tonight in Lubeck". It was 1972 and there were no speed limits then, and the traffic was a whole different story, but there were still customs checks, and some sections of the Salerno-Reggio Calabria and Brenner motorways were missing. What we did with two Montreals, myself and the tester Francesco Brignoli in one, and the journalist Bruno Bonetto and the chief tester Bruno Bonini in the other Montreal, is truly incredible and unrepeatable. It's almost 2,600 km, so we maintained an average speed of over 130 km/h! Today, no one, with any car in the world, could beat that record. All thanks to the Montreal which, with the 200 hp of its V8, exceeded 220 km/h and, in addition to demonstrating great road qualities, never had any problems throughout the entire journey. MS: In the early Seventies, the development of the Alfasud was in full swing. How was it going? What was its development like? LP: From the first tests, when we drove with the entire body camouflaged, almost like a van, the Alfasud performed very well, and we never had major problems. When the Golf came out, which was considered the most direct competitor, we compared it extensively at Balocco with ours. We were superior in everything, especially in road behavior and steering functionality, not to mention the engine and performance: our 1200 boxer engine clearly outperformed Volkswagen's 1100 and 1300. There was also an Alfasud that no one ever saw and that was on the verge of going into production, but even after our tests, it was rejected. MS: What model was it, and what happened? Were there other Alfas that you tested but never made it into production? LP: It was the Sprint Spider, designed by Giugiaro alongside the sedan and coupe, which in some ways resembled the Fiat X1/9, with the large roll bar and removable roof. It was intended for the American market, but due to the investment required and the design that didn't convince, it remained on standby. The final blow came from our tests at Balocco on the cobbles: it was found that the chassis couldn't withstand the stress, it tended to flex and therefore needed to be modified and strengthened. That was the verdict that definitively ended the project. Among the engines we tested but never made it into production was the 2-liter, 16-valve, 4-cylinder engine of the Alfetta GTV. It was an excellent engine, Alfa Romeo's first production engine with 4 valves per cylinder. It generated over 150 hp and was responsive, but for some reason, it was decided not to continue its development. Another engine we tested in our cars was the Wankel, also being developed by NSU and Mazda at the time: I don't remember if that was one of the rotary prototypes produced at Arese or if it was of Mazda origin. The engine was powerful, but we immediately saw that in terms of noise, fuel consumption, and reliability, it was a step backward rather than forward. Moreover, it had another serious flaw, the lack of engine braking, which put a strain on the braking system and did not provide confidence when driving at the limit. MS: So we come to the end of 1977, when you decided to start racing. What happened? Who helped you, who gave you the car? LP: Actually, I had already done a few races in '75 and '76, but in rallycross with the 2 CV. The first year had few races and many breakdowns, but by the end of the second year, I was in contention until the last race to win the Italian championship, but I came second. Almost everyone at Balocco knew about my desire to race, including Giorgio Francia who in '77, in addition to competing in the World Championship for Makes with the 33 TT/12, had been hired as a tester for Autodelta. We often met during breaks at Balocco. That's how he said to me, almost jokingly, "But didn't you want to be a driver?" Without hesitation, I replied, "Where? With whom? With what?" He told me that the SPECAR dealership in La Spezia had a car for the Trophy but wasn't satisfied with its driver and was looking for a new one. So if I wanted to try... MS: Speaking of Autodelta, the Alfa Romeo cars prepared for racing, including the F.1 and the 33 for the World Championship for Makes designed by engineer Chiti, were often tested at Balocco. Did you ever manage to try them? LP: I would have liked to, indeed! But, for some reason, I was never in the good graces of Teodoro Zeccoli, the head of Autodelta's testers, and I never managed to get close to those cars. In fact, once, in 1980, Zeccoli, acting as a technical commissioner at the Imola track, did me a disservice by disqualifying me for a minor irregularity, which seemed deliberately done to diminish my championship victory. But that's another story.. Actually, once, in the absence of Zeccoli and Chiti, who would never have given permission despite my successes with the Alfasud, I managed to convince Manfredini, the head mechanic at Autodelta, to let me try the F.1. It was Giacomelli's Alfa 179 race car, and a few days later, there was the French Grand Prix at Le Castellet. They let me do three laps, but... if I had broken something, I wouldn't have been able to set foot in Balocco or Alfa Romeo again! It was a mix of joy and fear! At 160 mph on the straight, if you accelerated a bit too much, you felt all 500 hp of the naturally aspirated V12 unloading onto the rear, causing it to hint at slipping, while in the corners, it felt like being on a rail, but only up to the limit I had set for myself to reach. After that, it's better not to know. MS: So you made it to Formula 1, congratulations! Even if it was just for three laps! But let's go back to the beginning of your career when you had your first test with the Alfasud Trophy. LP: The pivotal moment of my career was at the Varano racetrack, where the dealer Piero Simoncini had decided to assess my skills, given that I had never been on a track and had never driven a race car. I didn't know Varano or the Trofeo, but despite that, I wasn't worried at all; I was truly confident in my driving abilities! MS: And how did it go? LP: Simoncini and his workshop manager were satisfied with the performance and said to me, "Okay, let's go, if you agree." I replied, "For me, that's fine, as long as I don't have to incur any expenses because I really wouldn't know how to manage." For this reason, we didn't have any other winter tests until the beginning of the Trophy, and we had to skip some races during the season, including the first one at Mugello. So, here we were at Monza, on April 23, 1978, for the debut, and it was a debut with a "bang"... in every sense of the word! MS: What happened? LP: We arrived at Monza with all the top teams who had already tested extensively on that track, which I didn't know, and at the end of the official practices, I was in the top five, just 17 hundredths off the pole position. Some of the more established drivers started wondering, "Who's that guy, never heard of him, and he comes in and goes faster than us who have been racing in the Trophy for two years!" Meanwhile, Autosprint’s headline the following Monday read, "An Alfa Tester Unleashed." On race day, my first impression, at the start, was, "are these guys all crazy?" I didn't know where to look; I was in the middle of a real "battle," with cars touching, pushing, and banging doors. When we got to the first chicane, I said to myself, "well, if that's how it is, I'll play the fool too," and I threw myself into the mix: and so began my racing career. In the heat, after starting on the front row, I was leading the race in the penultimate lap when I was overtaken by two other Alfasuds. They collided at Ascari and spun right in front of me: I couldn't do anything but hit them, and so, after turning the nose of my Trofeo into a "wedge," I had to retire. Fortunately, the dealer understood that it wasn't my fault, and since I also set the fastest overall lap time among the Alfasuds, he said to me, "It's not a problem, let's continue!" MS: And did it go better at the second race? LP: Not entirely. We were at Varano in May, and there too, I was among the best in practice. I started on pole in my heat, but on the first lap, I was pushed from behind, sending me into a spin: I hit a couple of Alfasuds, and so I found myself off the track, stopped in the middle of the grass. I unbuckled my seat belts and tried to get out to see the damage to the car, but the door wouldn't open. So, I buckled up again and... I restarted like a madman! I set the fastest lap time, and at the end of the heat, I was fourth, qualifying for the final! In the final, I then achieved my best result of the debut season, finishing fifth. MS: So the rest of the season didn't go as you hoped? LP: Actually, we only planned to compete in five or six races, and even though I didn't achieve any other results, I managed to gain some satisfaction. In the second race at Varano in June, I won my heat, setting the fastest lap time. At Misano, I secured pole position in the official practices, while in the only race of the Trofeo Europa that I participated in at Le Castellet, I