car
A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods.
The year 1886 is regarded as ...
that is designed for high speed and long-distance driving, due to a combination of performance and luxury attributes. The most common format is a
front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
In automotive design, a FR, or front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout is one where the engine is located at the front of the vehicle and driven wheels are located at the rear via a drive shaft. This was the traditional automobile layout for most ...
two-door
coupé
A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and two doors.
The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the French past parti ...
with either a two-seat or a 2+2 arrangement. Grand tourers are most often the coupé derivative of
luxury
Luxury may refer to:
* Luxury goods, an economic good or service for which demand increases more than proportionally as income rises
*Luxury tax, tax on products not considered essential, such as expensive cars
**Luxury tax (sports), surcharge pu ...
calque
In linguistics, a calque () or loan translation is a word or phrase borrowed from another language by literal word-for-word or root-for-root translation. When used as a verb, "to calque" means to borrow a word or phrase from another language wh ...
from the
Italian language
Italian (''italiano'' or ) is a Romance language of the Indo-European language family that evolved from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire. Together with Sardinian, Italian is the least divergent language from Latin. Spoken by about 85 m ...
phrase ''gran turismo'' which became popular in the English language from the 1950s, evolving from fast
touring car
Touring car and tourer are both terms for open cars (i.e. cars without a fixed roof).
"Touring car" is a style of open car built in the United States which seats four or more people. The style was popular from the early 1900s to the 1930s.
Th ...
s and
streamlined
Streamlines, streaklines and pathlines are field lines in a fluid flow.
They differ only when the flow changes with time, that is, when the flow is not steady.
Considering a velocity vector field in three-dimensional space in the framework of ...
closed sports cars during the 1930s.
Origin in Europe
The grand touring car concept originated in Europe in the early 1950s, especially with the 1951 introduction of the Lancia Aurelia B20 GT, and features notable luminaries of Italian automotive history such as
Vittorio Jano
Vittorio Jano ( hu, János Viktor; 22 April 1891 – 13 March 1965) was an Italian automobile designer of Hungarian descent from the 1920s through 1960s.
Jano was born ''Viktor János'' in San Giorgio Canavese, in Piedmont, to Hungarian immi ...
,
Enzo Ferrari
Enzo Anselmo Giuseppe Maria Ferrari (; 20 February 1898 – 14 August 1988) was an Italians, Italian motor racing driver and entrepreneur, the founder of the Scuderia Ferrari Grand Prix motor racing team, and subsequently of the Ferrari ...
Motorsport
Motorsport, motorsports or motor sport is a global term used to encompass the group of competitive sporting events which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles. The terminology can also be used to describe forms of competition of two ...
s became important in the evolution of the grand touring concept, and grand touring entries are important in endurance sports-car racing. The grand touring definition implies material differences in performance, speed, comfort, and amenities between elite cars and those of ordinary motorists.
In the
post-war
In Western usage, the phrase post-war era (or postwar era) usually refers to the time since the end of World War II. More broadly, a post-war period (or postwar period) is the interval immediately following the end of a war. A post-war period c ...
United States, manufacturers were less inclined to adopt the "ethos of the GT car", preferring to build cars "suited to their long, straight, smooth roads and labor-saving lifestyles" with wide availability of powerful
straight-six
The straight-six engine (also referred to as an inline-six engine; abbreviated I6 or L6) is a piston engine with six cylinders arranged in a straight line along the crankshaft. A straight-six engine has perfect primary and secondary engine balan ...
and
V8 engine
A V8 engine is an eight-cylinder piston engine in which two banks of four cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration.
The first V8 engine was produced by the French Antoinette company in 1904, developed and us ...
s in all price-ranges like the 1955-1965
Chrysler 300
The Chrysler 300 is a full-size luxury car manufactured and marketed by Stellantis North America (and its predecessor companies) as a four-door sedan and station wagon in its first generation (model years 2005–2010) and solely as a four-do ...
. Despite this, the United States, enjoying early post-war economic expansion, became the largest market for European grand-touring cars, supplying transportation for movie stars, celebrities and the
jet set
In journalism, jet set is a term for an international social group of wealthy people who travel the world to participate in social activities unavailable to ordinary people. The term, which replaced "café society", came from the lifestyle of tra ...
; notably the
Mercedes-Benz 300 SL
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (chassis code W 198) is a two-seat sports car which was produced by Mercedes-Benz as a gullwinged coupe (1954–1957) and roadster (1957–1963).Werner Oswald: ''Mercedes-Benz Personenwagen 1945–1985''. Motorbuch Ve ...
(imported by
Max Hoffman
Maximilian Edwin Hoffman (12 November 1904 in Vienna, Austria – 9 August 1981), was an Austrian-born, New York-based importer of luxury European automobiles into the United States during the 1950s.
Known equally for his acumen and influe ...
), the
Jaguar XK120
The Jaguar XK120 is a sports car manufactured by Jaguar between 1948 and 1954. It was Jaguar's first sports car since SS 100 production ended in 1939.
The XK120 is a highly desirable model. In 2016, Bonhams sold a matching numbers left-hand- ...
, and the
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. (; ) is an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari (1898–1988) in 1939 from the Alfa Romeo racing division as ''Auto Avio Costruzioni'', the company built its first car in ...
''
berlinetta
A berlinetta (from it, berlinetta; ) is a sports coupé, typically with two seats but also including 2+2 cars. The original meaning for ''berlinetta'' in Italian is “little saloon”. Introduced in the 1930s, the term was popularised by Ferr ...
s'' (imported by
Luigi Chinetti
Luigi Chinetti (July 17, 1901 – August 17, 1994) was an Italian-born racecar driver, who emigrated to the United States during World War II. He drove in 12 consecutive 24 Hours of Le Mans races, taking three outright wins there and taking two ...
). Classic grand-touring cars from the
post-war era
In Western usage, the phrase post-war era (or postwar era) usually refers to the time since the end of World War II. More broadly, a post-war period (or postwar period) is the interval immediately following the end of a war. A post-war period c ...
especially, have since become valuable cars among wealthy collectors. Within ten years, grand touring cars found success penetrating the new American
personal luxury car
Personal luxury car is a North American car classification describing somewhat sporty, sophisticated mass-market coupés that emphasized comfort over performance. The North American manufacturers most often combined engineering, design, and ma ...
market,
Characteristics
The terms "grand tourer", "''gran turismo''", "''grande routière''", and "GT" are among the most misused terms in motoring. The grand touring designation generally "means motoring at speed, in style, safety, and comfort". "Purists define "''gran turismo''" as the enjoyment, excitement and comfort of open-road touring."
According to Sam Dawson, news editor of ''
Classic Cars
A classic car is an older car, typically 25 years or older, though definitions vary.While other languages, such as German and Dutch, may refer to classic cars as "oldtimers", this usage is unknown in English, where "old-timer" refers to an elder ...
'', "the ideal is of a car with the ability to cross a continent at speed and in comfort yet provide driving thrills when demanded" and it should exhibit the following:
* The engines "should be able to cope with cruising comfortably at the upper limits on all continental roads without drawbacks or loss of usable power".
* "Ideally, the GT car should have been devised by its progenitors as a Grand Tourer, with all associated considerations in mind."
* "It should be able to transport at least two in comfort with their luggage and have room to spare — probably in the form of a two plus two seating arrangement."
* The design, both "inside and out, should be geared toward complete control by the driver".
* Its "chassis and
suspension
Suspension or suspended may refer to:
Science and engineering
* Suspension (topology), in mathematics
* Suspension (dynamical systems), in mathematics
* Suspension of a ring, in mathematics
* Suspension (chemistry), small solid particles suspend ...
provide suitable handling and roadholding on all routes" during travels.
Grand tourers emphasize comfort and handling over straight-out high performance or
ascetic
Asceticism (; from the el, ἄσκησις, áskesis, exercise', 'training) is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from sensual pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their p ...
, spartan accommodations. In comparison,
sports car
A sports car is a car designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as handling, acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving and racing capability. Sports cars originated in Europe in the early 1900s and are currently produced by ...
s (also a "much abused and confused term") are typically more "crude" compared to "sophisticated Grand Touring machinery". However, the popularity of using GT for marketing purposes has meant that it has become a "much misused term, eventually signifying no more than a slightly tuned version of a family car with trendy wheels and a go-faster stripe on the side".
Historically, most GTs have been front-engined with rear-wheel drive, which creates more space for the cabin than mid-mounted engine layouts. Softer suspensions, greater storage, and more luxurious appointments add to their appeal.
File:Jaguar E-Type series 1 coupé 1964.jpg, Front-engine, rear-wheel drive coupe: 1964
Jaguar E-Type
The Jaguar E-Type, or the Jaguar XK-E for the North American market, is a British sports car that was manufactured by Jaguar Cars Ltd between 1961 and 1974. Its combination of beauty, high performance, and competitive pricing established the m ...
.
Automotive design
Automotive design is the process of developing the appearance (and to some extent the ergonomics) of motor vehicles - including automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, buses, coaches, and vans.
The functional design and development of a modern moto ...
ers call the position of the driver's hip close to the rear axle "close-coupled".
File:Jaguar XJ-S rear seats.jpg, Rear seats of a 1982
Jaguar XJ-S
The Jaguar XJ-S (later called XJS) is a luxury grand tourer manufactured and marketed by British car manufacturer Jaguar Cars from 1975 to 1996, in coupé, fixed-profile and full convertible bodystyles. There were three distinct iterations, ...
HE coupe, showing the 2+2 seating layout
''GT'' abbreviation in marketing
The ''GT'' abbreviation—and variations thereof—are often used as model names. However, some cars with GT in the model name are not actually grand touring cars.
Among the many variations of GT are:
* GTA: ''Gran turismo alleggerita'' - the Italian word for ''lightweight''. ''GTAm'' indicates a modified version. GTA is also sometimes used for
automatic transmission
An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving c ...
models.
* GTB: ''Gran turismo berlinetta''
* GTC: Various uses including "''gran turismo compressore''" for
supercharged
In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement.
The current categorisation is that a supercharger is a form of forced induct ...
engines, "''gran turismo
cabriolet
A convertible or cabriolet () is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary among eras and manufacturers.
A convertible car's design allows an open-air driving expe ...
''", "''gran turismo'' compact", "''gran turismo'' crossover" and "''gran turismo corsa''" - the Italian word for "racing".
* GTD: "''Gran turismo'' diesel"
* GT/E: "''Gran turismo Einspritzung''" - the German word for "
fuel injection
Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of an injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in reciprocating piston and Wankel rotary engines.
All comp ...
"
* GTE: "Grand touring estate"
* GTi or GTI: "Grand touring
injection
Injection or injected may refer to:
Science and technology
* Injective function, a mathematical function mapping distinct arguments to distinct values
* Injection (medicine), insertion of liquid into the body with a syringe
* Injection, in broadca ...
