The Amazing Alfa Romeo Disco Volante

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The stunning Disco Volante from 1952 is one of the most photographed cars in Alfa Romeo's museum. Seventy years after its creation, its sheer flamboyance keeps inspiring the public's imagination.
Yet, for all the success it enjoyed as a design statement, this car's story is also one of wasted potential, as it never got the chance to fulfill its promise of racing victories. Here's the story of the fabulous Alfa Romeo Disco Volante... #AlfaRomeo #TouringSuperleggera #History
The Alfa Romeo 1900 C52 "Disco Volante" was the brainchild of Gioacchino Colombo, the same man who, a few years earlier, had designed the original Ferrari V12 engine.
However, very little from the production 1900 saloon actually remained in the C52 sports racer: the inline-four cylinders engine's block was cast in aluminum rather than iron to save weight, and it was installed in a bespoke tubular chassis frame. Fed by two sidedraft Weber carburetors, the unit produced around 160 HP, enough to propel this light (735 Kg) roadster up to 220 Km/h.
Another Colombo idea was the car's striking lenticular shape, with particularly wide and swoopy fenders concealing the four wheels. Devised to reduce aerodynamic drag and maximize top speed, it was designed and built by the Carrozzeria Touring using its trademark "Superleggera" method: a framework of small-diameter steel tubes covered by a thin aluminum skin.
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[@AC-busso]

Story of Alfa Romeo is full of beautiful and glorious cars !... Forza biscione ! .. 🇮🇹🍀

[@MicrobyteAlan]

beautiful cars, wonderful story, thanks for sharing

[@graemelliott3942]

Incredibly beautiful car. I dreamed of this car in the 1970s as a child flying in it! To see it in person is another dream!

[@Matteo_Licata]

That's a cool dream! The roadster is almost always on display at Alfa's museum, yet I'll never tire of looking at it!

[@graemelliott3942]

@@Matteo_Licata one day I’ll get there. I see it through your eyes.

[@brunotulliani]

All the variants of the Disco Volantes are simply stunning! The one in France seems to me to be the most beautiful. Jaguar XKSS does come to mind but I do not know which came first. Both beautiful in their own right. Another very informative video. Grazie!

[@Matteo_Licata]

Indeed. The Jaguar D-Type came in 1954, and the XKSS in 1957.

[@torresalex]

It's crazy how good-looking this car is!

[@Matteo_Licata]

Indeed. You'd never tire to observe it!

[@chrisfreemesser5707]

Beautiful cars...such fabulous curves! I can't imagine the incredible amount of skill of the workers who undoubtedly fabricated all of those body panels by hand

[@Matteo_Licata]

Yes indeed. Each car was hand-made by panel beaters, and I can't even imagine how skilled those people were. Part of the success of Italy's coachbuilding industry in the 50s was indeed due to the relatively abundant supply of such skilled labor. Ghia in Turin could famously build prototypes for Chrysler way faster and cheaper than the company could in Detroit.

[@andydio4825]

Italian designs of the 50s & 60s was on another level ❤️

[@rabit818]

The Alfa Romeo Discovolante is art, period.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Indeed!

[@felixmuscatiello8899]

Best cars . Elle et incroyable cette voiture ! La joncode de l’automobile .

[@pauldaviesvoiceover]

More priceless Alfa heritage, great video Matteo.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Glad you enjoyed it, thank you!

[@des9655]

Yes Alfa made some pure masterpieces in that time. My old Alfa mechanic talked about this 'Disco Volante' when I was much younger, I bought my first Alfa a 1978 Alfetta Gt, aka Sprint Veloce when I was in high school. Luckily today we have KZbin and other media to see these beautiful automobiles. I'm sure it's striking in person. I've seen some rare Alfa's at conventions, but never this one. Thanks again for another great video! And congrats on your award you received in the last video.. Cheers!

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you!!! The Disco Volante is indeed captivating "in person." I've seen it many times, as it's almost always on display at Alfa's museum, but I'll never tire of observing it and finding new details every time.

[@jaimegonzalez661]

Very nice video about one of the most beatiful Alfa's ever made. Happy Easter Matteo !

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@andygtv]

Wonderful car, great video👍

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you!!!

[@Texmotodad]

I don't know what the word in Italian is for OUTSTANDING is - but I'm sure you understand! Thx for sharing this!

[@Matteo_Licata]

Possibly the closest equivalent of “outstanding” in Italian is “straordinario.” Anyway, thank you for watching!!!