qualified sixth and finished the race in fifteenth place. MS: Not bad for a rookie. So, were you able to get an Alfasud Trofeo for the 1979 championship? LP: Yes, SPECAR dealership confirmed me, and finally, the first victory came at Monza in my seasonal debut, in the third race of the Trophy! It was a head-to-head battle with Sigala which finished in a sprint finish – a win by just a few centimeters! During the championship, I won my heat at Varano, Misano, and Mugello, but due to several retirements and skipping some races, I didn't go beyond fourteenth place in the Trophy standings. However, the tuner Bigazzi, who assisted my car and Bertolini's, managed to win the preparers' cup. MS: So, we come to 1980, the year of the championship victory. Was it all easy? LP: Almost, although there were some problems and mishaps. The car, always prepared by Bigazzi, was perfect at the beginning of the championship, so much so that I won the first four races of the championship. But at Mugello, it didn't seem the same anymore, while my teammate Bertolini's car was flying. We had this feeling or impression that the tuner favored him, so the owner of the SPECAR dealership for which I raced decided to leave Bigazzi and switch to another team, Luicar. Immediately, things returned to normal. With two more victories at Magione and Misano: the Trofeo Alfasud was mine! But at Magione, a couple of incidents made me think that someone wanted to prevent me from winning: leaving the car in a workshop the night before the race, we found it with a loosened cylinder head cap, as if they had tried to make the engine run out of water during the race. Fortunately, we noticed the ‘sabotage’, and in the final, after winning the heat, I found myself with a significant lead in the last lap. It seemed done, but a backmarker cut me off and gave me a push that almost sent me spinning. I managed to keep the car in control somehow and finished the race more than 5 seconds ahead of Calamai. Was it the backmarker's mistake or a deliberate maneuver? I'm still wondering. MS: In 1981, the national championships gave way to the Trofeo Europa, which was even more thrilling with 10 races, half of which were concurrent with the Formula 1 Grand Prix. How did it go? LP: Well, I can tell you that I finished ahead of Gerhard Berger in the championship that year, as he began his leap into Formula 1 and Ferrari. I, always racing for Luicar, won at Imola, and he won at Zeltweg, but the season's dominant driver was Rinaldo Drovandi. We only finished sixth and seventh. Ahead of us was also a young man from Ferrara, Renato Croce, who could have really made it to Formula 1. But instead... At Monza, in the final race, he won, racing alongside Drovandi with the Alfasud prepared by Bigazzi for Autolodi. The owners of the Lodi dealership called me at the end of the season to offer me a car for the 1982 Trophy, which would no longer be contested with the Alfasud but with the Alfa Sprint. However, there was a big problem: my departure from the Bigazzi team in 1980. It hadn't gone down well with the Tuscan tuner, and he immediately demanded my apologies for doubting his integrity. MS: So, did you "apologize" and manage to join the strongest team in the Trophy? LP:  Needless to say, I apologized to Bigazzi for ‘thinking badly’, but in reality, some doubts always remained… His team was indeed the strongest. Besides me and Croce for Autolodi, the Bigazzi team fielded three Alfa Sprints for the Spaniards Villamil, Emilio Zapico, and Luis Perez Sala, another guy who managed to make it to Formula 1. It was an exciting Trophy: just over halfway through the season, Croce and I were leading with two victories each, but despite this and the many battles we had on the track, there was a good relationship – respect in the race and friendship in life, even though he often said to me, "You're not Leone, you're a Volpone." So we arrived at the last two races with almost the same points. At Monza, I won, after risking going off the track several times. Meanwhile, Croce, after colliding with Drovandi, driving the third car fielded by Autolodi, damaged his Alfa Sprint and lost many positions. Then he went off the track trying to get back to the front of the race. That incident, which I believe was entirely unintentional however, marked Renato Croce's fate. He felt like a victim of a plot and suffered dramatically from the so-called ‘injustice’ he’d been dealt. There was still one race to go, and everything was still to be decided. Croce and I were the favorites, but the Spaniard Emilio Zapico was right behind us. And we were racing in Spain, where a real bullfight awaited us. A bullfight indeed. It began right away, with Renato Croce getting involved in the starting melee and finding himself at the back of the pack. He launched an incredible comeback, gaining fifteen positions, but he couldn't do better than eighth place. I, as Croce would have said, like a true "fox," focused mainly on securing the result, I didn't attempt any heart-stopping overtakes and settled for third place. But the victory in the Trofeo Europa was mine! MS: For the winner of the Trophy, the Alfetta GTV 6 2.5 was at stake, which was worth almost 30 million lire. Didn't you think about racing in F.3 with the winnings? LP: Actually, the GTV went to Autolodi and the team. I was left with just a ‘tip’! The agreement was that I wouldn't have any expenses, but all the prizes went to the team, except for some ‘pocket money’ for me. I didn't have the economic means to move up to a formula car, while the Trophy I was asked to leave unless I wanted to lose the chance to continue working in Alfa Romeo's sports activities. The desire to race was still strong, but I had to let reason win over passion. MS: So, did you hang up your helmet for good? And what happened to Croce, your great rival that year? LP: Yes, I hung up the helmet, but not forever. Ten years passed, and at 45 I returned to the track with the Alfa 33 Group A, immediately winning the first race at Misano. From '92 to 2000, I competed in many touring car races in Group A and N championships and returned to win several times. But if I won the lottery today, I'd return to the track immediately, and I'm sure many wouldn't be ahead of me. Renato Croce, on the other hand, in the winter of '82 tried the Alfa Romeo-powered F.3, but he also decided to return to racing with the Sprint in 1983. He arrived at Imola for the trials of the first Trophy race, which was won by Calamai ahead of Sala. But something had changed in him. Partly due to the disappointment of the previous year, but above all it was because of a parasite that had begun growing in him – drugs. Unfortunately, he didn't even start the race at Imola, and a few months later he lost his most important race – the one for life. About the author, Mario Simoni .   Cars, racing, and journalism have always been among my passions. I am among the few fortunate ones to have turned my passions into a lifelong career. And all this almost by chance, through a series of fortunate circumstances that have led me to write these pages about the life of a driver and tester like Leone Pelachin. I also began my career as a driver, but at 23, competing for two seasons in the Renault 5 Cup. However, while my financial resources were similar to those of the "Champion Without a Suitcase", my driving abilities were evidently different. Thus, after a couple of spectacular accidents and no significant results, I hung up my helmet... but not forever. It was Alfa Romeo itself that called me back to the track, at Imola in 1982, to compete in a race of the Alfa Sprint Trophy, the one won by Pelachin in a photo finish against Renato Croce. In reality, I had been called not so much as a driver but as a journalist, to recount to Autosprint readers the thrills, emotions, and driving sensations behind the wheel of the Sprint Trophy. But let's take a step back: at the end of the seventies, I began my career as a journalist in the automotive sector for a minor magazine, until in 1981 I started collaborating with Autosprint, writing among other things about promotional championships, such as the Alfasud Trophy. An undeniable passion for Alfa also led me to propose a competition in Autosprint to entrust a young driver with a Sprint Trophy for the '82 season: and the main selector in the final test at the Balocco track naturally had to be Leone Pelachin. In those two unforgettable seasons with the Sprint, I admired and recounted all the duels and battles on European tracks, becoming friends with almost all the protagonists of the Trophy. My career then continued, leaving racing to move on to production cars in the editorial staff of the monthly magazine Auto, where for almost thirty years I tested every type of car and authored investigations, tests, travel stories, and scoops on upcoming releases from automotive manufacturers. In the meantime, I also wrote a book about Alfa Romeo spiders and two about another of my life's passions, Cisitalia.