", mostly used for hot hatches following the introduction of the Volkswagen Golf GTi
* GTO: "''Gran turismo omologato''" - the Italian word for "
homologation
Homologation (Greek ''homologeo'', ὁμολογέω, "to agree") is the granting of approval by an official authority. This may be a court of law, a government department, or an academic or professional body, any of which would normally work fr ...
"
* GTR or GT-R: "''Gran turismo'' racing"
* GTS: sometimes "Gran turismo spider" for
convertible
A convertible or cabriolet () is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary among eras and manufacturers.
A convertible car's design allows an open-air driving expe ...
models. However, GTS has also been used for
saloons
Saloon may refer to:
Buildings and businesses
* One of the bars in a traditional British pub
* An alternative name for a bar (establishment)
* Western saloon, a historical style of American bar
* The Saloon, a bar and music venue in San Francisc ...
and other body styles.
* GT-T: "''Gran turismo''
turbo
In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (often called a turbo) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to pro ...
"
* GTV: "''Gran turismo veloce''" - the Italian word for "fast"
* GTX: "Grand ''tourisme'' extreme"
* HGT: "High ''gran turismo''"
File:Ford Cortina GT MkI (1962-64) arriving at Schaffen-Diest (2014).JPG, 1962–1964
Ford Cortina
The Ford Cortina is a medium-sized family car that was built initially by Ford of Britain, and then Ford of Europe in various guises from 1962 to 1982, and was the United Kingdom's best-selling car of the 1970s.
The Cortina was produced in fi ...
GT: a
sports saloon
A sports sedan (also known as sports saloon in British English) is a subjective term for a sedan car that is designed to have sporting performance or handling characteristics.
History
The term was originally introduced in the 1930s an ...
File:Volkswagen Golf Mk I GTI 001.jpg, 1982
Volkswagen Golf
The Volkswagen Golf () is a compact car/small family car (C-segment) produced by the German automotive manufacturer Volkswagen since 1974, marketed worldwide across eight generations, in various body configurations and under various nameplates ...
GTI: a
hot hatch
A hot hatch (shortened from hot hatchback) is a high-performance hatchback car.
The term originated in the mid-1980s; however, factory high-performance versions of hatchbacks have been produced since the 1970s.
Front-mounted petrol engines, ...
File:Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R Nür 002.jpg, 1999
Nissan Skyline
The is a brand of automobile originally produced by the Prince Motor Company starting in 1957, and then by Nissan after the two companies merged in 1967. After the merger, the Skyline and its larger counterpart, the Nissan Gloria, were sold in ...
GT-R: a
coupé
A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and two doors.
The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the French past parti ...
File:Alfa Romeo GTV6 (4641223647).jpg, alt=, 1980
Alfa Romeo Alfetta
The Alfa Romeo Alfetta (Type 116) is a front-engine, five-passenger sedan and fastback coupé manufactured and marketed by Alfa Romeo from 1972 to 1987 with a production total over 400,000.
The Alfetta was noted for the rear position of its ...
GTV6 2.5
GT racing series
Several past and present motor racing series have used "GT" in their name. These include:
*
LM GTE
Grand Touring Endurance, shortened to GTE, is a set of regulations maintained by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) and IMSA for grand tourer racing cars used in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 24 hours of Daytona GTLM, and its associated series. Th ...
1999–present: A set of regulations for modified road cars, which is used for the
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans (french: link=no, 24 Heures du Mans) is an endurance-focused Sports car racing, sports car race held annually near the town of Le Mans, France. It is the world's oldest active Endurance racing (motorsport), endurance r ...
race and several related racing series. LM GTE was originally called 'GT class' and was also known as GT2 class from 2005 to 2010. Also known as GTLM in the United States
*
GT World Challenge Europe
GT World Challenge Europe (known as the Blancpain GT Series between 2014 and 2019) is a sports car racing series organised by SRO Motorsports Group. It features grand tourer racing cars modified from production road cars complying with the FIA's GT ...
2013–present: A racing series for Group GT3 cars. The FIA GT Series replaced the
FIA GT Championship
The FIA GT Championship was a sports car racing series organized by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation (SRO) at the behest of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The championship was mostly concentrated in Europe, but throughout ...
(1997-2009) and the
FIA GT1 World Championship
The FIA GT1 World Championship was a world championship sports car racing series, developed by the SRO Group and regulated by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), that was held from 2010 to 2012. It featured multiple grand to ...
(2010-2012).
*
GT4 European Series
The GT4 European Series is a sports car championship created and organised by SRO Motorsports Group. It is a pro/am championship which followed a formula similar to the FIA GT3 European Championship, which was itself derived from the FIA GT Cham ...
2007–present: A European amateur racing series with the least powerful class of GT cars.
*
IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge
The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama was a one-make racing series based in the United States using Porsche 911 GT3s.
The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama entered its 16th & final season in 2020 and was the largest of Porsche' ...
2005–present: A North American racing series for Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars.
*
FIA GT3 European Championship
The FIA GT3 European Championship was a sports car racing series organized by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation (SRO) and regulated by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). It was a championship derived from the international FIA ...
2006-2012: A European amateur racing series for Group GT3 cars.
* FIA R-GT : As part of its structure, the Group R regulations have a provision for GT cars, known as R-GT.
There have also been several classes of racing cars called GT. The
Group GT3
Group GT3, known technically as Cup Grand Touring Cars and commonly referred to as simply GT3, is a set of regulations maintained by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) for grand tourer racing cars designed for use in various au ...
regulations for modified road cars have been used for various racing series worldwide since 2006. The
Group GT1
Group GT1, also known simply as GT1, was a set of regulations maintained formerly by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), for Grand Tourer racing. The category was first created in 1994, as the top class of the BPR Global GT Serie ...
regulations were used for the fastest category of sports car racing from 1994 to 2001.
01-Porsche-GT3-FachAutotech.jpg ,
Porsche 911 GT3
The Porsche 911 GT3 is a high-performance homologation model of the Porsche 911 sports car. It is a line of high-performance models, which began with the 1973 911 Carrera RS.
The GT3 has had a successful racing career in the one-make national ...
Ford GT1 Belgian Racing 10 Silverstone 2011.jpg , Ford GT1
Andre_Lotterer_2010_Super_GT_Fuji_400km_qualify_Super_Lap.jpg ,
Lexus SC430
The is a grand tourer that was retailed by Lexus (a luxury vehicle division of Toyota), and built from 1991 until 2010. It features a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive design and seating for up to four passengers. The first-generation SC debuted as ...
Super GT
BMS DBR9 Orange.jpg ,
Aston Martin DBR9
The Aston Martin DBR9 is a racing car built by Aston Martin Racing, debuting in 2005 and racing actively in international sportscar racing until the end of GT1 category in 2011. The name DBR9 is derived from the original 24 Hours of Le Mans-winn ...
GT1
Saab93LeMans-rear.jpg ,
Saab 93
The Saab 93 (pronounced ''ninety-three'') is the second production automobile that was manufactured by Saab. Styled by Sixten Sason, it was first presented on December 1, 1955. The 93 was powered by a longitudinally-mounted three-cylinder 748&nbs ...
LeMans spec
Examples of grand tourers
The inclusion of "grand tourer", "gran turismo", "GT" or similar in the model name does not necessarily mean that the car is a grand tourer since several manufacturers have used the terms for the marketing of cars that are not grand tourers.
Evolution of the ''gran turismo'' car
Grand touring car design evolved from
vintage
Vintage, in winemaking, is the process of picking grapes and creating the finished product—wine (see Harvest (wine)). A vintage wine is one made from grapes that were all, or primarily, grown and harvested in a single specified year. In certa ...
touring car
Touring car and tourer are both terms for open cars (i.e. cars without a fixed roof).
"Touring car" is a style of open car built in the United States which seats four or more people. The style was popular from the early 1900s to the 1930s.
Th ...
s and
streamlined
Streamlines, streaklines and pathlines are field lines in a fluid flow.
They differ only when the flow changes with time, that is, when the flow is not steady.
Considering a velocity vector field in three-dimensional space in the framework of ...
sports car
A sports car is a car designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as handling, acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving and racing capability. Sports cars originated in Europe in the early 1900s and are currently produced by ...
s.
Italy developed the first ''gran turismo'' cars. The small, light-weight and
aerodynamic
Aerodynamics, from grc, ἀήρ ''aero'' (air) + grc, δυναμική (dynamics), is the study of the motion of air, particularly when affected by a solid object, such as an airplane wing. It involves topics covered in the field of fluid dyn ...
coupé
A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and two doors.
The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the French past parti ...
s, named the "
Berlinetta
A berlinetta (from it, berlinetta; ) is a sports coupé, typically with two seats but also including 2+2 cars. The original meaning for ''berlinetta'' in Italian is “little saloon”. Introduced in the 1930s, the term was popularised by Ferr ...
", originated in the 1930s. A contemporary French concept, known as "''grande routière''", emphasized style, elegance, luxury, and gentlemanly transcontinental touring; the ''grande routières'' were often larger cars than the Italian ''gran turismos''. Italian designers saw that compared to a traditional open two-seat sports car, the increase in weight and frontal area of an enclosed cabin for the driver and mechanic could be offset by the benefits of streamlining to reduce drag. Independent ''carrozzeria'' (
coachbuilder
A coachbuilder or body-maker is someone who manufactures bodies for passenger-carrying vehicles.Construction has always been a skilled trade requiring a relatively lightweight product with sufficient strength. The manufacture of necessarily ...
chassis
A chassis (, ; plural ''chassis'' from French châssis ) is the load-bearing framework of an artificial object, which structurally supports the object in its construction and function. An example of a chassis is a vehicle frame, the underpart ...
by manufacturers such as
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. () is an Italian luxury car manufacturer and a subsidiary of Stellantis. The company was founded on 24 June 1910, in Milan, Italy. "Alfa" is an acronym of its founding name, "Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili." ...
superleggera
Superleggera (Italian for ''Superlight'') is a custom tube and alloy panel automobile coachwork construction technology developed by Felice Bianchi Anderloni of Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera. A separate chassis was s ...
'' (super light-weight) aluminum bodywork, allowing for even more aerodynamic forms. The additional comfort of an enclosed cabin was beneficial for the
Mille Miglia
The Mille Miglia (, ''Thousand Miles'') was an open-road, motorsport endurance race established in 1927 by the young Counts Francesco Mazzotti and Aymo Maggi, which took place in Italy twenty-four times from 1927 to 1957 (thirteen before World ...
road-race held in Italy's often wintry north.
1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GT
The first car to be named "''gran turismo''" was the 1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Turismo, a sporting dual-purpose road/race chassis and engine specification that was available with a wide variety of body styles or ''
carrozzeria
A coachbuilder or body-maker is someone who manufactures bodies for passenger-carrying vehicles.Construction has always been a skilled trade requiring a relatively lightweight product with sufficient strength. The manufacture of necessarily ...
