Carrozzeria Touring unveils Maserati A8 GCS at Villa d'Este
Click above to view the Touring Maserati A8 GCS in hi-res
Since the news broke that Maserati was planning a new sportscar to rival the benchmark Porsche 911, Italian styling houses have been lining up to pitch their designs for how they think the new Trident sportscar should look. Following the Chicane concept unveiled in Geneva by the students of the Instituto Europeo di Design, the resuscitated Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera threw its hat into the ring this weekend with the A8 GCS concept you see above.
Together with Touring's other Maserati concept, the Quattroporte-based Bellagio Fastback, the A8 GCS design study was unveiled at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, the annual Mecca of class and performance on the shores of trendy Lake Como in Italy. Inspired by Pininfarina's iconic Maserati A6 GCS Berlinetta of 1954, the Touring concept presents a compelling mix of modern design and retro touches. While it's hard to make the case that, with even the most well-established outfits struggling to get by, the industry really needs another Italian design house or coachbuilder, if these are the results then we can hardly complain. Check out the images in the gallery below to see what we mean.
Gallery: Carrozzeria Touring Maserati A8 GCS
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[Source: OmniAuto.it]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
zreeb 9:39AM (4/28/2008)
I like it.
It's already got 84's pokin' out.
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Nick 9:50AM (4/28/2008)
really poor photos, but I dig it! A nice and classy bespoke Maserati...well done. It won't be for everyone, but I think that's kind of the point.
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StickShift 9:55AM (4/28/2008)
Not sure I like the headlights, but everything else is awesome--especially the real wire wheels.
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White Goodman 10:24AM (4/28/2008)
Really? I think it is stunning.... EXCEPT for the wire wheels. Surely they could've designed a one-piece forged wheel that evoked the wire wheel, but for some real wire wheels to me don't look good in large diameter, with low profile tires.
Still, the wires aren't enough to turn me off of this beauty.
TBlueMax 10:07AM (4/28/2008)
Absolutely stunning. Truly a work of automotive art.
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DCragtop 10:54AM (4/28/2008)
It's only ok to me and I love Masers. This design looks a little 'convoluted'. Lacks design flow. I do find it odd there was no mention of the SUV drawing the background of one these photos. I guess these things just won't go away...even for a premium mark/brand.
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Richard 11:28AM (4/28/2008)
I am kind of with DCragtop,
It's only OK. I love the grill: classic Maser. In fact, once you have that, it's hard to go wrong. But the rear - to me - is a combination of Aston and renderings of an Alfa from some years back (I am sure that the badge on the boot lid helps with me seeing Aston here).
Wire wheels? Beautiful but way too heavy to help performance and too expensive (I suspect) to make production.
If Maser is going up against the Porsche the car will need to be more polished.
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oZone 11:52AM (4/28/2008)
Does anyone else see the striking resemblance with the Pontiac Solstice?
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Flea 12:20PM (4/28/2008)
we've had people claiming the 8C competizione, the maserati GT and even the bmw CS looked like the solstice.
basically, anything with a distinctive grill and small headlamps.
get that car out of your arses already, european manufacturers, especially italians, are far from needing to copy american design...
Yago Bal 1:39PM (4/28/2008)
Not a single resemblance, in fact. :)
Besides the proportions (but that's inevitable: they share the same architecture: engine behind the front axle, rear traction), I wonder were did you get that from...
Noah 1:47PM (4/28/2008)
Yeah, I see some similarities, though it could just be the photo angles. It doesn't look a lot like it, just resembles, like a cousin.
Blake 1:49PM (4/28/2008)
I see more resemblance to a penis than to a Solstice.
mk 12:08PM (4/28/2008)
Ever so slightly over-wrought. almost like the designer had a really good thing, and took it half a step too far.
This is probably a 2+2, but why would someone go for this over the 8C competizione or the new in-house Maserati Coupe? Or even the upcoming Ferrari front-engined V8 car?
No way this thing holds a candle to Aston Martin Vantage V8 or DB9, not even a lit match to the Vantage RS V12.
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Iridium 1:41PM (4/28/2008)
Its nice but just not quite there. Its like they tried to blend old and new together but instead of blending the old looking parts stick out like a sore thumb.
It just doesn't look like a Maserati to me, the lights are too asian looking.
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nastinupe 1:47PM (4/28/2008)
Nice car, but the pics look like they were taken by a 19 year old Cali Guy who usually takes pics of Rice with Rims and Aero Kits.
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JZeke 2:20PM (4/28/2008)
Wire wheels... really?
The surfacing is pretty, if very similar to the 8C Competizione. The detailing however is ridiculously retro. The badging and bright detailing are trapped int the 1950's, while the technical details such as the lights look like afterthoughts. Overall theres a nice form here, but offers a reason why retro Italian coachbuilders are having financial difficulties.
The IED Chicane concept is far more interesting as a coachbuilt Maserati, trading 1950's references and replacing them with truly new thinking. Granted some of its detailing is too much, such as the matt grill, but the rest of the car speaks to me of what a Italian custom should be.
Overall, I think an american hot rod artist such as Chip Foose would've created a prettier and more balanced concept than this. I get the feeling Touring has lost its mojo.
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Ray 9:52AM (4/29/2008)
That's just plain beautiful. You can't use that word with many cars these days.
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CarlosMC 2:19PM (4/29/2008)
Oh, yes! =)
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