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Milan-based coachbuilders Touring Superleggera will make each
"Disco Volante" upon a confirmed order to meet the desires of each
customer, using the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
coupé as the base car.
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Go ahead for Alfa Romeo Disco Volante
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13th September, 2013
To mark the 60th anniversary of the Alfa Romeo 1900 C52 ‘Disco Volante’,
Touring Superleggera, the Milanese coachbuilding firm which has been designing and building vehicle bodywork since 1926,
has made the 2013 edition of the Disco Volante with the official endorsement of Alfa Romeo.
The Disco Volante is a two-seater Gran Turismo with a completely bespoke, hand-made carbon fibre and aluminium body
underpinned by the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione coupé with its front-central mounted 4.7-litre V8 engine and transaxle rear
drive with unmodified specifications.
With the Touring Superleggera treatment the Alfa Disco Volante reaches a top speed of 180mph and accelerates from 0 to
100km/h (62 mph) in just 4.2 seconds.
Ultra-exclusive, the Alfa Romeo Disco Volante is a very limited production vehicle built only to demand with each
model requiring 4,000 hours of painstaking craftsmanship to complete.
ALFA ROMEO DISCO VOLANTE: IN DETAIL
THE LEGEND
When it was revealed in 1952, the lightweight and ultra-aerodynamic Alfa Romeo C52 'Disco Volante' was considered a
design classic almost right from the start. The unique basic design was even registered as ‘design patent’.
Based on the Alfa Romeo 1900 C, the car received a new tubular chassis and a lightweight, striking and
aerodynamically-efficient aluminium body. The briefing at Carrozzeria Touring mentioned the need for a shape that was
‘insensitive to wind’.
Initially aimed at sports car racing, the C52 Disco Volante is one of the best illustrations of the credo of Touring’s
founder Felice Bianchi Anderloni “Il peso è il nemico, la resistenza dell'aria è l'ostacolo" (Weight is the enemy, air
resistance the obstacle).
DESIGN
The Alfa Romeo Disco Volante by Touring celebrates the myth of the 1952 style icon. The new design blends innovation,
emotion and aerodynamic properties into a timeless and essential shape.
While some elements are inspired by the original dramatic form and proportions, the new body also quite futuristic
with its unusually wide front guards covering the wheels, and the thin rear end encapsulated in powerful 'shoulders'.
Inside, the 2013 Disco Volante continues the car’s design philosophy with a ‘science fiction’ feel including red LED
interior light profiles. Aeronautical-inspired touches also feature on the dashboard, instruments and controls as
exemplified by the seat adjustment lever.
The bespoke leather hides for the upholstery were manufactured to match the exterior body shade and these are matched
with black Alcantara. Naturally, buyers can personalise the interior design to meet their preferences.
DYNAMICS
The Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione chassis forms the basis for the coach-built bodywork of the Disco Volante, integrally
conserving the rolling chassis and drive train.
Chosen for its light and rigid structure and outstanding dynamic properties, the Alfa 8C’s steel space-frame and other
structural elements were retained to guarantee torsional stiffness, high performance and the highest possible quality
standards.
The frame members and the central carbon cell remained unchanged. Elements of the underpinning and the body, such as
the engine bay and firewall, the windscreen and cowl, the A-pillar and the locks and hinges have been retained too, along
with the dashboard, instruments, pedals and steering wheel. Certain parts, such as the doorframes, roof frame and
C-pillar have been modified to match with the new shape.
The front-central mounted engine, transaxle transmission and rear-wheel drive lay out offers optimal weight
distribution of 49:51 front to rear. To ensure excellent handling the front and rear double-wishbone suspension is
combined with forged aluminium hub carriers and additional trailing arms for the rear suspension.
The lightweight and compact 4.7 litre V8 engine delivers 450HP and 480Nm peak torque and is coupled with a six-speed,
sequential transaxle gearbox with electronic control and paddle-shift gear selection. Together with a limited-slip
differential and a state-of-the-art braking system with large diameter, ventilated discs, a precise, dynamic and exciting
drive is assured.
ENGINEERING
All new and modified components of the Disco Volante have been CAD designed, using the most advanced IT tools and
simulation techniques to cover feasibility, safety, homologation, aerodynamics and structural analysis.