''. The influential Weymann fabric-bodied ''berlinetta'' version by Carrozzeria Touring, "an early example of what we generally perceive to be a GT car", was winner of the Vetture Chiuse category at the 1931 Mille Miglia. An improved and
supercharged
In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement.
The current categorisation is that a supercharger is a form of forced induct ...
version, the 6C 1750 GTC ''Gran Turismo Compressore'', won the Vetture a Guida Interna category of the 1932 Mille Miglia. The Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 was designed by Vittorio Jano, who would later be instrumental in the design of the 1951 Lancia Aurelia B20 GT.
1935 Fiat 508 Balilla S Berlinetta
From the basic Fiat 508 Balilla touring chassis came the SIATA and Fiat aerodynamic ''gran turismo''-style ''Berlinetta Mille Miglias'' of 1933 and 1935.
SIATA
Siata (''Società Italiana Auto Trasformazioni Accessori'' in English ''Italian Car Transformation Accessories Company'') was an Italian car tuning shop and manufacturer founded in 1926 by amateur race car driver Giorgio Ambrosini.
Siata initiall ...
was a Turin, Italy-based Fiat tuner, typical of a popular class of Italian artisan manufacturers of small gran turismo, sports and racing cars—usually
Fiat
Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. (, , ; originally FIAT, it, Fabbrica Italiana Automobili di Torino, lit=Italian Automobiles Factory of Turin) is an Italian automobile manufacturer, formerly part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and since 2021 a subsidiary ...
based—that came to be known in the 1970s as ''Etceterini'', such as Nardi,
Abarth
Abarth & C. S.p.A. () is an Italian racing and road car maker and Car tuning, performance division founded by Italo-Austrian Carlo Abarth in 1949. Abarth & C. S.p.A. is owned by Stellantis through its FCA Italy, Italian subsidiary. Its logo is a ...
, Ermini and, in 1946,
Cisitalia
Cisitalia was an Italian sports and racing car brand. The name "Cisitalia" derives from "Compagnia Industriale Sportiva Italia", a business conglomerate founded in Turin in 1946 and controlled by the wealthy industrialist and sportsman Piero Dusio ...
. The Fiat and SIATA ''berlinettas'', influenced by the successful Alfa Romeo 6C GT/GTC coupés, competed in the Mille Miglia endurance race and were significant among Weymann and Superleggera enclosed sporting cars appearing in the 1930s. They featured tuned Fiat engine and chassis, and bespoke ''carrozzeria'', in common with the landmark post-war Cisitalia 202 SC, and are among the first small-displacement ''gran turismos''.
File:Alfa-Romeo 6C-1750-GTC-Touring.JPG, Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GTC Berlinetta
Carrozzeria Touring
Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera is an Italian automobile coachbuilder. Originally established in Milan in 1925, Carrozzeria Touring became well known for both the beauty of its designs and patented superleggera construction methods. The bus ...
Mille Miglia 1932
File:Fiat 508-S-Balilla BerlMM.JPG,
Fiat 508
The 508 Balilla was a compact car designed and developed by Fiat in 1932. It was, effectively, the replacement of the Fiat 509, although production of the earlier model had ceased back in 1929. It had a three-speed transmission (increased to four ...
Balilla S Berlinetta Mille Miglia 1935
1947 Cisitalia 202 SC
The first recognised motor race specifically for gran turismo cars was the 1949 Coppa Inter-Europa held at
Monza
Monza (, ; lmo, label=Lombard language, Lombard, Monça, locally ; lat, Modoetia) is a city and ''comune'' on the River Lambro, a tributary of the Po River, Po in the Lombardy region of Italy, about north-northeast of Milan. It is the capit ...
. It was initially hoped by Italian motor industry observers that the small and struggling Italian sports and racing car manufacturer, Cisitalia, would find in the 1949 Coppa Inter-Europa regulations (initially called ''Turismo Veloce'' or Fast Touring) a category for its Cisitalia Tipo 202 SC—the road-going production
coupé
A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and two doors.
The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the French past parti ...
version of Cisitalia's single-seat D46 racing car and two-seat 202 open sports car. However, the
Fiat
Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. (, , ; originally FIAT, it, Fabbrica Italiana Automobili di Torino, lit=Italian Automobiles Factory of Turin) is an Italian automobile manufacturer, formerly part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and since 2021 a subsidiary ...
-based 1100 cc
four-cylinder
The engine configuration describes the fundamental operating principles by which internal combustion engines are categorized.
Piston engines are often categorized by their cylinder layout, valves and camshafts. Wankel engines are often categorize ...
Cisitalia was no match on the race track for Ferrari's new hand-built 2000 cc V12, and Ferrari dominated, taking the first three places. An 1100 cc class was hurriedly created, but not in time to save Cisitalia's business fortunes—the company's bankrupt owner
Piero Dusio
Piero Dusio (13 October 1899 – 7 November 1975) was an Italian footballer, businessman and racing driver.Donatella Biffignandi, Piero Dusio' from museoauto.it, an online museum for automotive issues, last accessed on 12 November 2016.
Biograph ...
had already decamped to Argentina. The Cisitalia 202 SC gained considerable fame for the outstanding design of its
Pinin Farina
Pininfarina S.p.A. (short for Carrozzeria Pininfarina) is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder, with headquarters in Cambiano, Turin, Italy. The company was founded by Battista "Pinin" Farina in 1930.
On 14 December 2015, the Indian ...
coachwork
A coachbuilder or body-maker is someone who manufactures bodies for passenger-carrying vehicles.Construction has always been a skilled trade requiring a relatively lightweight product with sufficient strength. The manufacture of necessarily ...
, and is credited with greatly influencing the style of subsequent ''
berlinetta
A berlinetta (from it, berlinetta; ) is a sports coupé, typically with two seats but also including 2+2 cars. The original meaning for ''berlinetta'' in Italian is “little saloon”. Introduced in the 1930s, the term was popularised by Ferr ...
'' or
fastback
A fastback is an automotive styling feature, defined by the rear of the car having a single slope from the roof to the tail. The kammback is a type of fastback style.
Some models, such as the Ford Mustang, have been specifically marketed as ...
gran turismo coupés. A Cisitalia 202 "GT" is exhibited at the
Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues.
It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of ...
in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
.
1947 Maserati A6 1500
The Maserati A6 1500 won the 1500 cc class at the 1949 Coppa-Europa. It was driven by
Franco Bordoni
Franco Bordoni-Bisleri (10 January 1913 – 15 September 1975) was an Italian aviator and racing car driver. He is one of the top-scoring flying ace, aces of the Regia Aeronautica, with 19 air victories. His nickname was "Robur" ("strength" ...
, former
fighter ace
A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...
of the
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force (''Regia Aeronautica Italiana'') was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946. In 1946, the monarchy was abolis ...
Mille Miglia
The Mille Miglia (, ''Thousand Miles'') was an open-road, motorsport endurance race established in 1927 by the young Counts Francesco Mazzotti and Aymo Maggi, which took place in Italy twenty-four times from 1927 to 1957 (thirteen before World ...
. The A6 1500 was the first road going production car to be offered by the
Maserati
Maserati S.p.A. () is an Italian luxury vehicle manufacturer. Established on 1 December 1914, in Bologna, Italy, the company's headquarters are now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. The company has been owned by Stellantis since 2021. Ma ...
factory, featuring a
tubular chassis
Superleggera (Italian for ''Superlight'') is a custom tube and alloy panel automobile coachwork construction technology developed by Felice Bianchi Anderloni of Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera. A separate chassis was stil ...
with
independent front suspension
Independent suspension is any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically (i.e. reacting to a bump on the road) independently of the others. This is contrasted with a beam axle or deDion axle system in w ...
and
coil spring
A selection of conical coil springs
The most common type of spring is the coil spring, which is made out of a long piece of metal that is wound around itself.
Coil springs were in use in Roman times, evidence of this can be found in bronze Fib ...
s, the 1500 cc
six-cylinder
The straight-six engine (also referred to as an inline-six engine; abbreviated I6 or L6) is a piston engine with six cylinders arranged in a straight line along the crankshaft. A straight-six engine has perfect primary and secondary engine balan ...
being derived from the Maserati brothers pre-war ''
voiturette
A voiturette is a miniature automobile.
History
''Voiturette'' was first registered by Léon Bollée in 1895 to name his new motor tricycle. The term became so popular in the early years of the motor industry that it was used by many makers t ...
'' racing engines. The body of the A6 1500 was an elegant two-door fast-back coupé body, also by Pinin Farina.
File:Cisitalia 202 - Mille Miglia 2014 (16987804980).jpg, Cisitalia Tipo 202 SC Coupé Carrozzeria Pinin Farina 1947
File:Maserati A6 1500 - Museo Enzo Ferrari - fvr.jpg,
Maserati A6
Maserati A6 were a series of grand tourers, racing sports cars and single seaters made by Maserati of Italy between 1947 and 1956. They were named for Alfieri Maserati (one of the Maserati brothers, founders of Maserati) and for their straight-si ...
1500 Coupé Carrozzeria Pinin Farina 1947
1949 Ferrari 166 Inter
Enzo Ferrari
Enzo Anselmo Giuseppe Maria Ferrari (; 20 February 1898 – 14 August 1988) was an Italians, Italian motor racing driver and entrepreneur, the founder of the Scuderia Ferrari Grand Prix motor racing team, and subsequently of the Ferrari ...
, whose
Scuderia Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari Società per Azioni, S.p.A. () is the racing division of luxury Italian auto manufacturer Ferrari and the racing team that competes in Formula One racing. The team is also known by the nickname "The Prancing Horse", in refere ...
had been the racing division of
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. () is an Italian luxury car manufacturer and a subsidiary of Stellantis. The company was founded on 24 June 1910, in Milan, Italy. "Alfa" is an acronym of its founding name, "Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili." ...
from 1929 until 1938, parted ways from Alfa Romeo in 1939: Enzo Ferrari's first car (itself an ''Etceterini)'' the Fiat-based
Auto Avio Costruzioni 815
The Auto Avio Costruzioni 815 was the first car to be fully designed and built by Enzo Ferrari. Legal issues with former associates Alfa Romeo prevented Ferrari from creating the Ferrari marque. The 815 raced at the 1940 Brescia Grand Prix, where ...
racing sports car, debuted at the 1940 Mille Miglia. Two were produced. The first car constructed in Ferrari's name, the V12 125 S, also a racing sports car, debuted in 1947 at the
Piacenza
Piacenza (; egl, label= Piacentino, Piaṡëinsa ; ) is a city and in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, and the capital of the eponymous province. As of 2022, Piacenza is the ninth largest city in the region by population, with over ...
racing circuit. Again, only two were produced, but they rapidly evolved into the
159
Year 159 ( CLIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time in Roman territories, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Quintillus and Priscus (or, less frequently, year ...
and 166 models, including the 1949 Ferrari 166 Inter, a road-going berlinetta coupé with coachwork by Carrozzeria Touring and other coachbuilders.