[@JethroBronner]

It’s so fascinating how cars that are often considered “failures” in the period go on to become priceless treasures. I have been lucky enough to see the cars at Arese and the car in France, they are absolutely beautiful, and they seem 10 years ahead of anything else from that time.

[@henryjohn2218]

British had E-type, Japan had the 240z, Italy had this disco and Americans had c2 and c3 corvette

[@amirfarahbakhsh2960]

OH GOD OH TIME thank you for this channel and the passion of it that i share also

[@Matteo_Licata]

Glad you enjoy it so much, thank you!!!

[@through_changes]

Masterpieces in metal! Dream material! As for the new Disco Volante based on the 8C, how brave (besides rich and eccentric!) can a person be to sacrifice an 8C!!!

[@Matteo_Licata]

The CEO of modern Touring said that most buyers also own a standard 8C, alongside their Disco Volante. That's the definition of indulgence :)

[@lynnhooley7608]

grazie mille

[@raufsahin334]

Its Just Beautiful ..

[@marchutchings8834]

Can we imagine automotive history without the Italians? Without the Italians, there would be no pure passion, designers daring to go where others would not. A world without Italian design, style and pizazz, would be a very boring place indeed. Best wishes.

[@MichaelDiTullo]

It still looks like the future!

[@Matteo_Licata]

Could still pass for a prop in a futuristic movie, with a few detail adjustments, yes!

[@johio7699]

Fantastic Car...and if I regard the profile of the Disco Volante, I notice a big analogy to the Jaguar E-Type which was introduced 1961

[@Matteo_Licata]

Yes indeed. The inspiration is quite evident, I agree

[@keremtimuraykal4521]

The reason we all fell in love with Alfa Romeo.

[@onboro_alfa_SGL]

Great car. The Ultimate Fusion of Beauty and Aerodynamics in the 1950s.

[@martinclapton2724]

Beautiful Alfa Romeo , Alfa Romeo ! Wonderful looking cars . You took the words out of my mouth , looking at this car in profile on your thumbnail it had Jaguar D and E type written all over it. Always thought it was a pity Alfa did not reinvent the styling of this with modern running gear of the time , perhaps based on the 75 V6 , the same with the Stradale 33 racer. They could have produced a small mid engined car using AlfaSud boxer running gear -much like Fiat did with the X19 based on Fiat 128 mechanicals, what a car that would have been ! Mid engined, boxer engine with low centre of gravity, what a chance missed ! Nice vid Matteo as always

[@emreunal407]

Very Nice:))

[@JS-1983]

So beautiful cars 😍 Always remeber that Top Gear where Jeremy Clarkson praised modern Disco Volante, look, sound..., he was right. 👍

[@Matteo_Licata]

Although I don't often find myself agreeing with ol'Jezza, in that instance he was right indeed :)

[@mikebell2750]

Thanks for sharing this video with us, always interesting and always informative, love the choices of classics that you present.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you very much for your appreciation Mike!

[@benzinapaul7416]

Malcolm Sayer of Jaguar certainly was influenced by these cars. Great video as always

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you! Yes, the inspiration is very evident indeed. Without taking any merit away from Sayer, of course. We all build on top of what others have done before us, after all.

[@1BCamden]

So many designs can owe their success to Italian style and engineering

[@Suprahampton]

Further proof (if any was needed) that Alfa Romeo have, from an aesthetic point of view, the greatest back catalogue of any auto maker

[@char1737]

I love the car but as a James Bond fan I have to say The Disco Volante (from Italian meaning "Flying Disc" or "Flying Saucer") was a fictional luxury hydrofoil yacht owned by SPECTRE operative Emilio Largo. The vessel first appeared in Ian Fleming's 1962 novel Thunderball and was later featured in its 1965 James Bond film adaptation of the same name. The vessel was subsequently re-imagined as the Superyacht Flying Saucer for the unofficial 1983 James Bond film Never Say Never Again and was mentioned in the 2015 mobile video game James Bond: World of Espionage.

[@dortkommendieclowns1474]

Great name for a car, it always reminds me of Emilio Largo and his Disco Volantes.

[@shankarbalan3813]

A truly beautiful car…Bella Macchina indeed… but as Jeremy Clarkson says in his review, the name Disco Volante always makes me also instantly recall Emilio Largo’s superb Hydrofoil Yacht in Ian Fleming’s James Bond book and later, Albert Broccoli’s film Thunderball…. I went to Arese 4 years ago and saw the 1952 Disco Volante there on display at the Museo Storico Alfa Romeo…. But it is also true that the car which is presently in France is equally pretty to look at….