A journey through history, with legends, brown bears, phantasmagorical fountains and a picturesque river. And the charming Alps less than an hour’s drive away Words Alessandro Giudice Photography Alessandro Barteletti Video Andrea Ruggeri and Anthony Egas Swiss Grand Tour is a project to discover itineraries driving classic Alfa Romeo cars, in partnership with Astara, the distributor and importer of the Brand in Switzerland. Canton Bern Route from Bern to Gurnigel Distance 36 km Travel time 1h Driving pleasure 4/5 Panorama 4/5 An enchanting place, a human-sized city steeped in history and a territory dominated by a generous nature, made of rivers, lakes and spectacular mountain peaks. This is Bern and the canton of the same name, capital of the Swiss Confederation and one of the destinations we chose for our Swiss Grand Tour driving some of the greatest classic Alfa Romeos. This is the turn of the Giulietta Sprint Speciale, a model designed by Bertone, which certainly does not go unnoticed with its aerodynamic lines that became a benchmark between the 1950s and ‘60s when it made its début on the market. [click to watch the video] Putting the car at our disposal for this itinerary was Serge Stotzer, owner of the Oldtimer Galerie in Toffen, to the south of Bern, a leading company in the organisation of classic car auctions. We arranged to meet Serge in Klösterlistutz, a fairly large and easy-to-reach area in east Bern. From here we headed for the historical centre, across the Nideggbrücke, one of the many bridges crossing the River Aar, which is an integral part of Bern. Precisely at this point, a large bend in the river has turned the area into a kind of peninsula, where the first settlement originated. And, talking of origins, before the bridge you will come across the Bärengraben, the “Bear Pit”, the city zoo’s home for three brown bears, considered not only a lucky charm for the people from Bern but is also the symbol found on the city’s coat of arms. A few hundred yards from Bärengraben, a panoramic terrace overlooks the architectural structure of the Nideggbrücke, with its three bays, and the rooftops of the old town and the surrounding river. Crossing the bridge, you enter the medieval centre, declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1983: here it is worth avoiding the main traffic flow, which bends to the right to enter Kramgasse, straight ahead. This long, flag-decked road is lined with shops protected by the characteristic arcades of Bern, which boasts six kilometres of arcades that make it a place of choice for shopping in any weather. At the end of Kramgasse, the city’s most famous landmark and much-photographed tourist attraction, the Zytgloggem, a large tower housing the spectacular astronomical clock. Built in 1218 as a guard tower and used over the centuries as a prison, it was later adorned with gold-leaf decorations and the impressive Gothic spire. Before you reach the tower, in the middle of the road you will note a coloured column topped by a standing bear, wearing a golden helmet with a cub eating grapes sitting between its paws. This is one of the eleven allegorical fountains in the historical centre that make Bern famous throughout Switzerland, and just one of the 100 or so scattered around the city. Searching for them among the houses and squares is a favourite pastime for tourists. Strolling through the streets, you will find two religious buildings, the Cathedral devoted to Saints Peter and Paul, dating back to the mid-19th century, but particularly the protestant ‘Münster’ with a Gothic bell tower measuring over 100 metres high, which can be seen from anywhere in the city. Meanwhile, the compact, nippy Giulietta SS takes us through the city's medieval streets – where the ancient walls and cobbled streets reverberate with the powerful, dry roar of the four-cylinder engine – emerging in the bright, open spaces of the large Confederation Square. And here stands the magnificent Federal Palace, home to the Federal Council, the executive body of the Swiss Confederation government.   Before leaving Bern, a quick trip along the banks of the Aar is a must: stop in one of the many lively bars frequented by the university students for a snack or drink, to enjoy a different view of the old city. For instance, along the Dalmaziquai, which runs beneath the bridge of the same name, offering an attractive view of the rear of the Federal Palace. Another place not to be missed is the spectacular Zentrum Paul Klee, designed by Renzo Piano to house the artist's works.   Our next destination, as well as the point of arrival of our itinerary, is the Gurnigel Pass, 1600 metres above sea level in the Bernese Prealps. To reach it, we leave Bern from the same place we met Serge, heading south towards Belp. Passing the town, the landscape opens up offering views of boundless meadows set against the first Bernese peaks. In Toffen, we take a technical break at the Oldtimer Galerie, with its precious two- and four-wheel gems, and then start to climb towards Gurnigel.   The road is quite smooth, alternating short straight roads with wide bends through the mountain pastures. Reaching Riggisberg, a small municipality with 2500 inhabitants, we just have to stop at the Abegg-Stiftung Foundation, set up by the Zurich-based couple the Abeggs to conserve and promote an extraordinary collection of heritage fabrics, including a visit to their own villa and the artworks on show. For car enthusiasts, Riggisberg comes alive in early September each year with the “Gurnigel Bergrennen”, the 3.8 km hill climb race inaugurated in 1910 where the best Swiss and international drivers compete: this unmissable event attracts a 10,000-strong audience every year. Accompanied by the grit of a Stelvio Quadrifoglio, the Giulietta Sprint Speciale climbs quickly towards the pass along the road on the eastern slopes of the Selibüel. Pure driving pleasure, but unfortunately we have to reckon with a rather menacing sky. And indeed, in just a few minutes the sun makes way for torrential rain, though it seems that people are quite used to this round here. Having reached Grunigel and the end of our itinerary, we should make two considerations: the first in favour of the small Alfa Romeo, which was agile and easy to drive even in the pouring rain; the second in favour of the location which, although penalised by low clouds and limited visibility, concealing the view towards Lake Thun and the Fribourg Alps, has a charm that makes you want to return. We hope next time when the sun is shining. THE COLLECTOR: Serge Stotzer The "Giulietta SS" I have always loved Alfa Romeos, one of the first cars I drove was a 2003 GTV. This Bertone Giulietta Sprint Speciale was purchased in Switzerland on 7 September 1961 and it seems as if it has always been here. The 97 HP four-cylinder engine should really have more horsepower, with its original intake ducts designed by Virgilio Conrero, from 1963 the official Alfa Romeo engine manufacturer, also known as the “engine magician” due to his skill in increasing power output. In the mid-1990s, the SS was fully restored – mechanics, bodywork and interiors. In 2002 it was bought by an enthusiast who, in 2004, had a new drive shaft installed, along with new main bearings and new piston rings, with a complete overhaul of the cylinder head. Preparing it for its MOT, in 2016 it had a new tank, new silencers and an electronic ignition. I really enjoy driving it, even though, like many classic Alfas, the second gear is a little stiff. But it doesn't take long to get used to it. The Modern Alfas First, I should say that the last car that I think holds all the thrills of the brand is the 4C, so a car designed 11 years ago. It is not a modern Alfa Romeo but a future classic, with tonnes of personality, in both its design and its driving style. What I love about recent Alfas is the noise and the performance of the Giulia Quadrifoglio and Stelvio Quadrifoglio, excellent cars for everyday use and safe in any condition. Packed with electronics, they are easy for anyone to drive, despite their huge power output. They are very beautiful cars but they don’t offer the same thrills of a true sports Alfa Romeo like those of the past.