The Ferrari 166 'Inter' S coupé model won the 1949 Coppa Inter-Europa motor race. Regulations stipulated body form and dimensions but did not at this time specify a minimum production quantity. The car was driven by Bruno Sterzi, and is recognized as the first Ferrari ''gran turismo''.
After that race, the national governing body of Italian motorsport, CSAI (''Commissione Sportiva Automobilistica Italiana),'' officially introduced a new class, called ''Gran Turismo Internazionale'', for cars with production over thirty units per year, thereby ruling out Ferrari's hand-built ''berlinettas''.
1951 Ferrari 212 Export
Ferrari's response for the new Italian ''Gran Turismo Internazionale'' championship in 1951 was the road/race
Ferrari 212 Ferrari used its 2.6 L (2562.51 cc) ''Colombo'' V12 engine in a number of models, all called 212 for the displacement of a single cylinder.
The following models used the 212 name:
* 1951 Ferrari 212 F1 — Formula 1 and Formula 2 racer
* 195 ...
. Twenty-seven short-wheelbase competition versions called Export, some with increasingly popular ''gran turismo''-style ''berlinetta'' coupé coachwork, were produced for enthusiasts (Ferrari called the very first example 212 ''MM'') while the road version was called ''Inter''. The Ferrari 212 Export featured long-range fuel tanks, high compression pistons and triple Weber 32 DCF carburettors; power was 170 bhp from the 2600cc Gioacchino Colombo-designed 'short-block' V12 engine, evolved from the earlier Ferrari 166 (2000cc) and 195 (2300cc). All versions came with the standard Ferrari five-speed non-synchromesh gearbox and hydraulic drum brakes. All 1951 Ferraris shared a double tube frame chassis design evolved from the 166. Double-wishbone front suspension with
transverse leaf spring
Independent suspension is any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically (i.e. reacting to a bump on the road) independently of the others. This is contrasted with a beam axle or deDion axle system in ...
semi-elliptic leaf spring
A leaf spring is a simple form of spring commonly used for the suspension in wheeled vehicles. Originally called a ''laminated'' or ''carriage spring'', and sometimes referred to as a semi-elliptical spring, elliptical spring, or cart spring, it ...
s and
radius rod
A radius rod (also called a radius arm, torque arm, torque spring, and torsion bar) is a suspension link
300px, 5-link live axle suspension
In automotive suspensions, a suspension link, control link or link is a suspension member, that attach ...
s were employed. The Ferrari 212 Export (212 MM) ''gran turismo berlinetta'' (chassis no. 0070M) debuted in first-place overall at the April 1951 Coppa Inter-Europa, driven by Luigi Villoresi, and in June (chassis no. 0092E) was first in the ''Gran Turismo'' category at the Coppa della Toscana driven by Milanese Ferrari concessionaire and proprietor of Scuderia Guastalla, Franco Cornacchia. The 212 Export continued to serve Ferrari well in the Sports and GT categories until replaced by the 225 S, and although it would later be overshadowed by the internationally famous 250 GT, the 212 Export was an important model in the successful line of Colombo-engined V12 GT cars that made Ferrari legendary.
File:1949 Ferrari 166 Inter Coupé Touring p2.JPG,
Ferrari 166 Inter
The Ferrari 166 Inter was Ferrari's first true grand tourer. An evolution of the 125 S and 166 S racing cars, it was a sports car for the street with coachbuilt bodies. The Inter name commemorated the victories claimed in 166 S models by Scude ...
Coupé
Carrozzeria Touring
Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera is an Italian automobile coachbuilder. Originally established in Milan in 1925, Carrozzeria Touring became well known for both the beauty of its designs and patented superleggera construction methods. The bus ...
Ferrari 212 Export
:''See also the 212 Inter grand tourer''
The Ferrari 212 Export was a sports racing car produced by Ferrari in 1951–1952. The 212 Exports won Tour de France automobile, Giro di Sicilia, Coppa della Toscana, 10 Hours of Messina and other motor ...
Vignale
Vignale is the luxury car sub-brand of Ford Motor Company used in automobiles sold in Europe.Aurelia B20 GT.
Lancia had begun production in 1950 of their technically advanced Aurelia saloon; the design had been overseen by Vittorio Jano. At the 1951
Turin Motor Show
The Turin Motor Show ( it, Salone dell'Automobile di Torino) was an auto show held annually in Turin, Italy. The first official show took place between 21 and 24 April 1900, at the Castle of Valentino, becoming a permanent fixture in Turin from 1 ...
, the Pinin Farina-bodied ''Gran Turismo'' B20 Coupé version was unveiled to an enthusiastic motoring public. Here, finally, according to historians Jonathan WoodWood, pp. 50–51 and Sam Dawson, was a fully realized production GT car, representing the starting point of the definitive Grand Tourer:
This outwardly conventional saloon bristled with innovation and ingenuity, in which the masterly hand of
Vittorio Jano
Vittorio Jano ( hu, János Viktor; 22 April 1891 – 13 March 1965) was an Italian automobile designer of Hungarian descent from the 1920s through 1960s.
Jano was born ''Viktor János'' in San Giorgio Canavese, in Piedmont, to Hungarian immi ...
is apparent. In the B20 are elements of the Cistalia of 1947, coupés which Pinin undertook on a 6C Alfa Romeo and Maserati in 1948, along with the Fiat 1100 S coupé with its rear accommodation for children. The original Aurelia had been under-powered and, in 1951, the V6 was enlarged to 1991 cc, which was also extended to the coupé, though in 75 rather than 70 bhp form as the B20 was developed as a sporting model in its own right. In addition the B20 had a shorter wheelbase and a higher rear axle ratio, making it a 100 mph car. Lancia chose the ''Gran Turismo'' name for its new model and the suggestion could only have come from Vittorio Jano himself, for had he not been responsible for the original 1750 Alfa Romeo of the same name back in 1929?
Four ''semi-ufficiali'' works B20 GTs, together with a number of privateer entrants, were sent to the Mille Miglia in April, 1951, where the factory Bracco / Maglioli car finished second overall, behind only a Ferrari sports racer of twice the engine capacity. Lancia Aurelias swept the GT 2.0 Liter division. In June 1951, Bracco was partnered with the 'father of GT racing' himself, Johnny Lurani, to race a B20 GT at Le Mans, where they were victorious in the 2.0 Liter sportscar division, placing a very creditable 12th overall. A 1–2 finish at the famous Coppa d'Oro delle Dolomiti, among other victories including the 6 Ore di Pescara, rounded out an astonishing debut racing season for this ground-breaking car, winning its division in the Italian GT Championship for Umberto Castiglioni in
1951
Events
January
* January 4 – Korean War: Third Battle of Seoul – Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul for the second time (having lost the Second Battle of Seoul in September 1950).
* January 9 – The Government of the United ...
. Lancia B20 GTs would go on to win the Over 2.0 Liter Italian GT Championship in 1953, 1954 and 1955 with the B20-2500.
File:Lancia aurelia b20.jpg,
Lancia Aurelia
The Lancia Aurelia is a car produced by Italian manufacturer Lancia from 1950 to the summer of 1958. It is noted for using one of the first series-production V6 engines.
Several body styles were offered: 4-door saloon, 2-door GT coupé (B20), ...
B20 GT 1951
File:Autoitalia Brooklands 30th April 2011 DSC 5809 (5674066554).jpg
File:Autoitalia Brooklands 30th April 2011 DSC 5681 (5673932402).jpg
1952 Fiat 8V "Otto Vu" Zagato
A surprise to the international press, who were not expecting a ''gran turismo berlinetta'' from Italy's largest manufacturer of everyday standard touring models, the Fiat 8V "Otto Vu" was unveiled at the Geneva Salon in March 1952 to international acclaim. Although not raced by the factory, the Otto Vu ''was'' raced by a number of private owners. Vincenzo Auricchio and Piero Bozzinio raced to fifth in the Gran Turismo category of the 1952 Mille Miglia, and Ovidio Capelli placed third in the GT 2000 cc class at the Coppa della Toscana in June, with a special race-spec lightweight
Zagato
Zagato is an independent coachbuilding company and total design centre located northwest of Milan in Terrazzano, a small village near Rho, Lombardy, Italy. The company's premises occupies an area of 23,000 square metres (250,000 sq ft)- 11,000 of ...
coupe; the GT category overall at this event was won by Franco Cornacchia's Ferrari 212 Export (refer above). Capelli and the 8V Zagato topped this accomplishment by winning the GT category of the Pescara 12 Hours in August, ahead of two Lancias. The new Fiat 8V garnered sufficient competition points over the season to become the national two-liter GT Champion (a feat it repeated every year until 1959).
Elio Zagato
Elio Zagato (27 February 192114 September 2009) was an Italian automobile designer.
Like his brother Gianni Zagato (born 1929), Elio Zagato joined his father Ugo Zagato's design firm Zagato in Milan and, upon the father's death in 1968, took ov ...
, the coachbuilder's son, was successful in competition with the Otto Vu in 1954 and 1955, attracting further customer interest and leading Zagato to eventually develop two different GT racing versions. Upon his passing in 2009, Elio Zagato was described as a leading figure of Italian GT racing and design:
Elio Zagato, who has died aged 88, was one of the leading figures of Italian Gran Turismo (GT) racing and car-body design. In the 1950s, driving a Zagato-bodied Fiat 8V, Elio emerged as the consummate gentleman racer in Italian GT championship events. Zagato, his father's firm, provided the lithe, lightweight aluminium bodies for many of the Lancias, Alfa Romeos, Abarths and Maseratis that dominated these meetings. Elio won 82 races out of the 150 he entered, and won four of the five championships he entered. Working with the chief stylist
Ercole Spada
Ercole Spada (born 26 July 1937 in Busto Arsizio) is an Italian automobile designer. His most notable designs were produced in the 1960s, for the Zagato design studio house, where Spada was chief stylist. During this period some of the most notabl ...
, Zagato produced some of the most beautiful GT designs of the era; spare and muscular cars such as the Aston Martin DB4GTZ, the Alfa Romeo Junior TZ and SZ, and the Lancia Flaminia Sport. These were minimalist shapes bereft of superfluous trim that introduced phrases such as "double bubble" roof to the car body design language: twin shallow domes, devised by Elio, to give extra head room and strengthen the roof. For lightness, Zagato pioneered the use of Perspex and of aerodynamics, with trademark forms such as the split or stub tail. Indeed, Elio would take prototypes out on the
autostrada
The Autostrade (; singular ) are roads forming the Italian national system of motorways. The total length of the system is about . In North and Central Italy, the Autostrade mainly consists of tollways managed by Autostrade per l'Italia, a ...
covered in wool tufts in order to test
air flow
Airflow, or air flow, is the movement of air. The primary cause of airflow is the existence of air. Air behaves in a fluid manner, meaning particles naturally flow from areas of higher pressure to those where the pressure is lower. Atmospheric ...
over the body.
The 8V Otto Vu earned its name courtesy of its high-performance V8 engine (Ford having already trademarked "V8").
