Alfa Romeo 6C 2500SS Super Sport Villa d`Este Coupe by Touring 1949

Car producer : 

Alfa Romeo

Model:

6C 2500SS Super Sport Villa d`Este Coupe by Touring 1949

Year:

1947-1951

Type:

Coupe



Berlin Motor Show, 1939, Touring exhibited two cars that will become true milestones: the berlinetta and convertible built on Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Sport. Official sold by Alfa Romeo as “standard” cars, soon-to-follow Super Sport version was only originally for racing. The main new feature can be said to reside in the modern butterfly bonnet replacing the bi-fold bonnet doors. The headlights masterfully incorporated into sheet metal that give a unique touch of the modernity. In parallel with official version of the berlinetta and convertible, Touring came short of combining two exercises in style in their own rights designed more to the needs of the body shop for its tests rather than dictated by brand identity. At the end 1939 two convertibles on Turismo bases were build and the aerodynamic sedan called “Fast Type”. The design does not differ that much from body shop`s contemporary models. The front, on the other hand, is totally out of the classic style of the Alfa-Touring combo.

An impressive convertible built on a long Turismo chassis a “grand luxury 4-5-seater convertible on the Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Normal chassis”. The main differences lie in the greater proportions due to the long wheelbase, the front reflects standard sedan, the one peace windshield, the bottom door hinge in full view and not flush to the body. There was an extreme stylistic innovation in the lights positioned at the top of the fenders. At front the fender loses the sharp edge that marked the detachment between the front and side in the 1939 model.

The short wheelbase versions reaps its early success with lines similar to the 1940 convertible version.

In 1940 the Touring creates another line, even more extreme, with treatment volume that reflects the style of the “torpedino Bresca”. The front end rear fender can almost be considered notes two different entities but one only. The body shops characteristic mark at the end of the bonnet war replaced here the equally famous arrow symbol of the Mille Miglia.

1941 is a pivotal year for the Alfa-Touring partnership: the first sketches of a special berlinetta sprang to life boasting, for the first time, on its front, the Alfa shield, that long and narrow, still with us today. Convertibles on Sport bases were made between the end of 1942 and the beginning of 1943. The side still has the independent fenders, the strips on the front. The Sport version does not have the bolts to the bumper and bears the second light side, allowed, almost forced, by having a longer wheelbase compare with Super Sport.

All the 1947 version styles shared by Touring`s creations are included: unified shield, four tail lights, double bumpers lined with polyvinyl and front mudguard that tapers into the door. The Alfa shield is updated and enlarged, it tends to expand. The door can reach the bottom, also changing curvature and occupying as much space as possible.

In 1948 was redesign dash, different hubcaps, and slightly higher fog lights. Everything is new at the back: extended and swollen, it no longer matches the finally connected tails typical of the Touring berlinettas. There is also a science fiction rear hood that extends to where it meets the plate touch the rear window. The designer Frederico Formenti reinvents the style: it reverts to showing off the fenders with independent volumes, with additional of two grooves in the wheel housing. The give rise to the “third series”, as defined by Alfa Rome.

Traditionally, convertibles were produced by Pininfarina and, as seen, Touring only build few and those that came to life were created by simply “cutting” their coupes. Touring could not help adopting the “Villa d`Este” styles on its convertibles, at the end of 1949 built just a few.

In 1950 spacious sedan with folding seats and dividers was built on the Long bases. With ten models made, it was not a negligent production. The front wave is extended to mid-door to optically adjust the proportion. Touring extend its style formula to all 6C 2500 range version, from Super Sport coupe to the Sport and Super Sport convertibles.

The lack of proportions seen on the Sport convertible has disappeared, there are larger windows. The tail is even more elusive, with hold at the end of the wheel housing, more accentuated at the bottom.

The 6C 2500 Villa d'Este was introduced in 1949 and was produced until 1952, named for the Concorso d'Eleganza held in Villa d'Este; a Touring Superleggera-bodied version won the prize. Villa d'Este was Alfa's last hand built model, only 36 examples made (including 5 cabriolets). Two years after “Villa d`Este” coupe and convertible hit the market, the long wheelbase version is also built on the same 

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