Touring Superleggera unveils Alfa Romeo Disco Volante Spider at Geneva
Milan’s Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera has revealed the Alfa Romeo Disco Volante Spider, a seven-unit coachbuilt convertible based on the 8C Spider, at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show.
Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera has pulled the covers off the Alfa Romeo Disco Volante Spider at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, confirming a production run of just seven cars. Each example is hand-built to order and starts life as an Alfa Romeo 8C Spider, itself a rare car with only 500 produced. Touring’s latest project marks its 90th anniversary and revives the Disco Volante name, drawing direct inspiration from the 1952 Alfa Romeo C52 ‘flying saucer’.
The Disco Volante Spider’s bodywork is shaped in aluminium and carbon fibre, retaining the distinctive lines of the 2013 Disco Volante coupé. The design nods to the original C52, with its rounded forms and pronounced wheel arches, while the removable two-piece hardtop is a bespoke carbon fibre item weighing just 3.5kg. This replaces the standard 8C’s fabric roof, and Touring has engineered a dedicated storage compartment beneath the rear deck. Carbon fibre is also used for the windscreen pillars, with aluminium panels elsewhere to keep weight in check.
Powertrain and underpinnings
Touring has retained the Alfa Romeo 8C Spider’s mechanicals, meaning the Disco Volante Spider carries over the 4.7-litre naturally aspirated V8, sourced from Maserati, producing around 450hp. Drive is sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed semi-automatic transaxle. Performance figures are not separately quoted for the Disco Volante Spider, but the donor 8C Spider was capable of 0-62mph in around 4.5 seconds. The chassis and suspension remain largely unchanged from the base car, with the focus on bespoke bodywork and craftsmanship rather than mechanical modification.
Production and exclusivity
Touring will build just seven examples of the Disco Volante Spider, each tailored to its buyer’s specification. The process involves stripping a donor 8C Spider and rebodying it with Touring’s hand-formed panels. The company has not disclosed pricing, but the combination of low volume, bespoke build and the rarity of the 8C Spider base ensures these cars will remain exclusive collector’s items. Touring’s previous Disco Volante coupé, revealed at Geneva in 2013, was also built in very limited numbers.
The Disco Volante Spider’s unveiling at Geneva places it alongside other Alfa Romeo special projects, such as the 4C Spider, which also made its European debut at the show. Touring’s approach continues a tradition of Italian coachbuilders producing highly individual cars for a handful of clients. For more on Touring’s earlier work on the Disco Volante, see Touring Superleggera Disco Volante Receives New Finish at Geneva.
