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Building the Carrozzeria Touring Disco Volante: Part 4

Classic Driver has been granted full access by Carrozzeria Touring to the stages in the construction of the first production Disco Volante, prior to its launch at the 2013 Geneva Show...

In Part 3 we saw how it was meticulously prepared for painting and then sprayed in lustrous ‘Flame Red - Touring Superleggera'. Now, all the interior trim will be re-fitted and the car readied for the show.

Many parts and trim have been re-designed by Carrozzeria Touring. These, together with the original Alfa Romeo 8C mechanical components removed from the donor car, are now carefully incorporated in the now-painted bodyshell: the fabricated brightwork and door handles, for example – typical Touring touches that can be seen in the coachbuilder’s bloodline from pre-War days.Building the New Carrozzeria Touring Disco Volante: Part 4

Building the New Carrozzeria Touring Disco Volante: Part 4 Building the New Carrozzeria Touring Disco Volante: Part 4

The interior, although incorporating the basic architecture of the Alfa Romeo 8C, is heavily reworked to give more of a ‘space age’, or ‘science fiction’ feel that befits the name Disco Volante (‘Flying Saucer’ in Italian). Red LED interior lighting matches this mood, and the special exterior colour is mirrored inside the cabin, with hides specially dyed to match.Building the New Carrozzeria Touring Disco Volante: Part 4

Building the New Carrozzeria Touring Disco Volante: Part 4 Building the New Carrozzeria Touring Disco Volante: Part 4

Suitably trimmed, its glass, wheels and tyres re-fitted, the New Carrozzeria Touring Disco Volante is now ready for a general systems functionality check, plus a painstaking quality inspection and various tests for watertightness. After these, the car can be signed off by the engineering team.Building the New Carrozzeria Touring Disco Volante: Part 4

Building the New Carrozzeria Touring Disco Volante: Part 4 Building the New Carrozzeria Touring Disco Volante: Part 4

All that remains is a thorough test-drive and the process of validation is then complete. A new car, likely to be one of the highlights of the 2013 Geneva Show, is finished... and Classic Driver will be driving it only days before its delivery to the exhibition halls.

Building the New Carrozzeria Touring Disco Volante: Part 4

Full story to come...

For further information on the 2013 Carrozzeria Touring Disco Volante visit www.touringsuperleggera.eu, or email [email protected].
 

Related Links

The website of Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera www.touringsuperleggera.eu

'Building the New Carrozzeria Touring Disco Volante: Part 1' in the Classic Driver Magazine

'Building the New Carrozzeria Touring Disco Volante: Part 2' in the Classic Driver Magazine

'Building the New Carrozzeria Touring Disco Volante: Part 3' in the Classic Driver Magazine

'Five questions to Louis de Fabribeckers, Head of Design Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera' in the Classic Driver Magazine

'Geneva 2012: Disco Volante 2012 by Touring Superleggera' in the Classic Driver Magazine

 

Photos: Carrozzeria Touring