DREAM CARS ON DISPLAY IN TORINO!!

Not to be missed.

Never before I have seen so many dream and concept cars in the same place ad the same time. This unique opportunity is offered by Torino 2008 World Design Capital and you must visit it before it closes on November 23.

For all details and a comprehensive introduction, go to http://www.torinoworlddesigncapital.it/portale/en/content_1.php?sezioneID=291&testoCompleto=1

Beware and please do not shoot the messenger: strangely enough, the exhibition closes at 6.20 p.m.

You also should not miss to get a copy of the Exhibition Catalogue currently on sale only in Italian but soon to be available also in English.

In fact, one of the many oddities of this exhibition is that the Catalogue does not exactly reflect the exhibition but also has a little bit more here and a little bit less there.

Take your time and take your camera with you. There is a lot to see, to study and to register. Through the day, the lighting of the wonderful hall designed and engineered by the famous Italian architect Luigi Nervi, which used to host the Turin Motor Show, is excellent. There is a lot of space, air and light so that one can fully enjoy seeing more than 50 prototypes created by the Turin carmakers, coachbuilders and enthusiasts.

Unfortunately the exhibition is not complete, with some works remarkable for their past and current trends, such as the Spada Coda Tronca or the first “fuoriserie” of the latest decade not present and often not even mentioned. We are3 talking here oif the “dreams for the road” presented by Stola and Studiotorino, which have anticipated the new vague of “fuoriserie”. Typical dream cars actually designed and built for the road, such as the Pininfarina Ferrari P4/5 and Hyperion. Not to mention many Zagatos of yesterday and today.

In this respect, the exhibition reflects the traditional culture of the Turinese coachbuilders.

As of today, we offer you a glance at the exhibits. Later on, we shall come back with additional information, naming of cars on show and update,

Click on this image for our exclusive photo gallery:

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FIORAVANTI - IDEA - ITALDESIGN HAVE NEW CARS FOR GENEVA!!

I.de.a. Institute Era for the Geneva Motor Show.

All mouths are kept shout in Turin about what the Italian coachbuilder will be showing at the Geneva Motor Show, early next month, but it is already clear that Fioravanti, Italdesign and Zagato will be showing a world-première whereas Idea and Pininfarina will be displaying something “deja vu” but further developed. Pininfarina will take its ultimate development of the Bolloré Zero electric four door, four seater, all-round-city- sedan in new colour scheme and with a more sophisticated interior design.

On their turn, I.de.a Institute (owned by a Swiss industrial group) will be participating to the Geneva Show for the first time in many years. They will exhibit a number of project, the main one being the running prototype of their light-weight, two-seater, open-air ERA sport car, which has been rumoured to be the basis for a all-new Abarth.

Italdesign-Giugiaro is expected to surprise in one-way or the other with a stunning proposal of a high performance but green Supercar banking on the latest hybrid technology that would show Ferrari the direction for the sport car of the future. It is certainly non a Ferrari but according to early rumours it might bear the badge of a carmaker that operates in the vicinity. Other sources report of a retrodesign inspired to cars designed in the mid-sixties. Although rather unexpected the move would be rather intriguing and would certainly produce a lot of discussions if not controversy.

Fioravanti is reportedly committed to make a strong statement of what Italian car design stands for, with a new design that bank on extreme and sophisticated simplicity.

Zagato will celebrate their 90th anniversary this year and they want to do it in grand style, also to reassure that - with their new Indian partner - they are committed to keep the tradition of typically Italian high performance GT. In Geneva they will be showing a powerful two-seater-coupé of impression dimensions and with a very generous powerplant. According to my sources it is a big V8 and from a brand the company has never worked on. If I match the news that several offers have been presented to Chrysler for their Viper project, we might well see a all-newViper in “Zagato Style”. Let me stress this is only my assumption, nothing more.

Wondering about Bertone? Come back tomorrow at this time and I shall be able to update you.

Ciao.