Coachbuilders - Italy: books - history and models (1/2)

Encyclopaedia Britalicar: The Story of British Cars & Italian Design

Celebrating the rich, deep partnership between the British car industry and Italian design, this book is packed with coachbuilt cars, design classics and concept cars from the 1920s to the current day. The story starts with the early days of coachbuilt cars on separate chassis from illustrious marques like Bentley, Frazer Nash and Rolls-Royce, which were bodied by such Italian coachbuilders as Pinin Farina, Viotti and Zagato.
After World War Two came the golden era of coachbuilt cars, with Italian companies creating some of the world's most beautiful shapes of all time on chassis from the likes of Aston Martin, Austin-Healey, Bristol, Jaguar, Jowett, MG, Riley and Rover.

Then came the era when Italian carrozzerie morphed into design houses, penning shapes for mass-produced cars like the BMC 1100/1300 and Triumph Herald, and crafting what are widely recognised to be some of the world's most beautiful cars, such as the Aston Martin DB4, AC 428 and Lotus Esprit.
Finally came the era of the 'concept car', with incredible show designs based on British marques such as Jaguars by Bertone, the BMC 1800 Berlina Aerodinamica by Pininfarina and Lotus by Italdesign.
This book reveals the full stories behind the intense, diverse, sometimes surprising and always fascinating links between British cars and Italian design: the characters, the deals, the designs and above all the cars themselves.

British marques included: AC, Armstrong-Siddeley, Aston Martin, Austin, Austin-Healey, Bentley, BL/BLMC/BMC, Bristol, Daimler, DeLorean, Elva, Ferguson, Ford, Frazer Nash, Frisky, Gordon-Keeble, Healey, Hillman, Innocenti, Jaguar, Jensen, Jowett, Lea-Francis, Lola, Lotus, MG, Mini, Morris, Panther, Reliant, Riley, Rolls-Royce, Rover, Singer, Sunbeam, Standard, Triumph, TVR, Vauxhall, Vanden Plas, Wolseley

Italian coachbuilders included: Allemano, Ares, Bertone, Biemme, Boano, Boneschi, Boniolo, Breuer, Casale, Castagna, Cattelan, CECOMP, Coggiola, Drogo, F&F, Fiore, Fissore, Ford Centro Stile, Francis Lombardi, Frua, FT, Garavini, Ghia, Ghia-Aigle, I.DE.A, Indestor, Italdesign, Italsuisse, Michelotti, Monviso, Motto, Opac, OSI, Pilato, Pinin Farina/Pininfarina, Schiaretti, Sibona-Basano, Sports Cars, Stabilimenti Farina, Tjaarda, Touring, Vignale, Viotti, Zagato

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Carrozzeria Coriasco

In Italy, "Coriasco" refers to all light compact trucks. The coachbuilder Carrozzeria Coriasco is best known for thousands of commercial vehicles based on the Fiat 600 and 850, but it also produced many other special bodies. These included coaches, ambulances, advertising vehicles, giardinettas, elaborata models, and even a few sports cars.

This book provides a complete history of Carrozzeria Coriasco, highlighting its achievements and innovations. It features a wide selection of photographs, many of which have never been published before, showing the variety and craftsmanship of the company's work.

Aimed at enthusiasts and historians alike, the book documents the creativity and technical skill of one of Italy's most versatile coachbuilders, offering insight into both well-known and rare vehicles.

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Carrozzeria Allemano Torino

This book traces the story of Serafino Allemano and his coachbuilding atelier during the first fifteen to twenty years after World War II, a period when names such as Pininfarina and Bertone represented the pinnacle of Italian design.

Through a collaboration with Giovanni Michelotti and a high level of craftsmanship, Carrozzeria Allemano established itself as a leading figure in the history of Italian automotive style. The atelier produced notable vehicles including the Fiat 1100 TV Coupé, the Maserati 5000 GT, and several Abarth grand tourers of the early 1960s.

These cars reflect the esteem Allemano earned from prestigious car manufacturers in Italy and abroad. One notable collaboration with the Japanese company Prince marked a milestone, allowing Allemano to introduce Italian creativity to the Japanese market for the first time.

