When a car is nicknamed “Flying Saucer”, odds are that it has an out of this world shape. This was true for the Alfa Romeo Disco Volante (the name is Italian for flying saucer) which was unveiled as a concept car in 1952 boasting a drag coefficient of just 0.25.
The original Disco Volante is revered so much by Alfa fans today that it was chosen for the statue donated to Alfa Romeo’s centenary celebrations in 2010.
Milan-based coachbuilder Touring Superleggera, which cooperated with Alfa Romeo in the creation of the original car, has plans to debut a modern-day version at the 82nd Geneva Motor Show in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the iconic Alfa.
Just like the original, the 21st century Disco Volante will be built on an existing Alfa Romeo. This time around, it won’t be the 1900 and its 158HP engine but the 8C Competizione chassis, around which Touring’s craftsmen will construct a bodywork reminiscent of the 1950’s car but made out of hand-beaten aluminum panels and carbon-fiber.
The 8C Competizione will also loan the rest of the mechanical parts including the 450PS 4.7-liter V8, the six-speed semi-auto transmission, the double wishbone suspension and the limited-slip differential.
Touring Superleggera said it has plans to produce the Disco Volante 2012 in limited numbers.
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