It is still the only four-door car with gull-wing doors today, and one of the most representative prototypes of the vast production of Giovanni Michelotti, the most prolific Italian designer in the country’s style history. A comfortable yet sporty sedan that easily seats four people, built on the Lancia Beta 1800, débuted at the 1974 Turin Motor Show, arousing great interest and curiosity. Giovanni’s son Edgardo Michelotti, who was personally involved in its creation, tells us about the car in detail. And with this article, he begins his collaboration with SpeedHolics. Words Edgardo Michelotti Photos and drawings Archivio Storico Michelotti ( http://www.archiviostoricomichelotti.it/ ) “For me, what counts in a car is its style.” My father had clear ideas about design, and the Lancia Beta 1800 Mizar, one of his last creations, is one of the most significant examples of his infinite production. In the early 1970s, Michelotti had already made his name in the international car world. Like both previous and subsequent projects, this was a fully-fledged part of his research into aerodynamics, passive safety and comfort, thanks also to the availability of specific technologies that didn't exist years earlier. Dad worked in a new 1800 m2 facility where all the phases of prototype construction were performed, with a 500 m2 engineering and style department and around 25 employees. This is where the Mizar was born, completely in-house. In 1973, I began to work in the coachbuilders as an apprentice aged 22. I remember my surprise when my father asked me what I thought about producing a four-door gull-wing car for the Turin Motor Show to be held the next year. A stimulating project that was to be a world first, something never built before. Initially I told him I was flattered that he had asked, but that I wasn't expert enough to express an opinion. But he insisted, as he was interested in the opinion of someone younger (even before I joined, he had probably done a survey among his colleagues). In the end, I said yes, it seemed like a good idea. My involvement began with a prospect view sketch of the car and a 1:10 scale drawing, which he told me to copy in pencil on tracing paper. It was not an easy task. In the end, he examined my work and complimented me, but one detail on the drawing was not perfect. So I had to draw it all over again, as his way of working didn't allow us to use a rubber. But the second, and then the third and many other copies also had defects. Substantially, I drew the same thing for days and days, accumulating a mountain of almost identical sheets. After two weeks, I finally managed to produce what he thought was the definitive drawing, having silently and obediently demonstrated my perplexity over his way of doing things. Pencil drawings of the side view of two alternative versions of the Mizar made in December 1973, when Michelotti was still trying to give the car its definitive style. Two of the drawings made by Edgardo Michelotti following his father’s instructions that would be used to create the 1:1 scale construction plan. And then we made a heliographic copy and with a few strokes of watercolour he turned the drawing into a masterpiece. He then allowed me to take part in the 1:1 scale design of the construction plan of the car. It was a great time for me professionally, and I still remember it fondly. Some of the life-sized scale construction of the Mizar with the wooden jig and panel assembly jig, all made in the workshop in Orbassano, just outside Turin. The car was made from iron sheet, following the typical methodology used for making single prototypes. The car was also painted and upholstered at the workshop. Only a few years later did I realise that his – albeit strange – behaviour had in fact put me to a test, of determination, perseverance, passion and character. Unfortunetely, I never found out if that first drawing was already acceptable or if the last one still contained errors. What he actually wanted to check was something else. Considering the period in which it was made, the car was something extraordinary. One of the things it included was also the classic front grille, which the parent company had abandoned years earlier (but returned to in subsequent production models). At that time, Michelotti collaborated with the Fiat Style Centre, working with Paolo Boano, style manager, and Giuseppe Civardi, in charge of the bodywork. But there was no particular contact between them and my father in the definition of this exclusive model, aside from purchasing the chassis and the mechanics. Some photos of the finished car taken in April 1974 opposite the entrance to the office building and in the courtyard in Orbassano. The Mizar was an instant success among the general public and received favourable reviews in the specialist press. The four-seater car had retracting headlights, polyurethane bumpers (previously tested on the prototypes of the 1971 Fiat 128 Coupé Pulsar and the 1972 Fiat 132 Coupé, both presented at the Geneva and Turin motor shows) and extraordinary aerodynamics. The Michelotti stand set up at the 1974 Turin Motor Show where the Mizar was presented to the public for the first time. On the final road test, I remember it seemed like flying a glider: not a draught or tiny whistle of air. The visibility was exceptional and the upholstered seats assured comfort even on long journeys. The gull-wing doors, the other great novelty of this new design, were driven by a large piston mounted on the central steering column, one for each door. The doors opened individually, although to add a touch of the spectacular, in the photos they are always shown both open. This made the construction even more complex, but the end result was way beyond all expectations. The car was completed in time for its world preview at the Turin International Motor Show in spring 1974, and later also at Geneva and Barcelona the following year. Unfortunately, due to its design the Mizar could not be type-approved, as the gull-wing doors couldn't open if the car overturned. In the end, it was simply an interesting style exercise, which ended with the production of a working prototype. Images from the Lancia Beta 1800 Mizar press folder taken at Avigliana Lake, near Turin The project did however have a happy ending: the Swiss high-end car importer Willy Felber ordered a modification on seven Lancia Beta 1800s, proposing the same front as our Mizar and the rear with the opening rear hatch window. The passenger compartment and doors remained those of the originals. In 1978 my father sold the car to a Japanese collector who I didn’t have the chance to meet. I believe that it is still being admired in the Far East, although I recently heard (but have not checked) that due to his age and health the owner wants to sell it, but that’s still to be confirmed. What is certain is that it is the only car ever built with four opening gull-wing doors and the rear hatch window as a fifth door. About tha author Edgardo Michelotti: Born in 1952, I hold a diploma as a surveyor and pursued a degree in Architecture in Turin. I began working alongside my father in 1973 until his illness and passing in early 1980. I continued his work until 1991, when I transitioned away from the automotive industry. For the next 15 years, I focused on industrial design, while also engaging in photography and archival digitization from 2003 to the present. This allowed me to manage an extensive archive, including the specific cataloging and complete digitization of approximately 6,000 graphic units, 20,000 photographs, 7,000 kg of full-scale design plans, as well as scale models, tools, correspondence, and periodicals. The archive spans over three decades, covering the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.

