Italian auto designers have a daring sense of flair that is unmatched by their counterparts in other countries. Take, for example, two futuristic cars Concorso Italiano will feature at this year’s gathering of all things Italian: The BAT 11 by Bertone and Streamline X “Gilda” from Ghia.
Even their names sound like they’re doing a hundred miles an hour.
The BAT 11 is, as the name implies, reprises the Bertone aerodynamic concepts that Nuccio Bertone and Alfa Romeo built between 1953 and 1955. BAT is an acronym for Berlinetta Aerodinamica Tecnica — a name so pretty they really ought not use the acronym — and the boys from Turin have been at this since the ’50s. The BAT 11 made its debut at the 2008 Geneva Auto Show.
It is based on the mouth-watering Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione and has a Maserati GT chassis and drivetrain. It shares styling cues with the earlier concepts, numbered 5, 7 and 9. It’s a big car, too — a hair over 16 feet long and four feet wide.
BATs were never intended for production. They’re simply aero (and ego) and styling studies. Although the styling is over the top for most people, there’s no denying the cars slice the wind. BAT 7 had a drag coefficient of just 0.19, quite an achievement even today.
Also making an appearance at the Concorso Italiano is the Ghia Streamline X “Gilda,” a blast from a futuristic past.
Carrozzeria Ghia is another Turin-based design house with a long and storied history. Yes, that’s the same Ghia as in the VW Karman-Ghia. Ghia first made its name in the 1920s, building lightweight aluminum bodies for racing cars from the likes of Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Lancia. Indeed, the Ghia-bodied Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 won the 1929 Mille Miglia. In 1970 Ghia was acquired by the Ford Motor Company and worked on such cars as the De Tomaso Pantera, the Capri, the Cortina and later models such as the Scorpio and Mondeo.
The Ghia Streamline X “Gilda” was designed and built in 1955 as a show car at the request of Chrysler executive Virgil Exner. And yes, it was named after Rita Hayworth’s character in the 1946 film noir classic. The body was designed by Giovanni Savonuzzi , who wanted the car to use a gas turbine engine. It got a Chrysler engine instead. A turbine was installed when the car was restored a few years ago.
You can see both of these stunners Aug. 16 at the upcoming Concorso Italiano during the Pebble Beach Concours weekend. “It’s an honor to feature both the BAT 11 and Ghia Streamline X,” says Concorso owner Tom McDowell. “These legendary cars have their own iconic elements.”
We have to agree.
source: wired
