More from Villa d'Este, 2004


Pictures copyright Alessandro Gerelli

Scroll down for photo gallery.

About our Correspondent:
Alessandro Gerelli, (right) has been a staunch supporter of VeloceToday from almost the very beginning. Although it is said that no one is irreplacable, Alessandro comes very close to being just that. An IT manager for Philips in Italy, Alessandro is interested in flying, collecting Ferrari literature, photography and art. The car bug bit at age 16, and he has owned Abarths, Lancias, including a Delta Integrale 16v, and a Toyota MR2. His favorite car is a Ferrari 250GT Lusso. "My interest in photography will hopefully lead to the publication of a photo book of my particular sensations of Ferraris. It will probably be my farewell gift to my collegues when I will retire."

Were it not for talent, support and contributions of enthusiasts like Alessandro, VeloceToday could not exist. To Alessandro, a hearty Thank You from the editor and staff of VeloceToday!

Coachbuilders at Villa d'Este

Last week Alessandro brought to our audience a sample of the Ferraris and Maseratis which appeared at this year's Villa d'Este event in Italy. This week, his camera focuses on the wonderful variety of Alfas, Lancias, and "etceterinis" which graced the hallowed grounds of the Lake Como resort.

Zagato and Bertone

The house of Zagato almost dominated the show, but the selections of Bertone designs were excellent and rare. Two totally different coachbuilders, both of whom created something very special in those magical postwar years, Zagato and Bertone differed in many respects; overall goal, construction, design philosophy, production numbers, and market segment. From 1950 to 1970, even a child could instantly recognize a Zagato built body from a Bertone. While Bertone often made use of Franco Scaglione, Zagato later employed a daring young designer by the name of Ercole Spada.

Beauty only skin deep?

It is worthy to note at this juncture, if a small digression can be tolerated, that beneath the glitter of the often futuristic designs, there is another story, not often told.

Zagato's lightweight aluminum bodies were literally tacked together, with small sheet metal and wood screws used to fasten everything from the dashboard to the trim. Rarely did a panel, trim item or piece of glass fit from one car to another. The aluminum panels were crimped over steel metal tubes with only a thin layer of cloth to prevent corrosion, and of course it rarely did just that. As crude as they were, Zagato bodies were truly, definitely, wholeheartedly hand built cars.

Bertone's construction techniques were much more advanced, and most were done on a more sophisticated production line. The firm worked primarily in steel (rare was the Bertone competition car), but failed to take proper measures to prevent rust from developing. Steel bodies, waiting for paint, would often sit outside for days, collecting moisture. The steel bodies were then sprayed with a coat of the hardest bondo ever known to man. While the trim, fit and finish was superior to that of Zagato, alas, the tinworm did its work, particularly on the gorgeous Alfa Sprint Speciales of the late 1950s.

We can be thankful to those restorers and owners who have maintained and restored the cars of Zagato and Bertone. Their job is not a simple one. While many owners gladly share the limelight with their restoration experts, it would be perhaps more fitting if the awards at venues like Pebble Beach and Villa d'Este should go to both the people who write the checks and to the artists who manage and implement the actual restorations.

But we digress. Here are Alessandro Gerelli's photos from Villa d'Este.

Enjoy.

The Editor

The Alfa 1900 served as the chassis for this Zagato in 1954. While the lines are generally pleasing, the nose treatment is rather bold. However, the motif was repeated in the new Alfa 8C (below) with a much greater degree of success.

Zagato began to participate in the Mille Miglia the very first year of the event, with lightweight bodies on the Alfa Romeo 1750s. By 1930, Alfa Zagatos took the first four places in the event, and Zagato never looked back. This Alfa 1750 is similar to many of the Zagatos, but the actual coachbuilder is unknown.

Another 1931 1750 Alfa, this time with a more substantial touring body built in Paris.

The new Alfa 8C brings back the excitement of the earlier coachbuilt Alfas. Rumors abound about it being imported to the US.

Bertone's special show car and aerodymanic test vehicle, BAT 7. One of the wildest designs to come out of post war Italy, many of the design elements would see their way into other Bertone efforts.

Short lived but beautiful, the Alfa Giulietta 1300 Zagato "Coda Lunga" of 1962-3 was a development of the egg shaped 1300 Sprint Zagato, and superceded almost immediately by the even more stunning Alfa TZ1.

The TZ1 and its successor, the fiberglass TZ2. Both were highly successful in racing and rallies and amoung the most valuable Alfas in today's market.

The Aston Martin Bertone Jet of 1961. It contrasted nicely with the Aston Martin Zagato's of the same era. Again, Bertone built for the road, Zagato for the track.

Ugo Zagato's sons, Elio and Gianni, continued to build lightweight competition bodies after the war. Here, the Fiat 1100/103 of 1953 features the Zagato treatment.

Open cars were rare for Zagato, but here is a Fiat Otto Vu with touring spyder coachwork, circa 1953.

And a more 'common' closed version of the Fiat Otto Vu, very successful in Italian sportscar racing.

Lancia's 1100cc Appia needed all the help it could get, and Zagato provided a lightweight body for the V4 in 1956. It went through several design changes until 1960.

Lancia's new Fulvia coupe was also on display, and the retro lines can readily be identified. Ironically, the lines of the original Lancia Fulvia coupe were inspired by the Corvair.

Byt the mid 1960s, Zagato too, was producing bodies for touring and production numbers skyrocketed. The Fulvia Sport Zagato, seen here in rare spyder form, was produced in numbers well over 1000.

Based on the four wheel drive Lancia Delta Integrale, the Zagato Hyena made its appearance in 1993, and only 24 were built. It was the last model to roll out of the Zagato factory.

Almost out of place but definitely Italian, the Moretti GS of 1954 was almost a perfect small car design.

And lastly, Bertone again. Note the BAT motifs. This is a 1957 Stanguellini 1200. VeloceToday correspondent Cris Bertschi tells us this car has been in South America for the past 40 years.