Like any charming adventure, there is treasure to be found. Ours is called Engadin, and to find it we climbed two mountain passes, the Julier and the Bernina Words Alessandro Giudice Photography Alessandro Barteletti Video Andrea Ruggeri and Anthony Egas Swiss Grand Tour is a project to discover itineraries driving classic Alfa Romeo cars, in partnership with Astara, the distributor and importer of the Brand in Switzerland. The place to be in the Swiss Alps is called Engadin, a 90-km-long valley south of the Grisons, the largest canton in the Swiss Confederation. To get there, we decided to start from one of the busiest roads in central-eastern Switzerland, the A13 linking Zurich to Bellinzona, passing through Chur. Along the motorway, we came across Thusis, a small town of three thousand inhabitants built on the banks of the raging alpine river Nolla, which flows into the Hinterrhein, the departure point of the Cantonal Road no. 3 that leads towards Engadin crossing the Julier Pass. [click to watch the video] Before setting out, it is well worth taking a stroll among the narrow streets of Thusis, lined with buildings from different eras and a wealthy past; the beautiful houses in the Neudorf neighbourhood, partly rebuilt after the great fire in 1845, looking over the main road running through the town, bear witness to this. Other points of interest include the late Gothic Church of Our Lady, the Schlössli - a “small castle” in both name and deed, the fountain in honour of the works done on the spectacular Viamala Gorge, which runs along the Hinterrhein with sheer walls up to 300 metres high. In addition to the beautiful landscape and the wealth of foot- and cycle-paths which make it a popular destination for cycling and trekking fans, Thusis’s fame is also due to its fortunate, strategic geographical position, at the foot of some major mountain passes for both goods and humans, including the Spluga, the San Bernardino, the Albula and, of course, the Julier. The four-wheeled star of this Alpine adventure, the magnificent 1962 Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider that Ronnie Kessel, the enthusiastic young owner of Kessel Group in Lugano, put at our disposal after a thorough refurbishment. The fact of having this car as our travel companion also offers a curious coincidence with the Italian name of the Julier Pass, “Passo del Giulia”. Having said this, we set off early, and the fairly chilly climate made us keep the hood down, at least as we drove towards the Julier. We passed through a long series of tunnels dotted along the Cantonal Road no. 3 from Thusis to Tiefencastle, where there is a turn-off for the Albula Pass. Our route in any case continued along the main road for another 35 kilometres through sweeping, scenic valleys where long, winding roads run up and down hill, interspersed with some wonderful panoramic views. The peaks of Piz Spegnaz and Arblatsch on the right and, after Savognin, the Marmorera Dam and reservoir. A couple of kilometres after the reservoir we come to Bivio, a small town at the foot of the Julier, whose first steep and narrow bends can clearly be seen from a distance. From an altitude of 1770 metres we climb to the pass at 2200 metres, enjoying both the spectacular views and the pleasure of driving. The perfect scenario for celebrating the features of a car like the Giulia Spider: agile and comfortable, it is ideal for admiring the views with the top down, even though for the time being we still have the hood up. The driving rhythm of the Stelvio Quadrifoglio accompanying us was quite different: it climbed like a tiger, gripping every bend with its four-wheel drive charging along the tarmac with all the 520 HP of the V6 biturbo engine. The road is perfectly tarmacked, and our surroundings run from the peaks to the valleys, still white with snow. Having reached the pass, the downward journey on the other side is quite smooth, with wide bends and long straight roads. We quickly cover the seven kilometres separating us from Upper Engadie, along a kind of plateau that however becomes steeper towards the end when, on a left-hand bend, the last of the descent and just before a short tunnel, we find ourselves overlooking the spectacular Lake Silvaplana, one of the four in the valley. And here, with the temperature slightly higher, we are tempted by the Giulia’s spider soul and finally take the hood down. Running along the lake fed by the River Inn, we arrive just in time at the “pearl of the Engadin”, St. Moritz, the ideal place for showing off the timeless elegance of the two-seater Biscione. Since the mid-19th century, when the town was an Alpine village inhabited by livestock breeders, today it has become a chic location dotted with elegant luxury boutiques. During the period when the spa waters of the St. Moritz spring began to attract an international clientèle, two major hotels were built and are still a symbol of the town’s exclusivity: the Kulm, the oldest, and Badrutt’s Palace, today standing alongside the spectacular Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains, on the banks of the lake. St. Moritz is known above all as a place of entertainment and sport. It has been home to two editions of the Winter Olympics, a famous bobsled run, a skeleton racing track, and snow polo tournaments held on the iced-over lake. This lake also hosts a famous classic cars event: ‘The Ice’, the most extraordinary Concours d’Elegance for classic cars on ice. In addition to these attractions, visitors should also stop at the Segantini Museum, dedicated to the famous Italian painter with the monumental Alpine Triptych. And, talking of great works, running through the town, along the stone wall of the railway station, you can admire the huge installation “Welcome” (29x4 metres), by the US graphic artist Barbara Stauffacher Solomon, who died recently at the age of 95. Leaving St. Moritz along the Cantonal Road no. 27, with the River Inn on our right and heading towards Celerina, we reach a roundabout that meets the no. 28, which takes us to the second pass on our itinerary, the Bernina. To reach the pass we set off from the slopes of Piz Bernina, which at 4,049 metres is one of the highest peaks in the Grisons, passing through the municipality of Pontresina to the Diavolezza area, which is perfect for skiing and trekking, at an altitude of 2000 metres, and where two cable cars take you to almost 3000 metres. Six kilometres separate Diavolezza from the pass, along a route encircled by the charming landscape of the Rhaetian Alps. After the Bernina Pass, we drive down towards Valtellina. The first border crossing to Italy is the La Motta customs post, the perfect place for ending our magical itinerary through Grisons. THE COLLECTOR: Ronnie Kessel The "Giulia Spider" The splendid shape drawn by Pininfarina for the Giulietta, is proposed again in 1962 with the Giulia Spider which distinguishes itself from the previous model for the wide air intake that crosses the engine hood, the adoption of larger rear lights and above all for the more powerful four-cylinder type 00112 of 1.6 liters and 91 HP. The specimen protagonist of our Tour in the Grisons has been completely restored by Kessel Classic division maintaining its fascinating and rare body color, that light blue so fashionable in the 60s. The Modern Alfas The history of my family has always been linked to the brand from Arese. It was an Alfa Romeo that brought my father into the world of racing in a career that then reached Formula 1, and it is with one of the six official Autodelta GTA's that I enjoy participating in some races of the Alfa Romeo Classic championship today. A passion and a strong bond that, analyzing the current models of the Biscione, especially the most performing ones, makes me say that Alfa Romeo has succeeded in the task of preserving the DNA and driving style of its cars.

