One of the most famous Italian automotive design companies and special bodywork manufacturers enters a next
phase. In the year of its 80th. Anniversary, Carrozzeria Touring Supperleggera of Milan is all set for a significant new
launch of its specialist services and concepts for the special product niche of the international car market.
Founded by Felice Bianchi Anderloni and Gaetano Ponzoni in 1926, the company started to produce custom built
automotive bodywork with a distinctive feature form the very beginning: lightness.
Early customers were reputed car makers as Isotta Fraschini and Alfa Romeo. It would mark the start of a
flamboyant period, also culminating in the ‘Flying Star’ period with several spectacular spyder coachworks.
Touring Superleggera also gradually researched the streamlining process. The marriage between this, and their
Superleggera construction system using aluminium body panels over a light but rigid tubular steel frame, resulted
in some extremely elegant masterpieces such as the 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C2900 Touring spyder, which today have
become icons of automotive design and body construction.
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In 1945, the excellent Carlo Felice Bianchi Anderloni joined his father at the company, which soon started to
receive its first orders from a motivated Modenese entrepreneur called Enzo Ferrari. The tipo 166 Touring
‘Barchetta’ of 1950 formed a new milestone for light, elegant and effective design on a competition chassis.
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Under Carlo Felice, Touring saw its industrial customer basis grow in the mainstream of the expanding
automotive industry in Italy and Europe. A number of niche models were designed and built on Alfa Romeo 1900,
Lancia Flaminia and Maserati 3500. Another new inspired car manufacturer from the Bologna area relied on
Touring’s skills: Lamborghini. At the same time, Aston Martin produced their DB4, 5 and 6 models with a license for
the Superleggera system.
The energy crises of the early seventies, and the increasing mass production methods in the car industry would
regretfully force many specialist companies to close their doors. The last production car left Carrozzeria Touring in
1966, but the true Touring spirit was firmly consolidated in the company’s products, that found their ways to an
international community of motoring enthusiasts and car collectors.
Carrozzeria Marazzi of Caronno Pertusella continued the production for Lamborghini, and would become the
entrusted keepers of the Touring Superleggera brand. Until his retirement, Carlo Felice Bianchi Anderloni dedicated
his talents to Alfa Romeo as head of their design department, but he also would continue to care for Touring’s
heritage with unequalled energy until the very last days of his inspired life, which regretfully ended on Aug. 7,2003.
On April 21st ., 2006 the exclusive rights for the Touring Superleggera brand were acquired by the international
Zeta Europe BV group, a company with several subsidiary companies in the Milano area such as Carrozzeria
Granturismo near Arese, and Ruote Borrani in Rozzano.
The new targets for Carrozzeria Touring are ambitious and well-aimed: a high-quality and professional
Milano-based service center for the special product niche in the international car industry. Sectors: automotive
design, models, concept cars, and small-volume production of special vehicles.
“I had the pleasure and privilege to meet Carlo Felice Bianchi Anderloni on several occasions, and admired his
inspiring interest and open mind for even very modern design concepts. He always liked to discuss the concept of a
‘modern day Touring’ ” says Zeta Europe’s CEO Paul V.J.Koot.
“Touring Superleggera represents a precious new venture, which we are very proud to add to our corporate
portfolio. But we thoroughly realize the significant tasks and responsibilities that lay behind this takeover. Touring
has a long, rich and versatile heritage that requires very well-thought and balanced steps to grow further in the
complex context of the automotive environment of the 21st. century”
“We are building a compact, dynamic team of competent young professionals. Our pilot projects will include
partial style studies (known as the traditional Elaborazione), as well as spectacular, totally new projects. We will
focus on turn key projects. We want to see avant-garde design and new Touring bodies, not only virtual or on
shows, but also on the road. And although today, we live in a global village, Touring Superleggera’s future models
will continue to share their most important DNA with their famous ancestors: Italy, and design with original Italian
inspiration. For me this is crucial, and we have a motivated and inspired Italian partner in this venture to safeguard
this fidelity to the roots of Touring Superleggera”
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