Richly illustrated, the book highlights the skill, innovation, and influence of Carrozzeria Allemano, celebrating its contribution to the postwar development of Italian automotive design.

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Ghia - Masterpieces of Style

This book traces the history of Ghia, one of Italy's most celebrated coachbuilders. It highlights cars with exceptional style and charm, including the Fiat 508 Sport Spider (1934), various Alfa Romeo 6C 2500s, the 1900 SS Abarth (1954), and several rare Ferraris from the same period.

The 1950s were a key decade for Ghia. The company produced a series of luxurious cars inspired by contemporary American designs, along with notable styling experiments such as the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia (1955).

The 1960s continued this legacy with classic models like the Fiat 2300 S (1960), the De Tomaso Mangusta and Pantera (1966 and 1970), and the iconic Ghibli (1966).

As with other Italian coachbuilders, Ghia later faced a period of decline, during which ownership changed several times before the brand was acquired by Ford.

Richly illustrated with photographs and technical drawings, this book presents both the cars and the creative vision behind them, making it an essential reference for automotive enthusiasts and historians.

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Paolo Martin: Visions in Design

The world of automotive design knows the name of Paolo Martin, who is, no doubt, one of Italy's design greats. Not only has he designed some of the most important milestone cars from the 1960s and 1970s, such as the Fiat 130 Coupé, the Lancia Beta Montecarlo and the Ferrari Modulo, but he has also been the creative mind behind several landmark motorcycle and scooter designs for Benelli, Gilera, Moto Guzzi and Piaggio, as well as several beautiful boats, industrial products, and even a typewriter.
One of Italy's most prolific designers, Paolo Martin writes about his life, his designs, his thinking, and his design philosophy in "Paolo Martin: Visions in Design".

Features:

• One of the world's leading and highly influential automobile designers since the last half century
• First time a book that features all designs by Martin; including cars, two-wheelers, boats, industrial designs, and household products
• Features the design process and thinking behind cars like the Fiat 130 Coupe, the Peugeot 104, the Lancia Beta Montecarlo, and the Rolls-Royce Camargue
• Including several legendary concept cars such as the Pininfarina Dino Berlinetta Competition, the BMC 1800 Aerodynamica and the Ferrari Modulo
• Also, motorcycles and scooters such as the Moto Guzzi 850 Le Mans, the Benelli 350 Sport and the 750/6 and the Gilera GSA 50

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Tom Tjaarda - Master of Proportions

A design hero for all generations of automotive enthusiasts, American legend Tom Tjaarda's name and fame has been synonymous with the De Tomaso, Ferrari, Fiat, Ford, Innocenti and Lancia marques.
Among his many designs are the Pantera, Deauville, Longchamp, the Fiat 124 Spider, the Ferrari 365 California and the Ford Fiesta.

Brought up in Detroit when the American Dream was beating out its rock 'n' roll rhythm, Tjaarda came to live and work in Europe while the cultural revolution was in full swing. He had a ringside seat at the heart of automotive styling activities in the Mecca of vehicle design, Turin, during the most exciting times.

Though Tom Tjaarda may not have been as prolific as others, the American's influence and importance in the history of automotive design, specifically in the second half of the 20th century, is almost unbeaten. With his charming, accessible personality and good humor, he remains one of the most popular design legends of all times.

"Tom Tjaarda: Master of Proportions" is a comprehensive appraisal of the life of a design giant, and features all his automotive, as well as his non-automotive, designs.

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La carrosserie italienne, du style au design

The art of bodywork seems naturally associated with Italy. Along with other applied arts, bodywork has reacted to the ups and downs of history by sometimes crossing artistic trends. We have played with these more or less fortuitous incidences.
From time to time, dialogues have been established between design and the plastic arts, and from time to time, resonances have been perceptible in architecture or cinema.

This broad panorama embraces the different facets of Italian bodywork, from style to design. Industrial activity, with series productions carried out by the manufacturers themselves or designed by external consultants. Coachbuilders who produced non-series productions in an artisanal way or on a more industrial scale. Designers and stylists who, at the coachbuilders, imagined unique pieces, special bodies or concept cars.
This book shows the diversity of Italian bodywork, its flirtations with the major arts and its place in the birth of industrial design.

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