Massimo Grandi brings us into the fascinating history of Giuseppe Furmanik’s Maserati Siluro 4CM Carenato, a record-breaking car in automotive engineering. The article traces the origins of the Maserati 4CM, highlighting its development by the Maserati brothers and its transformation into a speed record challenger. Furmanik's innovative work in aerodynamics and engineering is explored, showcasing how his modifications led to multiple world records. The Maserati Siluro 4CM Carenato exemplifies the blend of scientific principles and aesthetic design in early 20th-century racing. Words and Drawings Massimo Grandi The history of Giuseppe Furmanik's record-breaking Maserati 4cm is profoundly intertwined with the birth of the prestigious Italian brand Maserati. In the early 1920s, the brothers Alfiero and Ernesto Maserati were well-known and esteemed, both as drivers and designers, and in 1922 the prestigious firm Diatto called them to direct its racing team. In 1923, the engineer Giuseppe Coda, Diatto’s director and designer, built 2 experimental 4-litre straight-8 engines, coupling standard Diatto Type 20 blocks. Between 1924 and 1925, under Coda's guide, Alfieri Maserati designed and built a new engine, with a smaller displacement of 1995 cc. This was the first 8C Diatto built by Maserati, an aluminium twin-shaft straight cylinder block with 2 Memini carburettors and a Roots-type compressor. This engine was used in the now-legendary Diatto 8C Grand Prix with compressor, 160 HP and bodywork by Schieppati that saw the light in June 1925. When Diatto withdrew from racing in 1926, ten Type 30 sport chassis, equipped with gears and other mechanical parts, were purchased by the gentleman-driver Marquis Diego De Sterlich who, a huge fan, wanted to give them to the Maserati brothers, convincing them - also with financial help - to set up their own car racing firm, and thus in 1926 Alfieri and Ernesto Maserati set up the historical “Trident” company. The first racing car was named “Tipo 26”, after the year of manufacture. It was driven by a straight-8 1500 cc engine, meeting the new international regulation, and was supercharged by a compressor that produced 120 HP at 5,300 rpm. It was the very first actual Maserati. On 25 April, 1926, the Tipo 26 made its début in the Targa Florio. It was red, the Italian national racing colour, and wore number 5. Alfieri, assisted by the mechanic Guerino Bertocchi, won its class and eighth place overall, even ahead of two Bugattis. Three were made during the first year of production, with chassis numbers 11, 12 and 13. Production of the Tipo 26 continued until 1932, with constant technical improvements and different set-ups. Between the late 1920s and early 30s, racing cars with small engines - the so-called “Voiturette” class, gained popularity in the racing world, especially among private drivers. And so, in 1929 Maserati developed a 1100 cc version of the Tipo 26. Yet compared to the French Salmsone and Amilcar, the car was overweight, so after producing four cars, the Tipo 26C or 8C 1100 was abandoned and Alfieri Maserati started from scratch. One of the main reasons for the excessive weight of the Tipo 26C was the rather large and heavy straight-8 engine. It was replaced with the first 4-cylinder engine, much better suited to the small car. With two overhead camshafts and a Roots-type compressor, the new 1088 cc "quattro" delivered 90 HP. And so, in 1932, the small, single-seater Maserati 4CM was born. The 4CM was produced until 1938, in several series, with engine capacities respectively of 1100, 1500, 2000 and 2500 cc. Giuseppe Furmanik, a key engineer in the Italian racing world and famous driver from Rome, bought a Maserati 4CM 1100 cc in August 1933, #1120. Intending to join the world speed record challenge, Furmanik immediately began to develop the mechanics, and progressively also the body. In the mid-30s, aerodynamics was in its very early stages, and Giuseppe Furmanik's Maserati 4 CM was used as a laboratory car for the new experimental aerodynamic studies. The car developed rapidly as the studies progressed. In 1934, on the Firenze-Mare motorway, Giuseppe Furmanik set a new world flying kilometre record in the 1100cc class, reaching a speed of 222.634 kilometres per hour (over 138 mph), beating the previous record of 207.527 km/h held by MG. The car had not only evolved in its mechanics but above all in terms of aerodynamics. The front had been completely re-designed, reducing the front air intake to an oval opening in the profile of the old grille, now fully integrated into the body. The chassis and front leaf-springs were also hidden inside a shaped fairing. Two years later in Pescara, the car won the standing kilometre record in 27’’38/100 with an average speed of 131.483 and the standing mile in 39’’57/100 average km. 146.415. Twenty days later, on the Firenze-Mare it beat its own records, with the flying start over a kilometre in 14’’42/100 average 249.653 and over a mile in 27’’28/100 average 212.376. It also beat the records in class D with standing start over a kilometre in 23’’865/1.000 average 150.849 and over a mile in 35’’00 at an average speed of km. 165.532. In 1937 Furmanik went even further in his aerodynamic experiments, and at the Viotti Coachbuilders in Turin, designed by Mario Revelli from Beaumont and developed at the Experimental aeronautic research centre in Guidonia, came the Maserati 4CM 1500 LSR (Land Speed Record) more commonly known as the “Maserati Siluro 4CM Carenato". The engine was a Maserati 1495.7 cc (1500). The greater displacement was obtained by changing both the bore and the stroke. The larger engine also demanded a larger compressor and a Weber carburettor. The 4CM 1500 engine delivered 130 or 150 CV depending on the use of the fixed head. The supercharged engine further developed by Furmanik, with a 100 mm stroke and 69 mm bore, with Burgo pistons, reached even 200 CV at 7000 rpm. The original bodywork of the 4 CM was then completely changed, with a practically complete fairing, aiming to create increasingly fluid and continuous lines. A huge stabiliser fin sat at the back. It was designed by Mario Revelli from Beaumont, with the bodywork by Carrozzeria Viotti. The passenger compartment was closed by a dome that made the car look more like a torpedo - siluro in Italian - that gave it the name "Maserati Siluro 4CM Carenato". Even the front brakes were eliminated to lighten the car as much as possible in order to give it more speed. The underlying arrangement of this aerodynamic model was the classic one specified in Jaray’s 1920s patent, with a central body with a longitudinal winged section with a drop-shaped roof. A similar solution had already been adopted for a 1934 Maserati 4CM 1500, based on the design by the German designer Reinhard von Koenig-Fachsenfeld with bodywork by Vetter for the Swiss driver Hans Ruesch. With his Maserati Siluro 4CM Carenato, on 2 and 3 June 1937, on the Firenze-Mare motorway, he beat the class record for the standing start kilometre in 24’’935/1.000 average 144.3, and in the standing start mile in 34’’325/1000 average 168.8 and the flying kilometre in 15’’9/100 with an average of 238.6 km/h. Although he won these two major international records, Furmanik didn’t manage to beat Frank Lockhart’s record on the flying mile. This was a really exceptional record: Lockhart was not only a skilled driver but also a great engineer and manufacturer, who had developed his Miller Perfect Circle 8-cylinder 1.500 cc supercharged engine that delivered 240 HP at 7,500 rpm. In 1927, in California, he covered the flying mile in 21.95 seconds, at a speed of 263.946 Km/hour. Furmanik couldn’t get more than 6400 rpm from his engine, while at full power it was 7000 rpm. This is enough to explain why the attempt to beat the previous record failed. But his attempt did trigger a discussion on aerodynamic efficiency, and so on Furmanik’s Maserati CX and its exposed front wheels with only a rear fairing. As we know, exposed wheels offer higher aerodynamic resistance, and so a full fairing drastically lowers the drag coefficient. Right from the start, they imagined that perhaps with a full fairing, seeing as the Maserati weighed less than Lockhart's Miller at 800 kg, they would have been able to reach higher speeds. In fact, in the original rendering the fairing covered all four wheels, also using disc hubs. This solution was similar to the one adopted by Lockhart for his wonderful 1928 Stutz Black Hawk Special. We do not know why Furmanik opted for this choice, from the period photos of the record attempt on the Firenze-Mare motorway, the car appeared even without any fairing on the wheels. Also in an original Luce film of the event, the car appeared initially with the fairings on the rear wheels, and then racing without them. Whatever Furmanik’s choice of racing with or without the fairings, the original design of this car fitted out by Viotti remains very interesting. It represents an excellent combination of the scientific application of the principles of aerodynamics and aesthetics, seeking an elegantly harmonious model even for a car intended simply to beat a speed record. With its records and its design, Furmanik’s Maserati 4CM undoubtedly wrote a chapter in the history of car racing and car design.