[@marcbrasse747]

The shape was indeed extraterrestrial. I would however not be surprised if it would literally try to take off when it got up to speed. A wing shape with a longer curve at the top then at the bottom namely has that effect. Maybe they actually had to make those hips more slender to keep it on the tarmac. All look magnificent though!

[@Matteo_Licata]

Indeed. It must have been pretty scary at speed... The Disco Volante is a classic example of aerodynamics done "by eye"... Looks pretty, looks like it would work... But it actually doesn't :)

[@nlpnt]

As gorgeous as the original version is, the Fianchi Stretti with its' open wheelwells is even more so.

[@duleopasni]

The new disco volante is in my opinion the most beautiful automobile ever made!

[@Matteo_Licata]

It is very pretty indeed. I tip my hat to its designer!

[@nrs6956]

How pale the present offerings by manufactures are in comparison to the fine autos. Viva Alfa Romeo!

[@kristergreen931]

There is another discovolante in Sweden and it is built by Magnus Ahlqvist owner of Motorima. It is not an original One but it is a recreation of the car

[@Matteo_Licata]

I’ve seen a recreation of the “fianchi stretti” somewhere too. It fooled me at first glance!

[@bernarrcoletta7419]

I have to say that I like the fianchi stretti version the best.

[@Jason_Quinn]

I never knew that only five were produced.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Glad you’ve discovered something new through my work 👍

[@minoassal]

One word: Voluptuous

[@Matteo_Licata]

Indeed. I included that adjective in the first draft of my voiceover, but I wasn’t sure I could pronounce it right, so I took it away 😬

[@michaelb6729]

not to be confused with Emilio Largo's Disco Volante !

[@Matteo_Licata]

Many viewers have commented about that, and I admit that's a piece of 007 trivia that I had completely forgotten about :)

[@Rafagafanhotobra]

What are those words "Scatole", "Le Pinne" and "Muscoli" in the background at 4:14? Types of design shapes?

[@Matteo_Licata]

Good eye :) Yes, that’s what they are

[@Rafagafanhotobra]

@@Matteo_Licata is there any blog or book that shows the principals of those design shapes?

[@Matteo_Licata]

Not really. They made them up at the museum, and I consider them a gross oversimplification anyways

[@Mythteller]

Now try to make a kit car replica of this roadster🧐

[@Matteo_Licata]

That would be cool. Shouldn't be too difficult either, for replica companies already making Cobra lookalikes, to adapt a chassis they already have.

[@bobschenkel7921]

Sooo...Since this is a 1952 model, I'm guessing the Luxury Yacht the Disco Volante in the James Bond movie "Thunderball" was named after this beautiful automobile. Ciao.

[@Matteo_Licata]

It’s possible that Ian Fleming took the name from the car, but I’m not so sure. After all, “disco volante” in Italian is a general name for UFOs and stuff like that.

[@bobschenkel7921]

@@Matteo_Licata Thanks. Good info. I don't really speak Italian.

[@yaroslavbozhdynsky]

Also Alfa Romeo 'Brezza' concept.

[@rossrreyes]

ONLY in Italy mamma mia

[@linoabreu5477]

Does Gioacchino Colombo has any relation with Colombo & Bariani?

[@Matteo_Licata]

No, there’s no relation

[@chrisegnatz3668]

I like the"bat" alfas

[@elefantinoverde5832]

What´s up with the Channel Membership? It is over? I hope not........

[@Matteo_Licata]

It is. I've just shut it down because of my increased workload on various projects: I can't spare the time and energy anymore to deliver the additional value I promised you, so I preferred to terminate it before disappointing people.

[@elefantinoverde5832]

@@Matteo_Licata OK Matteo, i understand that, but it is very very sad. The live contents with you were really great, that´s a loss for the channel. Of course i will stay here and watch the Videos, maybe one day the membership will come back - i´ll join it for sure. Good luck to you

[@Matteo_Licata]

@@elefantinoverde5832 Thank you very much for your appreciation, support, and now for your understanding. I'm preparing a new video for Sunday, and I hope you'll keep enjoying my work for a very long time! Cheers from Roadster Life HQ

[@elefantinoverde5832]

@@Matteo_Licata i can only speak for myself - but i would be a member and pay for it, even without additional member content. Your channel and Videos are great and that would be enough for me to support that a little bit

[@Matteo_Licata]

@@elefantinoverde5832 That's very generous for you to say, thank you! But simply accepting handouts wouldn't sit right with me: you work hard for your money, and therefore must receive some value in exchange for it.

[@Steve-gc5nt]

I don't like it 🤭