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Celebrating the Art of Italian Coachbuilding

Ferrari Testarossa: The Flat-12 Wedge That Ruled the 80s

In a decade of neon and excess, one car captured imaginations like no other: the Ferrari Testarossa. Introduced in 1984 as a dramatic departure from Ferrari’s boxy 1970s Berlinetta Boxer, the Testarossa was Ferrari’s answer to the Boxer’s faults – a larger, airier grand tourer with a flat-12 heart. Mid-engined and sculpted by Pininfarina, it quickly became the iconic poster car of the 1980s, immortalized on TV (think Miami Vice), in video games (Sega’s Out Run) and on posters in teenage bedrooms. In short, the Testarossa was Ferrari’s declaration of “maximum style”, blending raw power with outrageous fashion. Below we dive into its genesis, styling, engineering, cultural impact, and some fun behind-the-scenes tidbits – all backed by authoritative sources (and a wink or two for humor).

The Golden Age of Italian Fuoriserie: Coachbuilt Dreams of the 1950s

Italy in the 1950s was a place where wrecked roads and rationed fuel couldn’t stop a design revolution. Post-war Italians approached car design with the same gusto they applied to opera and espresso – loud, passionate, and utterly original. The result was the birth of the fuoriserie movement, a golden age of custom-built cars crafted by master carrozzieri (coachbuilders) that turned everyday chassis into rolling art. This was the era when a humble Fiat could don a bespoke suit of aluminum and when driving your one-of-a-kind coupe to the local café made you a minor celebrity. In this long-form road trip through history, we’ll explore how Italy’s coachbuilders redefined automotive artistry in the ’50s, blending technical innovation with cultural flair in a way that was as humorous and engaging as it was groundbreaking.

Elegance on Wheels: The Grand History of the Concours d’Elegance

The concours d’elegance (French for “competition of elegance”) began as a rolling aristocratic fashion show. Long before cars existed, 17th-century Parisian blue-bloods paraded their ornate horse-drawn carriages in the city’s manicured parks. As the age of horsepower gave way to horsepower of a mechanical sort, the contests transformed into competitions between owners of extremely expensive automobiles. It was less about speed and more about style: finely crafted coaches—and later cars—were paraded alongside impeccably dressed ladies and gentlemen, with judges taking stock of every shimmering detail.

Ferrari Modulo: The Dream Car That Redefined Design

When we visited designer Paolo Martin for a retrospective on his extraordinary body of work, one particular shape in his archive stood apart from everything else—low, razor-sharp, almost extraterrestrial in its geometry. More than fifty years after its debut, the Ferrari Modulo still looks like something plucked from the future. And in many ways, it was.

The Ferrari 250 GT Interim: Bridging the Gap Between Icons

Few cars in Ferrari’s history hold as much intrigue as the 250 GT Interim—a rare and fascinating link between two legends, the 250 GT Berlinetta and the 250 GT SWB (Short Wheelbase). Produced in the late 1950s, this model embodied Ferrari’s transition from early grand tourers to race-bred sports cars, blending cutting-edge engineering with unmistakable Italian craftsmanship.

Lancia Ypsilon: 40 Years of Elegance, Innovation, and History

2025 marks a significant milestone for the Lancia Ypsilon, celebrating its 40th anniversary as one of the most iconic city cars in Italian automotive history. Since its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 1985, the Ypsilon has gone through five generations, 36 special editions, and has won the hearts of over three million drivers. Today, with the New Ypsilon, the brand continues its legacy by blending elegance, technology, and innovation.

From Classic to Modern: 15 Shooting Brakes That Deserve Your Attention

The shooting brake: part coupé, part wagon, all class. It’s the kind of car that makes you want to throw on a tailored jacket, grab a pair of fine leather driving gloves, and pretend you’re en route to a countryside estate—whether you own one or not. Originally designed for aristocrats who needed room for hunting gear (and possibly a few hounds), the shooting brake evolved into a rare breed of automobile, blending performance with just enough practicality to convince yourself it’s a reasonable purchase.