Carrozzeria Touring

Carrozzeria Touring
Name	Carrozzeria Touring
Native name	Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera
Industry	Coachbuilding
Founded	1926
Founder	Felice Bianchi Anderloni
Headquarters	Milan, Italy
Products	Automobile bodies, restorations, prototypes

Carrozzeria Touring is an Italian coachbuilder and design house founded in Milan in 1926 by Felice Bianchi Anderloni. The firm gained international renown for lightweight body construction, bespoke coachwork for marques such as Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Aston Martin, and Bentley, and for reviving the Superleggera system in the postwar era. Touring influenced automotive design schools and coachbuilders across Italy, United Kingdom, Germany, France, and United States through both production bodies and concept prototypes.

History

Founded in 1926 by Felice Bianchi Anderloni after experience with Isotta Fraschini and Giovanni Agnelli, the company established itself in Milan as a premier coachbuilder serving clients like Alfa Romeo, Lancia, FIAT, and Bentley. During the 1930s Touring collaborated with designers such as Carlo Felice Bianchi Anderloni and worked on bodies for marques including Rolls-Royce and Maserati. World War II interrupted many coachbuilders' activities; after 1945 Touring resumed with renewed emphasis on lightweight construction, partnering with engineering firms and manufacturers like OSCA and Ferrari on postwar sports cars. The 1950s and 1960s were a golden era—Touring produced acclaimed bodies for Aston Martin and Mercedes-Benz prototypes, while competing with coachbuilders such as Pininfarina, Bertone, and Ghia. Financial pressures and changing industrial practices led to Touring’s closure in the early 1960s; the marque was later revived in the 2000s as Touring Superleggera S.r.l., returning to coachbuilding, restoration, and limited-series production, engaging with modern partners including Maserati, Ferrari, and Bentley.

Notable Designs and Models

Touring’s portfolio includes a wide range of landmark bodies. Early notable works include bodies for the Alfa Romeo 6C, Lancia Artena, and Isotta Fraschini limousines. Postwar highlights feature the Ferrari 166 MM and the Maserati A6G coupés, as well as the iconic Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato-styled collaborations and the elegant Bentley Continental interpretations. Touring crafted the celebrated Alfa Romeo Superflow concepts shown at international salons and the aerodynamic Lancia Aprilia variants. The company also executed show cars like the BMW 328 Mille Miglia replicas and prototype bodies for Mercedes-Benz 300SL studies. In its modern incarnation, Touring produced coachbuilt reworks such as the Bentley Continental Flying Star continuation and bespoke projects for collectors and manufacturers including limited runs based on Ferrari F12 and Maserati GranTurismo platforms.

Design Philosophy and Superleggera Construction

Touring is synonymous with the Superleggera system, a method combining a light tubular steel frame with thin alloy panels to achieve low weight and refined shapes. The Superleggera approach informed bodies for racing prototypes like the Mille Miglia entrants and production GTs for Aston Martin and Ferrari, emphasizing aerodynamic form and chassis integration. This philosophy paralleled contemporary thinking at Pininfarina and Bertone yet remained distinct through its structural role: Superleggera gave coachbuilt bodies increased stiffness while allowing styling freedom for designers such as Giovanni Michelotti, Carrozzo Seregni, and Battista "Pinin" Farina-era studios. Touring’s methods influenced later monocoque and spaceframe developments at manufacturers like Jaguar, Alfa Romeo, and Lamborghini.

Collaborations and Coachbuilding Projects

Touring partnered with a spectrum of manufacturers, designers, and engineers. Notable collaborations include work with Ferrari on sports racers, with Aston Martin on GTs including the DB4 series, and with Bentley on limited coachbuilt Continentals. Touring also cooperated with coachbuilders and design houses such as Carrozzeria Ghia, Pininfarina, and Zagato on shared projects, and with engineering firms like OSCA and Maserati on chassis and powertrain integration. The firm supplied bodies for motorsport teams participating in events like the Mille Miglia, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Targa Florio, aligning with constructors including Scuderia Ferrari and privateer entries. In the 21st century, Touring’s revived atelier worked with bespoke coachbuilders, collectors, and manufacturers such as Bentley, Maserati, and restoration specialists linked to RM Sotheby's and Bonhams concours entries.

Corporate Structure and Ownership

Originally a family-run firm under Felice Bianchi Anderloni and descendants, the company operated as an independent carrozzeria through the mid-20th century, employing craftsmen, designers, and engineers. Financial difficulties and the shift toward unibody mass production altered ownership and operations, culminating in closure and asset dispersal. The brand was later revived by investors and enthusiasts who formed Touring Superleggera S.r.l., re-establishing an atelier in Milan focused on coachbuilding, restoration, and limited-production coachbuilt cars. The modern entity engages with collectors, manufacturers, and auction houses, and participates in events such as the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este and Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

Awards and Legacy

Touring’s work earned awards and recognition at international motor shows and concours, influencing designers and manufacturers worldwide. Historic cars bodied by Touring have won Best of Show and class prizes at events including Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, and Touring-built racing cars achieved success in Mille Miglia and 24 Hours of Le Mans classes. The Superleggera technique and Touring’s aesthetics are studied in design programs at institutions like the Politecnico di Milano and cited in publications on automotive history alongside the work of Pininfarina, Bertone, and Zagato. Touring’s legacy endures through restorations, museum exhibits at institutions such as the Museo Nazionale dell'Automobile and private collections, and contemporary coachbuilt commissions that continue to shape luxury automotive craftsmanship.

Category:Coachbuilders