In a region of empty roads winding through the forests, the pleasure of driving blends with the discovery of some charming and, at times, mysterious places. We stumbled upon them at the wheel of a 1969 Junior Zagato Words Alessandro Giudice Photography Alessandro Barteletti Video Andrea Ruggeri Swiss Grand Tour is a project to discover itineraries driving classic Alfa Romeo cars, in partnership with Astara, the distributor and importer of the Brand in Switzerland. This is the only one of the 26 Swiss cantons to have Italian as its only official language. This is why, imagining an itinerary through Ticino, we decided to start from its south-western border with Italy, following the river Tresa, an emissary of Lake Lugano in the municipality of Ponte Tresa which then flows into Lake Maggiore. Ponte Tresa is not only a major border crossing, it is also a lakeside town with beaches and tourist amenities that, in the warmer season, offer visitors a full range of bathing facilities and opportunities. A couple of miles from the town, heading towards Lugano, you reach the municipality of Caslano, a charming and colourful tourism and cultural outpost looking over the water with its characteristic peninsula. Here you can not only surf, swim and sail: there are also some interesting trekking routes on and around Mount Sassalto, a protected natural oasis with a variety of plant species, and then take a tasty break at the Museum & Chocolate Experience Alprose, or a cultural diversion at the Fishing Museum. [click to watch the video] Having explored the area, we start our itinerary from Ponte Tresa, taking Via Cantonale along the right bank of the river Tresa. In contrast to the rather impervious Italian bank, as soon as you leave the town the Ticino coast of the river opens into a large, sun-kissed plane criss-crossed by straight roads linking farms, small businesses and charming villages typical of the border areas, where the lasting presence of two close yet different cultures has created a curious mix of habits and traditions. With the support of Reto Sormani, Alfa Romeo collector and expert of the local area, we wanted the route through this part of Ticino to be marked by driving pleasure, on exhilarating yet possibly quiet roads. A pleasure that was crowned by the agility and power of the car Reto put at our disposal: a bright red 1969 Alfa Romeo Junior Zagato 1300, for the occasion assisted by a really special support car, the 520 HP Giulia Quadrifoglio. The first leg of the tour runs through Sessa, recognisable even from a distance by the size of the bell tower of the San Martino Church, dating back to 1200 and built by the local feudal family Sessa, which took on its current Baroque style in the 15th century. This pretty town has a characteristic urban structure, which has maintained its appeal as an ancient hamlet. Here we also find the Palazzo del Tribunale (Court Building), because, we should remember, Sessa was to all extents and purposes the capital of Malcantone, the region connecting Milan to Lugano and then to Northern Europe. There are several theories behind the name. One states that the strategic and disputed border region was inhabited by both traders and travellers and bandits and criminals, who robbed the wayfarers. Another states that it comes from the rather bad-tempered character of its inhabitants, rough mountain folk: both are sufficient reasons for adding the prefix “mal” (“bad”) to the term “cantone”. Departing from Sessa, the first part of the route runs through the chestnut woods covering the hills. The route runs uphill along wide, well-marked and enjoyable winding roads, where the GT Junior Zagato began to offer all the thrills it is capable of. By one of the bends you will see a minecart, telling of the mining tradition that made Malcantone one of the richest mining regions not only in Switzerland but in the whole of Europe. The minecart is but a clue to the location of the gold mine (along with the local silver mine) which lies a few miles ahead in Costa di Sessa. Following the signs, you will reach the entrance of the mining tunnel, recovered in the last decade and offering interesting guided tours, as well as the first leg of the Mining Park Trail, along which trekking enthusiasts (frequent visitors to Malcantone) can reach other sites telling of the special and somewhat unexpected history and economy of the Confederacy. Like the story of Domenico Trezzini, architect and town planner born in Astano, a village with 300 inhabitants lying three kilometres from Sessa, who studied in Rome and in 1703 was called by the Tzar Peter the Great to help design St Petersburg, the new capital of the Russian Empire. Trezzini, to whom an impressive statue was erected in the Russian city, designed the Summer Palace, the Peter and Paul Fortress and Cathedral, curiously the saints after whom the Baroque parish church in Astano, dating back to 1636, is also named. The route then continues on to Novaggio from where, running along the southern face of Mount Lema, reaches Miglieglia. In addition to the modern cable car that leads to the top of the mountain, here you can also visit the beautiful Romanic Church of Santo Stefano al Colle, inside decorated with brightly coloured late-Gothic frescoes: don’t miss this tiny gem. From here on the road becomes quite spectacular, with its harmoniously winding bends and scenic views that appear out of the blue. In Breno, the main town in Upper Malcantone, the beautiful blue and white Casa Cantonale welcomes visitors. Wander round its narrow streets, stop for a tasty meal in one of its “trattorie” and then visit the monumental Church of San Lorenzo, built in the 13th century, renovated two centuries later, its neoclassical façade added in 1912. And talking of religious buildings, the view from the Church of Santa Maria Juvenia, a beautiful complex dating back to the 9th century next to the Iseo cemetery, near Vernate, is quite spectacular. The church can be reached along a short diversion from the route, offering breathtaking view of Lake Lugano and beyond. And here in Vernate we begin to approach the lake. Descending into the valley, on a right-hand bend, take the road to the left towards Bioggio, an alternative scenic route that runs half-way along the hillside. Driving through almost uninhabited ancient hamlets, you will enjoy the genuine simplicity of mountain life, while the architecture of the houses and commercial activities dotted along the road clearly indicate that you are approaching more sophisticated places. Returning to the rhythms of nearby Lugano, marked by the bridge over the A2 motorway leading to the Gotthard Pass, you will drive through Breganzona, Muzzano and then Risciano, towards Agno as far as the left-hand turn towards Figino. This picturesque lakeside town is the point of arrival for this unusual yet appealing itinerary, through a Ticino in which Lugano is the main place of attraction and yet has some unexpectedly wild delights to be discovered amongst the chestnut-covered hills. THE COLLECTOR: Reto Sormani The "Junior Z" I chose the Junior Z for its classic mechanics, with a four-cylinder, twin-cam engine, housed in a unique body. For me, who has always loved Alfa Romeo sedans, it was an extraordinary choice that added some zest to my collection, as well as an investment in a model produced in limited numbers. From a dynamic perspective, I appreciate its exceptional road-holding, thanks to a combination of lightness and power that make it agile and easily manageable. The 90 hp engine, which may not seem like much on paper, performs excellently on a weight that doesn't exceed 1000 kg. It's very responsive to the load, and it's clear that you feel the difference when you have a passenger. However, it's a very enjoyable car and surprisingly fast: on the track, I've reached 180 km/h effortlessly. Not bad for a fifty-year-old car of only 1.3 litres. The Modern Alfas As an ardent Alfista, it's enough for me to get behind the wheel of a modern Alfa to find many things that make it unique and recognizable. I recently spoke with someone from the Centro Stile, and I was struck by the fact that even today, those who work at Alfa Romeo put their heart and passion into it. I have a Giulia that I use every day and a Stelvio Quadrifoglio: then I get behind the wheel of a 2004 GT 3.2 with a manual gearbox, and my heart opens up. Perhaps I am made for slightly old-fashioned, rough Alfa Romeos.

