By Bonnie James
Eight impressive creations from as many Italian car design masters were unveiled yesterday at a preview, setting the mood for the first international edition of the Qatar Motor Show, which begins at the Doha Exhibition Centre today.
Autostudi, Bertone, Castagna Milano, Fioravanti, Pininfarina, Salt, Spadaconcept, and Touring Superleggera have assembled in collaboration with the Car Coachbuilders Group (Gruppo Carrozzieri Autovetture) of Anfia (Italian Association of the Automotive Industry).
The 2010 Bentley Continental Flying Star by Touring Superleggera, a debut for the Middle East, was the first to be unveiled, after an address by Anfia vice-president and Car Coachbuilders Group chairman Leonardo Fioravanti. Only 19 units of this four-seater limited edition supercar will be built, and three have already been delivered in Europe.
“Powered by a V12, 610hp engine, the custom-built car requires at least 4,000 hours of handicraft work,” Touring Superleggera CEO Piero Mancardi said.
Designed and coach built under the supervision of Bentley Motors for engineering and quality, the Continental Flying Star is entitled to Bentley warranty and after-sales service.
Touring Superleggera, founded in Milan in 1926, specialises in combining refined Italian design, state-of-the-art engineering and craftsmanship to coach build one-offs or very limited edition supercars.
Pininfarina has brought to Qatar its Nido concept car, first unveiled in 2004. “The objective of this two-seater car is to increase levels of safety for both the occupants and pedestrians,” research and development department official Filippo Cappadona explained.
Over the past 80 years, Pininfarina has evolved from an artisan concern to an international group which has automotive clients including Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, Ford, Volvo, Tata Motors and Chery.
Bertone, founded in 1912, has put on show the ultra-stylish Pandion concept car, a sporty coupe designed in 2010 as a tribute to the 100th anniversary of the Alfa Romeo marquee. With spectacular inverse scissor doors hinged to rear hub among its highlights, the Pandion is described as a ‘pure dream car’ by Bertone, a high technology service company having complete manufacturing-cycle in the automotive sector.Fioravanti, an architectural practice that diversified into the automotive industry in 1991, has brought its F100r roadster, presented at the 2000 Turin Motor Show.
“Built on a Ferrari chassis, the car sports an innovative multispherical-type windscreen that reduces the tiresome air turbulence of open cars,” said Luca, sales and business development head and founder Leonardo’s son.
Castagna Milano, founded in 1849, has displayed its Fiat 500 Tender 2 concept car (2010), with a large rear boot in teak. On-board equipment is completed by touch screen system, fridge, chiller, sound beach-party system, shower, fold-up screen structure of the canopy and more.
Spadaconcept’s Codatronca is a supercar with a futuristic design. Ercole Spada (one of the three founders of the design studio and former chief designer at Zagato and BMW), and his son Paolo (former designer at Smart and Honda) presented the 630hp, V8 engine-powered creation unveiled in 2008.
Salt’s RK Coupe was born in 2006 from a project based on combining a 3.8ltr, 440hp, RUF engine with a Porsche Cayman. In March 2007, it was elected as ‘The most beautiful car of the year’ at the Museo dell’Automobile in Turin.
The newest design among the eight Italian automotive creations is the C-Sport Qatar (2011) concept car from Autostudi. “This is an innovative high level sport car, with clear and sinuous lines that gives the feel of a very extra luxury toy-car,” president and CEO Carlo Angiono said.
C-Sport Qatar, exhibited as just a shell, can accommodate engines up to 2.5cc, V6.