To ensure torsional stiffness and noise reduction, special attention was paid to the under-body structure and its
elements, such as the tubular frames supporting the rear wings and bumper, and the roll bar joining the C-pillars. Other
complex design issues include the tailgate hinges, the 3D-cambered door window, and the front wheel covers.
A CFD aerodynamic study enhanced the airflow and ensured optimal downforce in the rear section. FEM calculations were
then run to assess resistance and rigidity of all parts subject to homologation.
PRODUCTION
To ensure lightweight bodywork for the Disco Volante, a combination of aluminium and carbon fibre was used for the
optimal balance of weight, resistance, precision, finish and quality, as well as ease of repair in case of damage.
The carbon fibre is used for specific components like the front bumper and grille, the bonnet, the side skirts, the
boot lid and the integrated rear-window frame. The bonnet and boot lid are sandwich-built with Nomex filler to obtain a
superior stiffness/weight ratio and to dampen vibration and noise.
The aluminium panels are hand-formed using an epoxy mould. Since the inner frames of most parts of the bodywork are
made of carbon fibre, this requires the gluing of aluminium to carbon fibre. This technique adds to the rigidity as the
glue itself also possesses structural properties.
The body panels are pre-assembled on a laser measurement platform using a jig. This ensures that the strict tolerance
required is respected. After adjustment, the panels are either welded or glued. The body-in-white is then used to
preassemble and fit all trim components, brightware and moulding.
To ensure constant and repeatable quality, the entire production process is documented and digitally logged. Like in
series production, there is a quantified manufacturing cycle and a Bill of Materials. Tolerances, measurements and other
quality standards are all quantified.
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Accommodation in
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QUALITY ASSURANCE
The quality control process includes static as well as dynamic test runs before the car is signed off. The static-test
protocol requires compliance to high standards in interstice and surface alignment, paint and coating quality, interior
trim and assembly.
A functionality test is run in a climatic chamber. The dynamic test takes place on the proving ground and includes
high-speed runs, cornering and other handling tests on several types of surfaces. Beside routine checks for creaks,
rattles or other noise, it concentrates on handling, braking and all other functionalities.
TYPE APPROVAL
The Disco Volante has received EU type-approval under the EU-Directive 2007/46 EC for small series.
PRICES & AVAILABILITY
The price of the Disco Volante is on demand and all sales enquiries can be addressed to the factory in Milan (Italy).
Touring Superleggera delivers the complete car in six months after the Alfa Romeo 8C is made available.
All Touring-produced or modified parts have a two-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, subject to the usual industry
terms. Alfa Romeo dealers are qualified for maintenance and service of the technical components, while Touring supplies
them repair instructions and parts for the Touring-designed components and systems.
TECHNICAL DATA
| PERFORMANCE |
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| Top speed (est) |
292km/h / 181mph |
| Acceleration (est) |
0-100km/h (0-62mph) in 4.2seconds |
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| DIMENSIONS |
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| Length |
4,620mm |
| Width |
2,032mm |
| Height |
1,309mm |
| Wheelbase |
2,640mm |
| Track front/back |
1,591mm/1,589mm |
| Boot volume |
142-litres |
| Fuel tank capacity |
88-litres |
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| ENGINE |
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| Cylinders / type |
8 / V 90° |
| Cubic capacity |
4,691cm³ |
| Nominal output |
331kw/450HP@7,000rpm |
| Max torque |
480Nm@4750rpm |
| Emission level |
Euro 5 |
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| ECONOMY |
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| Urban |
23.6l/100km (12mpg) |
| Extra-Urban |
11.4l/100km (24.8mpg) |
| Combined |
15.8l/100km (17.9mpg) |
| CO2 emissions |
377g/km (combined) |
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| DRIVELINE |
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| Rear wheel drive |
| 6-speed, electroactuated sequential gearbox with paddle-shift
control and automatic mode |
| Limited slip differential |
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| WHEELS |
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| Tyres |
Pirelli PZero Rosso, front 245/35 ZR20, rear 285/35 ZR20 |
| Wheel type |
Aluminium forged wheels |
E&OE.
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