The international charm of a city where contemporary architecture blends with the wonderful views of the lake and the surrounding peaks Words Alessandro Giudice Photography Alessandro Barteletti Video Andrea Ruggeri Swiss Grand Tour is a project to discover itineraries driving classic Alfa Romeo cars, in partnership with Astara, the distributor and importer of the Brand in Switzerland. Among all the Swiss cities, Lugano has a strong and special personality. Its proximity to Italy and the short distance that separates it from Milan have helped develop a lifestyle where a taste for beauty, particularly fashion and design, and cultural opportunities, expressed through a packed calendar of exhibitions and events, have made Lugano the most Mediterranean city in the Confederation, as well as a top financial centre. [click to watch the video] In the light of these considerations, we imagined an intense and “short but sweet” itinerary around Lugano and its lake to take in the scenery. Continuing our exploration of Ticino, which began in the hills of Malcantone, we set out from Figino, a small municipality on the banks of the Ceresio, the point of arrival of our first itinerary through the canton. And here we met Giovanni Poretti, Lugano-born legal expert and economist, who for the tour lent us one of the most valuable pieces in his Alfa Romeo collection: a shiny pastel grey 2600 Coupé Sprint with its long front, ideal for housing the straight-6 engine. All in all, a very classy car and sufficiently glamorous for visiting the sophisticated and picturesque locations along the route. Starting from Morcote, an authentic lakeside gem, we pass through the village following the road keeping the lake on our right. Here the spectacle of the arcades adorning the luxury villas along the lakeside invites us to stop, even just for a refreshing drink while admiring the view across the water, with the Mottarello, Cascolo and Grumello mountains that draw the Italian coastline alongside the bay at Porto Ceresio. The village of Morcote stands on the bank. Strolling around the narrow streets, you take in some interesting architectural details and soak up the relaxing atmosphere; you really must climb the 400 steps at the back to reach the Renaissance church of Santa Maria del Sasso and the oratory next door, devoted to St Anthony of Padua. Right next to these two church buildings are the Scherrer Gardens, one of the amazing creations of Arthur Scherrer, from St Gallen, who in the early 1930s imaged a place that could contain all the wonders he collected on his travels around the world. Open from March to November and known as the “Garden of Wonders” (the naturalistic transposition of the “wunderkammer” that were so fashionable in the 19th century among aristocratic families), the park is home to numerous subtropical plants, bamboo forests and Mediterranean maquis, dotted with art works and reproductions of temples, villas and constructions styled to underline the eastern or western vegetation. Don’t miss it. Returning to the lakeside road, leaving Morcote, turn left up the slopes of Mount Arbostora towards Carona. This is a spectacular and really enjoyable road, even in the rather narrow stretches. The ideal place for making the most of the driving pleasure in a charming and very punchy car like the 2600 Sprint, as well as the technology that keeps the 520 HP of the red Giulia Quadrifoglio accompanying us at bay. It's quite hard to keep your eyes on the road without being distracted by the view, which in some points is absolutely breathtaking! Carona is a hamlet perched at an altitude of 600 metres above sea level, and is considered a neighbourhood of Lugano even though it lies 8 kilometres from the city. It is bursting with artistic expressions, with many houses decorated with sculpted friezes and fine details. The symbol of this pervasive refinery is the frescoed façade of the municipal Loggia and arcade: the building stands next to the church of San Giorgio (where you will also find a large 16th century painting inspired by Da Vinci’s Last Supper), with a bell tower in local pink stone and the sacristy above an arch over the road, all forming a beautiful square at the entrance to the village. Talking of religious buildings, the Madonna d’Onero sanctuary, with its porticoes and Via Crucis in front, occupies the top of the hill just outside the village. Driving downhill from Carona towards Lugano, we come across small hamlets and ancient villas looking over the lake to our left along the route. A large sign stating “Benvenuti al Paradiso” (“Welcome to Paradise”) should not be misconstrued: nothing supernatural, just the boundary with what is considered the most prestigious residential district of Lugano, but which in fact is a municipality in its own right. With its elegant and exclusive contemporary architecture, it is also the departure point of the funicular railway that runs 1660 metres to the top of Mount San Salvatore, a very popular scenic spot with breathtaking views over the lake and the peaks of the highest mountains in Switzerland and Italy. Lugano’s urban development, overseen by some of the greatest names in world architecture, is one of the most inspiring reasons for visiting the city. Starting from the buildings by Mario Botta, internationally renowned Ticino-born archistar which can be admired entering Lugano from Paradiso: the cylindrical Cinque Continenti centre, topped by a metallic structure, or, just outside the city centre in Via Pretorio, the red-brick Palazzo Ransilia, this time topped by a tree. The works of another Ticino-born architect, Ivano Gianola, include the spectacular LAC culture centre, which hosts exhibitions and artistic performances, as well as the MASI - Italian-Swiss Art Museum - , surprisingly built on pillars so as to not hinder the view of the lake. A suggestion: the centre of Lugano is quite compact with a large pedestrian area. It is worth visiting it on foot, maybe starting from the lakeside promenade. Visit the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, next to the LAC, with its wonderful Renaissance fresco by Bernardino Luini “Passion and Crucifixion of Christ”, and enjoy a stroll along Via Nassa, which under the 270-metre-long arcade once used by fishermen to dry their nets, today offers classy shops and boutiques, up to the historical Villa Ciani and its gardens. Back in the car, the itinerary sets off once more from Villa Ciani towards Castagnola, leaving the lake for a few kilometres before finding it again on the right, at Ruvigliana, and on to Aldesago, on the slopes of Mount Brè, which with its 933 metres dominates the eastern part of the city. From here, along 6 kilometres of straight roads and wide sweeping bends, we reach Brè Sopra Lugano (its full name), a small hamlet with stone houses and streets, dotted with frescoes left by numerous artists – from Aligi Sassu to Wilhelm Schmid and Josef Birò – on the houses during their stays there both in summer and winter. From the village, a partially unpaved road leads to the top of the Brè in just a few minutes. In this charming panoramic spot, a terrace looks over Mount San Salvatore and the gulf of Lugano below. Then, looking up across the Alps and Monte Rosa, it springs to mind that perhaps it would really be worth putting up a sign “Welcome to Paradise”. THE COLLECTOR: Giovanni Poretti The "2600 Sprint" Not a particularly famous car, many have never driven it, but this has fuelled its reputation as a car with heavy steering, which is not true, especially when seen with the eyes of today and in relation to the cars of its time. I find it very pleasant to drive, it’s not a light car as it was intended for a certain type of use, a large touring coupé, although some people did try to race it on the track. The 2600 is quite agile, but don't be afraid of its weight (1370 kg) and size (4.58 m long, 2.58 m wheelbase): the engine is sufficiently powerful and has enough torque to be entertaining. I agree with the tests conducted by Road&Track at the time: they said don't worry about entering a bend at high speed, as once it gets in there the 2600 Sprint is stable and safe, and holds the road well, despite the tyres of the time not being what they are today. The Modern Alfas I have always been a car enthusiast, and an Alfa Romeo fan in particular. While I loved all the cars of the 1960s and most of those of the 70s, from then onwards I have noted some kind of increasing banalisation, in the sense that the characteristics of each brand have been lost, in favour of uniform performance. The ties with Alfa Romeo make me like its models more than others. I recovered this respect after all the events that have marked and rather watered down Alfa’s history, but which today place the company in the centre of a development programme that, I hope, will help it to regain those unique features that made it a worldwide driving legend.