File:Fiat_8V_Zagato_rear.jpg, Fiat 8V Zagato
File:Fiat_8V_Zagato.jpg
1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL
The
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
automotive industry was devastated by the second World War, but in the post-war period a small number of firms brought it to prominence again. The emergence of the classic
Porsche 356
The Porsche 356 is a sports car that was first produced by Austrian company Porsche Salzburg, Porsche Konstruktionen GesmbH (1948–1949), and then by German company Porsche, Dr. Ing. h. c. F. Porsche GmbH (1950–1965). It was Porsche's first ...
is covered in the accompanying
sports car
A sports car is a car designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as handling, acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving and racing capability. Sports cars originated in Europe in the early 1900s and are currently produced by ...
article. In 1957 author John Stanford wrote: "The post-war Mercedes sports cars are in a way even more remarkable than those of
Porsche
Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, usually shortened to Porsche (; see #Pronunciation, below), is a German automobile manufacturer specializing in high-performance sports cars, SUVs and sedans, headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany ...
. The firm was particularly badly hit by the war and it was several years before anything but a nominal production of cars could be undertaken. In 1951 appeared the "300", a luxurious and fast touring car with a single-camshaft six-cylinder engine of 2996 c.c. and chassis derived from the pre-war cars with swing-axle rear suspension. The "300S" was a three-carburetor edition, but in 1952 great interest was aroused by the almost invincible performance in sports-car racing of a team of prototype cars of extremely advanced and interesting design. By 1954 these had undergone sufficient development to be placed on the market as the "300SL", one of the costliest and most desirable cars of our time. The conventional chassis has been abandoned in favor of a complex structure of welded tubes, although the coil spring suspension is retained, and exceptionally large brakes are fitted, inboard at the rear. The engine is sharply inclined to the near-side in the interests of a low bonnet-line, and with Bosch
fuel injection
Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of an injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in reciprocating piston and Wankel rotary engines.
All comp ...
produces 240 b.h.p. at 6,000 r.p.m. Claimed maximum speed is in excess of 160 m.p.h. and although the car is by no means small,
dry weight
Vehicle weight is a measurement of wheeled motor vehicles; either an actual measured weight of the vehicle under defined conditions or a gross weight rating for its weight carrying capacity.
Curb or kerb weight
Curb weight (U.S. English) or kerb ...
has been kept to 23 cwt. The depth of the multi-tubular frame prevents the use of conventional side-hinged doors and these cars are fitted with the roof-hinged "gull-wing" doors which characterize an exceedingly handsome and practical car. An open touring version is available. In competition the "300SL" has become a powerful contender, and abetted by the success of the
Grand Prix cars
Grand may refer to:
People with the name
* Grand (surname)
* Grand L. Bush (born 1955), American actor
* Grand Mixer DXT, American turntablist
* Grand Puba (born 1966), American rapper
Places
* Grand, Oklahoma
* Grand, Vosges, village and co ...
300_SLR".html" ;"title="Mercedes-Benz_300_SLR.html" ;"title="nd "Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR">300 SLR"">Mercedes-Benz_300_SLR.html" ;"title="nd "Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR">300 SLR"has captured a substantial portion of the export market."
File:Mercedes 300SL Coupe vr silver EMS.jpg,
Mercedes-Benz 300 SL
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (chassis code W 198) is a two-seat sports car which was produced by Mercedes-Benz as a gullwinged coupe (1954–1957) and roadster (1957–1963).Werner Oswald: ''Mercedes-Benz Personenwagen 1945–1985''. Motorbuch Ve ...
File:Mercedes 300SL Coupe hr silver EMS.jpg,
Mercedes-Benz 300 SL
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (chassis code W 198) is a two-seat sports car which was produced by Mercedes-Benz as a gullwinged coupe (1954–1957) and roadster (1957–1963).Werner Oswald: ''Mercedes-Benz Personenwagen 1945–1985''. Motorbuch Ve ...
1956 Ferrari 250 GT
1953 saw the first serious attempt to series produce the Ferrari motor car, two models of the Ferrari 250, Type 250 Europa being produced. The cars were an evolution of the previous models, available with either the Ferrari Colombo engine, Colombo or Ferrari Lampredi engine, Lampredi versions of the 250 V12 engine, coil spring front suspension, an improved sports gearbox (four speeds) with
Porsche
Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, usually shortened to Porsche (; see #Pronunciation, below), is a German automobile manufacturer specializing in high-performance sports cars, SUVs and sedans, headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany ...
synchromesh
A manual transmission (MT), also known as manual gearbox, standard transmission (in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States), or stick shift (in the United States), is a multi-speed motor vehicle transmission system, where gear changes ...
, large
drum brake
A drum brake is a brake that uses friction caused by a set of shoes or pads that press outward against a rotating cylinder-shaped part called a brake drum.
The term ''drum brake'' usually means a brake in which shoes press on the inner surfac ...
s and luxurious outfitting. A few appeared in motorsports but did not initially threaten the international
Mercedes-Benz 300 SL
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (chassis code W 198) is a two-seat sports car which was produced by Mercedes-Benz as a gullwinged coupe (1954–1957) and roadster (1957–1963).Werner Oswald: ''Mercedes-Benz Personenwagen 1945–1985''. Motorbuch Ve ...
and
Porsche 356
The Porsche 356 is a sports car that was first produced by Austrian company Porsche Salzburg, Porsche Konstruktionen GesmbH (1948–1949), and then by German company Porsche, Dr. Ing. h. c. F. Porsche GmbH (1950–1965). It was Porsche's first ...
competition.
After its 1956 debut, the 250 GT "went from strength to strength". Powered by the Colombo 250 engine, output was up to 240 b.h.p. at 7,000 r.p.m. A short-wheelbase (SWB) version of the 250 chassis was employed for improved handling and road-holding in corners, and top speed was up to 157 m.p.h. In 1957 Gendebien finished third overall in the Mille Miglia, and won the "index of performance".
Alfonso de Portago
Alfonso Cabeza de Vaca y Leighton, 11th Marquess of Portago, GE (11 October 1928 – 12 May 1957), best known as Alfonso de Portago, was a Spanish aristocrat, racing and bobsleigh driver, jockey and pilot.
Born in London to a prominent famil ...
won the
Tour de France
The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. Like the other Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España), it consists ...
and GT races at
Montlhéry
Montlhéry () is a Communes of France, commune in the Essonne Departments of France, department in Île-de-France in northern France. It is located from Paris.
History
Montlhéry lay on the strategically important road from Paris to Orléans. U ...
and
Castelfusano
Castelfusano is an urban park in the comune of Rome. It divides the sea quarter of Ostia and the neighborhood of Casalpalocco. The castle and the park were founded in the 17th century by the Sacchetti family. Its vegetation consists mainly in a ...
in a lightweight
Carrozzeria Scaglietti
Carrozzeria Scaglietti () was an Italian automobile design and coachbuilding company active in the 1950s. It was founded by Sergio Scaglietti in 1951 as an automobile repair concern, but was located across the road from Ferrari in Maranello outsid ...
250 GT. Gendebien became a ''gran turismo'' specialist in 250 GTs when he wasn't driving sports racing Ferrari ''Testa Rossas'' ("Red Heads" for their red engine covers), achieving success in both the Giro Sicilia and Tour de France.
In 1958, sports racing ''Testa Rossas'' swept the Manufacturer's Championship, and in 1959 the T.R. engine was adapted to the 250 GT. The
spark plug
A spark plug (sometimes, in British English, a sparking plug, and, colloquially, a plug) is a device for delivering electric current from an ignition system to the combustion chamber of a spark-ignition engine to ignite the compressed fuel/air ...
s were relocated and each
cylinder
A cylinder (from ) has traditionally been a three-dimensional solid, one of the most basic of curvilinear geometric shapes. In elementary geometry, it is considered a prism with a circle as its base.
A cylinder may also be defined as an infin ...
now had a separate intake port. Larger Weber twin-choke carburetors were employed in a triple configuration (sports racing T.R.s employed six) and some special customer cars had three four-choke Webers (one choke per cylinder).
Dry-sump lubrication
A dry-sump system is a method to manage the lubricating motor oil in four-stroke and large two-stroke piston driven internal combustion engines. The dry-sump system uses two or more oil pumps and a separate oil reservoir, as opposed to a co ...
was employed, and the camshaft valve timing was only slightly less than the full-race ''Testa Rossas''. G.T. power was up to 267 b.h.p. at 7,000 r.p.m. (240 b.h.p at 6,800 rpm for road versions). Experiments were conducted with Dunlop disc brakes, which were adopted in 1960, along with an even shorter wheelbase for ''competizione'' versions.
In 1962, the definitive competition gran turismo was unveiled, the 250 GTO. A full ''Testa Rossa'' engine was employed (albeit with black crinkle-finish engine covers) with six twin-choke Webers. Power was up to 300 b.h.p. at 7,400 r.p.m. and with a lightweight 2000 lb body and chassis: the car was an immediate winner.<
In November 2016, it was reported that a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO was being offered for public sale—normally brokers negotiate deals between extremely wealthy collectors "behind closed doors". GTOs had previously been auctioned in 1990 and 2014. The 2017 sale was expected to reach US$56,000,000.00, the particular GTO concerned (the second of just thirty-six ever made) thus set to become the world's most expensive car.
File:Ferrari 250 Europa.jpg, 1953
Ferrari 250
The Ferrari 250 is a series of sports cars and grand tourers built by Ferrari from 1952 to 1964. The company's most successful early line, the 250 series includes many variants designed for road use or sports car racing. 250 series cars are chara ...
Europa
File:Ferrari 250 GT TdF - Villa d'Este 2014 - (14466769370).jpg, 1957 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Tour de France Scaglietti
File:Ferrari-250-GT-Berlinetta-1.jpg, 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta SWB
File:Ferrari 250 GTO at concorso.jpg, 1962
Ferrari 250 GTO
The Ferrari 250 GTO is a GT car produced by Ferrari from 1962 to 1964 for homologation into the FIA's Group 3 Grand Touring Car category. It was powered by Ferrari's ''Tipo 168/62'' Colombo V12 engine.
The "250" in its name denotes the disp ...
Impact of racing
The Italian
Mille Miglia
The Mille Miglia (, ''Thousand Miles'') was an open-road, motorsport endurance race established in 1927 by the young Counts Francesco Mazzotti and Aymo Maggi, which took place in Italy twenty-four times from 1927 to 1957 (thirteen before World ...
thousand-mile race, held from 1927 to 1957, was central to the evolution of the ''gran turismo'' concept. The event was one of the most important on the Italian motor-sport calendar and could attract up to five million spectators. Winning drivers such as
Tazio Nuvolari
Tazio Giorgio Nuvolari (; 16 November 1892 – 11 August 1953) was an Italian racing driver. He first raced motorcycles and then concentrated on sports cars and single-seaters. A resident of Mantua, he was known as 'Il Mantovano Volante' (Th ...
,
Rudolf Caracciola
Otto Wilhelm Rudolf CaracciolaBolsinger and Becker (2002), p. 63 (30 January 1901 – 28 September 1959) was a racing driver from Remagen, Germany. He won the European Drivers' Championship, the pre-1950 equivalent of the modern Formula One Wor ...
, and
Stirling Moss
Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss (17 September 1929 – 12 April 2020) was a British Formula One racing driver. An inductee into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, he won 212 of the 529 races he entered across several categories of comp ...
; and manufacturers such as Alfa Romeo, BMW, Ferrari and
Porsche
Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, usually shortened to Porsche (; see #Pronunciation, below), is a German automobile manufacturer specializing in high-performance sports cars, SUVs and sedans, headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany ...
would become household names.
According to Enzo Ferrari:
In my opinion, the Mille Miglia was an epoch-making event, which told a wonderful story. The Mille Miglia created our cars and the Italian car industry. The Mille Miglia permitted the birth of GT, or grand touring cars, which are now sold all over the world. The Mille Miglia proved that by racing over open roads for 1,000 miles, there were great technical lessons to be learned by the petrol and oil companies and by brake, clutch, transmission, electrical and lighting component manufacturers, fully justifying the old adage that motor racing improves the breed.
The Mille Miglia is still celebrated today as one of the world's premier historic racing events.
A closed sports coupé almost prevailed at
Le Mans
Le Mans (, ) is a city in northwestern France on the Sarthe River where it meets the Huisne. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Man ...
Raymond Sommer
Raymond Sommer (31 August 1906 – 10 September 1950) was a French motor racing driver. He raced both before and after WWII with some success, particularly in endurance racing. He won the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race in both and , and altho ...
and
Clemente Biondetti
Clemente Biondetti (18 October 1898 – 24 February 1955) was an Italian auto racing driver. Born into a working-class family, Biondetti raced motorcycles before turning to automobiles where he had greater success.
Biography
Born in Buddusò, S ...
, led the famous 24-hour race from the third lap until early Sunday afternoon, retiring only due to engine problems.
Johnny Lurani was impressed by the dominant performance at the Mille Miglia in 1940, by a Carrozzeria Touring-bodied BMW 328 coupé, winning the event at over 100 mph average speed, driven by
Fritz Huschke von Hanstein
Fritz Sittig Enno Werner von Hanstein (3 January 1911 – 5 March 1996) nicknamed "Huschke von Hanstein", was a German racing driver who from the 1950s served both as Porsche's public relations manager and chief of their racing department.
...
and
Walter Bäumer
Walter may refer to:
People
* Walter (name), both a surname and a given name
* Little Walter, American blues harmonica player Marion Walter Jacobs (1930–1968)
* Gunther (wrestler), Austrian professional wrestler and trainer Walter Hahn (born 19 ...
:
The BMW team included a splendid aerodynamic ''Berlinetta'', wind tunnel designed by German specialists, that was extremely fast at 135 mph... I couldn't believe the speeds these BMWs were capable of.
File:Alfa Romeo 1938 2900 B Speciale.jpg, 1938 Alfa Romeo 2900B Carrozzeria Touring Le Mans.
File:BMW 328 Mille Miglia Coupe 1940.jpg, 1940 BMW 328 Coupé
Carrozzeria Touring
Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera is an Italian automobile coachbuilder. Originally established in Milan in 1925, Carrozzeria Touring became well known for both the beauty of its designs and patented superleggera construction methods. The bus ...
Mille Miglia.
File:1949-04-24 Mille Miglia Ferrari 166 sn003S Bianchetti Sala.jpg, 1948
Ferrari 166 S
:''See also the 166 Inter GT car''
:''See also the 166 MM Berlinetta Le Mans''
:''See also the Ferrari-Abarth 166 MM/53''
The Ferrari 166 S was a sports racing car built by Ferrari between 1948 and 1953, an evolution of its '' Colombo'' V12-p ...
#003S, Berlinetta coachwork by
Carrozzeria Allemano Carrozzeria Allemano (established 1928, discontinued 1965) was an automobile coachbuilder in Turin, Italy, owned by Serafino Allemano.
Allemano made various cars based on their own designs. They also built externally designed vehicles, such as th ...
, here at the 1949
Mille Miglia
The Mille Miglia (, ''Thousand Miles'') was an open-road, motorsport endurance race established in 1927 by the young Counts Francesco Mazzotti and Aymo Maggi, which took place in Italy twenty-four times from 1927 to 1957 (thirteen before World ...
.
File:Ferrari166 coppatoscana.jpg, 1950
Ferrari 195 S
:''See also the Ferrari 195 Inter, 195 Inter grand tourer''
:''See also the Ferrari 166 MM Berlinetta Le Mans, 166 MM Berlinetta Le Mans''
The Ferrari 195 S was a sports racing car produced by Ferrari in 1950. It was an improved version of the Ferr ...
Berlinetta by
Carrozzeria Touring
Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera is an Italian automobile coachbuilder. Originally established in Milan in 1925, Carrozzeria Touring became well known for both the beauty of its designs and patented superleggera construction methods. The bus ...
Mille Miglia
The Mille Miglia (, ''Thousand Miles'') was an open-road, motorsport endurance race established in 1927 by the young Counts Francesco Mazzotti and Aymo Maggi, which took place in Italy twenty-four times from 1927 to 1957 (thirteen before World ...
, driven by
Gianni Marzotto
Count Giannino Marzotto (13 April 1928 in Valdagno, Italy – 14 July 2012) was an Italian racing driver and entrepreneur. Marzotto served as President of the Mille Miglia Club and won the Mille Miglia race in 1950 and 1953.
Career
He was one ...
in a double-breasted suit.
File:Ferrari195 Inter coupe Vignale 0083S Coppa Intereuropa 1951.jpg, 1951 Ferrari 195 Inter coupé by
Vignale
Vignale is the luxury car sub-brand of Ford Motor Company used in automobiles sold in Europe.Count Giovanni Lurani Cernuschi (popularly known as Johnny Lurani) was a key commissioner. He was also a senior member of the world governing body, the ''
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA; en, International Automobile Federation) is an association established on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users. It is the governing body for ...
'' (FIA).
Lurani was instrumental in designing the regulations for the Italian 1937 ''Turismo Nazionale'' championship, whereby production vehicles approved by the CSAI were raced with the original chassis and engine layout as specified in the factory catalog and available for customers to buy; engines could be tuned and bored out, but the bodywork had to conform to regulations. The CSAI were concerned that FIA (known as AIACR at the time) ' Annexe C' Sports cars were becoming little more than thinly-disguised two-seat
Grand Prix
Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural Grands Prix), is a name sometimes used for competitions or sport events, alluding to the winner receiving a prize, trophy or honour
Grand Prix or grand prix may refer to:
Arts and entertainment ...
racers, far removed from the cars ordinary motorists could purchase from the manufacturers' catalogs.
The CSAI was shut down by the Italian
Fascist
Fascism is a far-right, Authoritarianism, authoritarian, ultranationalism, ultra-nationalist political Political ideology, ideology and Political movement, movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and pol ...
government under
Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 194 ...
at the end of 1937, and replaced with a new organization called FASI. The Italian Fascists, as in
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
, sought control of motor racing as an important vehicle for national prestige and
propaganda
Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded ...
. FASI replaced ''Turismo Nazionale'' with the less strictly regulated ''Sports Nazionale'' championship, which ran in 1938 and 1939.
Postwar, the CSAI was re-established and in 1947 Italian national championships were held for both ''Sports Internazionale'' (FIA Annexe C sports cars) and ''Sports Nazionale''. ''Sports Nazionale'' was abolished in 1948, creating the opportunity for a new category in 1949.
1949 Coppa Inter-Europa
The first
race
Race, RACE or "The Race" may refer to:
* Race (biology), an informal taxonomic classification within a species, generally within a sub-species
* Race (human categorization), classification of humans into groups based on physical traits, and/or s ...
specifically for grand touring motor cars (at the time the regulations, designed by Johnny Lurani, were actually called ''Turismo Veloce,'' or Fast Touring) was the 1949 Coppa Inter-Europa, held over three hours on 29 May, at the 6.3 kilometer
Autodromo Nazionale di Monza
The Monza Circuit ( it, Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, , National Automobile Racetrack of Monza) is a race track near the city of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. Built in 1922, it was the world's third purpose-built motor racing circuit after ...
(Italy). It was won by a limited production, V-12 engined, Ferrari 166 "Inter", originally known as the "Sport", with a coupé body by Carrozzeria Touring of Milan with the Superleggera system.
After this race, governing body CSAI officially introduced a new category, called ''Gran Turismo Internazionale'', for 1950. The regulations were drawn up by Johnny Lurani and fellow Italian motor racing journalist and organizer Corrado Filippini, requiring for qualification the production of thirty models per year, thereby ruling out, for the time being, Ferrari's hand-built ''berlinettas''. Nonetheless, Ferrari 166 (including the upgraded MM - Mille Miglia - version) were produced and raced in sports car categories as both open ''barchettas'' and closed ''berlinettas,'' including winning the 1950 Mille Miglia outright.
1950 Mille Miglia
On the third weekend of April 1950, it was the occasion of the annual Mille Miglia, one-thousand miles from Brescia to Rome and back over closed public roads, to include a ''Gran Turismo Internazionale'' category for the first time: twenty-four GT cars were entered, including Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Coupé Touring, Cisitalia 202B ''berlinetta'' and Fiat 1100 S coupé. The field was rounded out by a solitary Fiat-based
Siata Daina
The Siata Daina is an Italian car produced by Siata from 1950-1958. The Daina was available as a coupé or a convertible and had custom bodies by Stabilimenti Farina, Bertone and other coach builders.
Performance
Like all Siata cars, the Dai ...
. Alfa Romeo took first place in the ''Gran Turismo'' ''Internazionale'' category (a creditable tenth overall) and also second place in category, followed by three Cisitalias. The overall race winning
Ferrari 195 S
:''See also the Ferrari 195 Inter, 195 Inter grand tourer''
:''See also the Ferrari 166 MM Berlinetta Le Mans, 166 MM Berlinetta Le Mans''
The Ferrari 195 S was a sports racing car produced by Ferrari in 1950. It was an improved version of the Ferr ...
was also a ''gran turismo-''style coupé, but in the over 2000 Sports car class—in fact a special 166MM/195S ''Berlinetta Le Mans,'' chassis #0026MM, famously driven by
Giannino Marzotto
Count Giannino Marzotto (13 April 1928 in Valdagno, Italy – 14 July 2012) was an Italian racing driver and entrepreneur. Marzotto served as President of the Mille Miglia Club and won the Mille Miglia race in 1950 and 1953.
Career
He was one ...
in a double-breasted suit, "a fitting advertisement for his family's textile business"''.''
1950 Coppa Inter-Europa
The 1950 Coppa Inter-Europa at Monza was held in March. Separate races were held for sports cars, and for ''Gran Turismo'' cars in four classes: 750, 1100, 1500, and over 1500.
Ferrari entered, and won, the Sports car 2000 class with a Ferrari 166 MM ''berlinetta'', while an Alfa Romeo ''Sperimentale'' (over 2000 class) won the sports car race overall.
The ''Gran Turismo'' race was contested by
Lancia Aprilia
The Lancia Aprilia (1937–1949) is a family car manufactured by Lancia, one of the first designed using wind tunnel in collaboration with Battista Farina and Politecnico di Torino, achieving a record low drag coefficient of 0.47. The ''berlinetta ...
Zagato
Zagato is an independent coachbuilding company and total design centre located northwest of Milan in Terrazzano, a small village near Rho, Lombardy, Italy. The company's premises occupies an area of 23,000 square metres (250,000 sq ft)- 11,000 of ...
. The overall winner was WWII fighter ace Franco Bordoni's Maserati A6 1500.
1950 Targa Florio
The annual
Targa Florio
The Targa Florio was a public road endurance automobile race held in the mountains of Sicily near the island's capital of Palermo. Founded in 1906, it was the oldest sports car racing event, part of the World Sportscar Championship between 1955 ...
in Sicily was held the first weekend of April, and featured a ''Gran Turismo Internazionale'' category for the first time, in two classes: 1500 and over 1500. Contested by Lancia Aprilia, Cisitalia 202, Fiat 1100, Maserati A6, and even a solitary British
Bristol 400
The Bristol 400 is a luxury car produced by the Bristol Aeroplane Company of Great Britain, its first. After World War II in 1947, BAC decided to diversify and formed a car division, which would later be the Bristol Cars company in its own ri ...
(based on the successful pre-war BMW 328), the ''Gran Turismo Internazionale'' category was won by Argentinian driver, Adolfo Schwelm Cruz, in an Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS.
Schwelm Cruz and Alfa Romeo repeated their success in the 1950 Targa Florio and Mille Miglia by winning the ''Gran Turismo'' category at the Coppa della Toscana in June. An Alfa Romeo 6C 2500, driven by Salvatore Amendola, was also victorious in the ''Gran Turismo'' category of the
Coppa d' Oro delle Dolomiti
The Dolomites Gold Cup Race (translation: ''Coppa d' Oro delle Dolomiti'') was a car race on public roads open to traffic, which was run in the Dolomite Mountains of northern Italy for ten years from 1947 to 1956. It took place along an anti-cl ...
in July, run through the
Dolomite Mountains
The Dolomites ( it, Dolomiti ; Ladin: ''Dolomites''; german: Dolomiten ; vec, Dołomiti : fur, Dolomitis), also known as the Dolomite Mountains, Dolomite Alps or Dolomitic Alps, are a mountain range located in northeastern Italy. They form par ...
, starting and finishing in the town of
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo (; lld, Anpezo, ; historical de-AT, Hayden) is a town and ''comune'' in the heart of the southern (Dolomitic) Alps in the Province of Belluno, in the Veneto region of Northern Italy. Situated on the Boite river, in an alp ...
. An Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 took the ''Gran Turismo'' honours again at the Giro delle Calabria in August. The Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 was based on a pre-war design, and is considered by some to be the last of the classic Alfa Romeos.
1951 Campionato Gran Turismo Internazionale
For 1951, the CSAI organized an Italian national championship for the ''Gran Turismo Internazionale'' category in four classes: 750, 1500, 2000, and over 2000 cc. Interest was attracted from manufacturers such as Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Maserati, Ferrari, Fiat and SIATA. The championship was held over ten events, including all the classic long-distance road races (the Giro di Sicilia, the Mille Miglia, the Coppa della Toscana, the Giro dell'Umbria, the Coppa d' Oro delle Dolomiti, the Giro delle Calabrie and the Stella Alpina) as well as three circuit races (the Coppa Inter-Europa at Monza, the Circuito di Caracalla night-race in Rome, and the 6 Ore di Pescara).
File:Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS - MM 2014 - (14055528997).jpg, Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Villa d'Este 1949
File:1949 Fiat 1100 S Mille Miglia (10966804744).jpg, Fiat 1100 S Coupé 1949
File:1949 Maserati A6-1500GT 3C Pinin Farina Competition Berlinetta - rvl (4637035235).jpg,
Maserati A6
Maserati A6 were a series of grand tourers, racing sports cars and single seaters made by Maserati of Italy between 1947 and 1956. They were named for Alfieri Maserati (one of the Maserati brothers, founders of Maserati) and for their straight-si ...
1500 Pinin Farina Competition Berlinetta 1949
1954 FIA Appendix J
Prior to 1954, internationally agreed motor-sport regulations existed only for Racing Cars and Sports Cars (FIA Appendix C). After a testy gestation period, the FIA introduced for the 1954 motor racing calendar new "Appendix J" regulations covering Production Touring Cars, tuned Special Touring Cars, Gran Turismo Cars, and Production Sports Cars. This was the first officially sanctioned international recognition of the Gran Turismo category.
The 1954 Gran Turismo regulations stipulated cars for personal transport with closed bodywork built by the manufacturer of the chassis, although open bodies and special coachwork were admissible if listed in the official catalog of the manufacturer of the chassis and if the weight of the car was at least the same as the closed standard model. Minimum production was 100 cars during 12 months and cars needed to have only two seats.
Fittingly, Gran Turismo categories (under 1500 and over 1500) were first included in round 3 of the 1954 FIA World Sports Car Championship at the Mille Miglia (the first placed GT being the Lancia Aurelia B20 GT of Serafini and Mancini). GT entries would become a regular feature alongside their Sports Car brethren at international races from this time forward: GTs raced in World Championship rounds at the Targa Florio from 1955,
Nürburgring
The is a 150,000 person capacity motorsports complex located in the town of Nürburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It features a Formula One, Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a long "North loop" track, built in the 1920s, around t ...
Le Mans
Le Mans (, ) is a city in northwestern France on the Sarthe River where it meets the Huisne. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Man ...
from 1959, and
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
from 1960 (from which year every round of the World Championship included GT cars). In 1960 and 1961 an FIA ''Coupé de Grand Tourisme'' (Grand Touring Cup) was awarded.
The FIA Grand Touring category came to be known as "
Group 3 Group 3 may refer to:
*Group 3 element, chemical element classification
*Group 3 (racing), FIA classification for auto racing
* Group 3, the third tier of races in worldwide Thoroughbred horse racing
* Group 3 image format, Group 3 & Group 4 are ...
", and is defined in the 1961 Appendix J (English) regulation as: "Vehicles built in small series for customers who are looking for better performance and/or maximum comfort and are not particularly concerned about economy. Such cars shall conform to a model defined in a catalog and be offered to the customers by the regular Sales Department of the manufacturer."
File:Ferrari 250 gt.jpg, Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta 1956 -1961
File:Bonhams - The Paris Sale 2012 - Aston Martin DB4GT Coupé - 1961 - 017.jpg, Aston Martin DB4 GT 1961
File:1961 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato - fvr3.jpg,
Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato
The Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato is a grand tourer sports car designed by Zagato and produced between 1960 and 1963. Introduced in October 1960 at the London Motor Show, it was effectively a DB4 GT, lightened and improved by the Zagato factory i ...
1961
File:Jaguar E-type Lightweight Low Drag Coupe - Flickr - exfordy.jpg, Jaguar E-type Lightweight Low Drag Coupe 1962
1962–1965 International Championship for GT Manufacturers
In 1962 the FIA, addressing concerns to reduce the speeds attained in sports car racing following the disastrous accident at Le Mans in 1955, shifted focus from Appendix C Sports Cars to production based GT cars of Appendix J. The previous World Sportscar Championship title was discontinued, being replaced by the
International Championship for GT Manufacturers
The World Sportscar Championship was the world series run for sports car racing by the FIA from 1953 to 1992.
The championship evolved from a small collection of the most important sportscar, endurance, and road racing events in Europe and Nort ...
1963
Events January
* January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cov ...
and
1964
Events January
* January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved.
* January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarch ...
.
Cobra Ferrari Wars
The period 1963–1965 is famous for the "Cobra Ferrari Wars", a rivalry between American former-racing driver and Le Mans winner
Carroll Shelby
Carroll Hall Shelby (January 11, 1923 – May 10, 2012) was an American automotive designer, racing driver, and entrepreneur. Shelby is best known for his involvement with the AC Cobra and Mustang for Ford Motor Company, which he modified duri ...
( Le Mans 1959, Aston Martin DBR1/300), and Enzo Ferrari, whose 250 GTs were the dominant grand touring cars of the time. Shelby retired from driving due to a heart condition, returning to California from Europe in 1959 with the idea to marry the
AC Ace
AC Ace is a car which was produced by AC Cars of Thames Ditton, England, from 1953 until 1963.
History
AC came back to the market after the Second World War with the 2-Litre range of cars in 1947, but it was with the Ace sports car of 1953 th ...
Shelby AC Cobra
The AC Cobra, sold in the United States as the Shelby Cobra and AC Shelby Cobra, is a sports car manufactured by British company AC Cars, with a Ford V8 engine. It was produced intermittently in both the United Kingdom and later the United ...
was a sales success. Like Enzo, Shelby sold road cars to support his racing team, and like Ferrari the Cobra was a success on the track, at least on the short circuits common in the United States. On the longer tracks prevalent in Europe however, the Cobra's crude aerodynamics couldn't compete with the sleek 180 mph Ferrari 250 GTOs: even fitted with a removable roof the Cobra's top speed was 150 mph. At the
1963 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1963 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 31st Grand Prix of Endurance in the 24 Hours of Le Mans series and took place on 15 and 16 June 1963. It was also the tenth round of the 1963 World Sportscar Championship season.
Despite good weather througho ...
, a Cobra placed 7th; Ferraris placed 1st to 6th. Shelby team engineer
Pete Brock
Peter Brock (born November 1936) is an American automotive and trailer designer, author and photojournalist, who is best known for his work on the Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe and Corvette Sting Ray.
Early life and education
Peter Elbert Brock ...
hand-designed a Kamm-backed aerodynamic body for the Cobra, creating the Shelby Daytona Coupe, and a showdown with Ferrari was set.
In testing, the Shelby Daytona Coupe attained a top speed of 196 mph, and went on to win the GT class at the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans. Shelby had beaten Ferrari on the biggest stage; however, the fast and reliable Ferrari 250 GTOs were again victorious in the 1964 International Championship for GT Manufacturers. The Championship was controversial: Enzo Ferrari, with only a narrow points lead over Shelby, attempted to have the radical new
mid-engined
In automotive engineering, a mid-engine layout describes the placement of an automobile engine in front of the rear-wheel axles, but behind the front axle.
History
The mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive format can be considered the original layout of ...
homologated
Homologation (Greek ''homologeo'', ὁμολογέω, "to agree") is the granting of approval by an official authority. This may be a court of law, a government department, or an academic or professional body, any of which would normally work f ...
for the final championship round at Monza in Italy. When the FIA turned Ferrari down, Ferrari withdrew. The race organizers Auto Club d'Italia, fearing a financial disaster from the withdrawal of the famous Italian team, canceled the event, and Ferrari was crowned World Champion. In the aftermath, Ferrari declared he would never race GTs again, and for 1965 the rivalry with Ferrari was taken up by
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobi ...
and the
Ford GT40
The Ford GT40 is a high-performance endurance racing car commissioned by the Ford Motor Company. It grew out of the "Ford GT" (for Grand Touring) project, an effort to compete in European long-distance sports car races, against Ferrari, which wo ...
, also mid-engined, in the sports car divisions.
In 1965, with Shelby's race team now dedicated to the GT40, the Daytona Coupes were entrusted to
Alan Mann Racing
Alan Mann Racing was a British motor racing team organised by Alan Mann (22 August 1936 – 21 March 2012), who was a part-time racing driver and team manager. The team ran a substantial part of the Ford works racing effort in Europe from 1964 t ...
in the United Kingdom, and easily won the GT world championship. From 1966 the FIA would return its
world championship
A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...
focus to the sports car division, however GT entries would remain an important feature of international sports car racing in the future.
File:2009-08-07 1191 Oldtimer-GP - AC Shelby Cobra, Bj. 1964.JPG,
Shelby AC Cobra
The AC Cobra, sold in the United States as the Shelby Cobra and AC Shelby Cobra, is a sports car manufactured by British company AC Cars, with a Ford V8 engine. It was produced intermittently in both the United Kingdom and later the United ...
Hardtop 1964
File:Ferrari 1962 250 GTO on Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance 2011 -Moto@Club4AG.jpg,
Ferrari 250 GTO
The Ferrari 250 GTO is a GT car produced by Ferrari from 1962 to 1964 for homologation into the FIA's Group 3 Grand Touring Car category. It was powered by Ferrari's ''Tipo 168/62'' Colombo V12 engine.
The "250" in its name denotes the disp ...
1964
File:Carroll Shelby Museum. Las Vegas. (31378809241).jpg,
Shelby Daytona
The Shelby Daytona Coupe (also referred to as the Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe) is an American sports-coupé. It is related to the Shelby Cobra roadster, loosely based on its chassis and drive-train developed and built as an advanced evolution. I ...
Coupe 1964
British Grand Tourers 1946-63
While Italy was the home of the ''Gran Turismo,'' of all the other European nations that took the concept up, it was Britain that was most enthusiastic.
1946 Healey Elliot
Before
Donald Healey
Donald Mitchell Healey CBE (3 July 1898 – 15 January 1988) was a noted English car designer, rally driver and speed record holder.
Early life
Born in Perranporth, Cornwall, elder son of Frederick (John Frederick) and Emma Healey (née Mitc ...
turned to production of the small, light and inexpensive
Austin-Healey 100
The Austin-Healey 100 is a sports car that was built by Austin-Healey from 1953 until 1956.
Based on Austin A90 Atlantic mechanicals, it was developed by Donald Healey to be produced in-house by his small Healey car company in Warwick. Healey ...
sports car in 1952, he had brought to market a fast and aerodynamic 21/2-liter Riley-powered Healey Elliot closed saloon (named for the coach-builder). Claimed to be the fastest closed car of its day, only 101 were made before production was given over to the successful new
sports car
A sports car is a car designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as handling, acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving and racing capability. Sports cars originated in Europe in the early 1900s and are currently produced by ...
.Wood, pp. 66–105.
1947 Bristol 400 – 406
Immediately following the Second World War, H. J. Aldington, pre-war
Frazer Nash
Frazer Nash was a brand of British sports car manufactured from 1922 first by Frazer Nash Limited founded by engineer Archibald Frazer-Nash. On its financial collapse in 1927 a new company, AFN Limited, was incorporated. Control of AFN passed t ...
manufacturer and BMW importer, sought out BMW's badly bombed Munich factory and there discovered the special-bodied open BMW 328, duly returning with it to Britain with a view to building Fraser Nash-BMWs with the aid of key former-BMW personnel. The
Bristol Aeroplane Company
The Bristol Aeroplane Company, originally the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, was both one of the first and one of the most important British aviation companies, designing and manufacturing both airframes and aircraft engines. Notable a ...
, looking to enter the car sector, acquired a majority shareholding. There were government concerns about using German engineers, and in the end, only
Fritz Fiedler
Fritz Fiedler (born Potsdam 9 January 1899: died Schliersee 8 July 1972), was an automotive engineer. His projects included the BMW 328 sports car, the ex-BMW Bristol straight-six engine, and the BMW New Class sedan.
Career to 1945
Fiedler began h ...
was involved as consultant to Bristol's own engineers. By the time the new car debuted at the 1947
Geneva Motor Show
The Geneva International Motor Show is an annual auto show held in March in the Swiss city of Geneva. The show is hosted at the Palexpo, a convention centre located next to the Geneva Cointrin International Airport. The Salon is organised by th ...
, it was known simply as the
Bristol 400
The Bristol 400 is a luxury car produced by the Bristol Aeroplane Company of Great Britain, its first. After World War II in 1947, BAC decided to diversify and formed a car division, which would later be the Bristol Cars company in its own ri ...
.
The Bristol 400 was essentially a hand-built, to aircraft industry standards,
BMW 327
The BMW 327 is a medium-sized touring coupé produced by the Bavarian firm between 1937 and 1941, and again produced after 1945. It sat on a shortened version of the BMW 326 chassis.
Launch
The first 327, launched in 1937, was a cabriolet. In ...
two-door coupe, mounted on a
BMW 326
The BMW 326 is a medium-sized sedan produced by BMW between 1936 and 1941, and again briefly, under Soviet control, after 1945. The 326 was BMW's first four-door sedan.Odin, L.C. ''World in Motion 1939 - The whole of the year's automobile produc ...
chassis, powered by the legendary 2-liter BMW 328 engine. It was fast, 90 mph, but expensive. The 1948 401 featured an improved aerodynamic body in the lightweight Touring Superleggera fashion; and the 1953 403 boasted improved suspension, brakes, and gearbox, while power was boosted from 85 to 100 bhp. The 1954 short-chassis 404 had a completely new body, and top speed was up to 110 mph. The 1958 406 was the last of the BMW-powered versions and was produced until 1961, after which they were superseded by a range of automatic transmission equipped and Chrysler V8 powered Bristols, with the engines rebuilt by Bristol engineers and fitted with high-lift camshafts and mechanical lifters.
1953 Aston Martin DB2
David Brown purchased the Aston Martin concern in 1947, and the company was effectively reborn for the post-war era. Unlike the Bristol, the
Aston Martin DB2
The Aston Martin DB2 is a grand tourer that was sold by Aston Martin from May 1950 until April 1953. The successor to the 2-Litre Sports model, it had a comparatively advanced dual overhead cam 2.6 L Lagonda straight-6 engine in place of ...
which debuted at the 1949 Motor Show (as a prototype Le Mans racer) was an all-British affair. The 2.6-liter twin overhead camshaft Lagonda engine was designed by W. O. Bentley (Brown having also purchased the Lagonda company). Brown decided on a closed coupé body in the latest Italian tradition, rather than the traditional Aston Martin open two-seater sports car. The 1950 production DB2 was a styling triumph for designer
Frank Feeley
Frank Gerald Feeley, born in Staines-upon-Thames on 16 January 1912, was an automotive stylist and designer. He joined Lagonda based in Staines, where his father, Jeremiah Feeley, also worked, straight from school as an office boy under Arthur T ...
, and Brown later recalled that many believed the car styled in Italy. The 105 bhp DB2 was a genuine 110 mph grand tourer; in 1951 came the more powerful optional 125 bhp "Vantage" version. In its original form, the DB2 was a two-seater; the 1953 DB2/4 added a 2+2 and hatchback arrangement and a 3-liter engine in 1954. A
Mark II
Mark II or Mark 2 often refers to the second version of a product, frequently military hardware. "Mark", meaning "model" or "variant", can be abbreviated "Mk."
Mark II or Mark 2 may refer to:
Military and weaponry
* 16"/50 caliber Mark 2 gun ...
version with
Tickford
Tickford is an automobile engineering and testing business in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, known for tuning and such products as the 140 mph Tickford Turbo Capri.
Under the name Salmons & Sons and their Tickford products the firm has ...
coachwork appeared in 1955 (Brown had purchased this company too). The Mark III version from 1957 - 1959 developed 162 bhp, and was available with 180 and 195 bhp high-output engine options.
File:Healey Elliott Saloon.jpg, 1946-1950 Healey Elliott
File:1952 Bristol 401 in Holland Park, Kensington, London.JPG, 1948-1953
Bristol 401
The Bristol 401 saloon and Bristol 402 cabriolet are British luxury sporting cars, produced between 1948 and 1953 by Bristol Cars, an offshoot of the Bristol Aeroplane Co.Michael Sedgwick & Mark Gillies, A-Z of Cars 1945–1970, page 39 They w ...
File:AM DB2 top.jpg, 1950-1953
Aston Martin DB2
The Aston Martin DB2 is a grand tourer that was sold by Aston Martin from May 1950 until April 1953. The successor to the 2-Litre Sports model, it had a comparatively advanced dual overhead cam 2.6 L Lagonda straight-6 engine in place of ...
File:110 ans de l'automobile au Grand Palais - Aston Martin DB2 4 3.0-Litre Sports Saloon - 1955 - 001.jpg, 1953-1957
Aston Martin DB2/4
The Aston Martin DB2/4 is a grand tourer produced by Aston Martin from 1953 until 1957. It was available as a 2+2 hatchback saloon, drophead coupé (DHC) and 2-seat fixed-head coupé. A small number of Bertone bodied spiders were commissioned ...
File:Rétromobile 2016 - Aston Martin DB4 série II - 1960 - 001.jpg, 1958-1963 Aston Martin DB4
See also
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Coupé
A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and two doors.
The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the French past parti ...
*
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and can usually perform several roles.
The term "cruiser", which has been in use for several hu ...
and
Touring motorcycle
A touring motorcycle is a type of motorcycle designed for touring. Although almost any motorcycle can be used for this purpose, manufacturers have developed specific models designed to address the particular needs of these riders. Touring motorc ...
Luxury car
A luxury car is a car that provides increased levels of comfort, equipment, amenities, quality, performance, and associated status compared to moderately priced cars.
The term is subjective and reflects both the qualities of the car and the ...
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Sports car
A sports car is a car designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as handling, acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving and racing capability. Sports cars originated in Europe in the early 1900s and are currently produced by ...
*
Sports car racing
Sports car racing is a form of motorsport road racing which utilises sports cars that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built prototypes or grand tourers based on road-going models. Broadly speaking, sports car racing is ...
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Touring car racing
Touring car racing is a motorsport road racing competition with heavily modified road-going cars. It has both similarities to and significant differences from stock car racing, which is popular in the United States.
While the cars do not move ...