Exclusivity is a question of good taste.

The term "Disco Volante" evokes a variety of associations - from the literal translation from Italian, evoking "flying saucer" or UFOs, which has captured our imagination for decades, to its role in pop culture as the name of the ship owned by Bond antagonist Emilio Largo in "Thunderball". While these aspects may be familiar to many, the Alfa Romeo Disco Volante is a gem that has received less recognition from the general public. It is a vehicle that is considered one of the most fascinating cars of the last two decades due to its rarity and exceptional nature. In this article, I would like to shine a spotlight on this remarkable automobile and shed light on its unique history and significance.

The Disco Volante was created in the early 2010s from a collaboration between Alfa Romeo and the Italian coachbuilder and design studio Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera. However, the origins of this collaboration date back to the 1950s. Back then, Touring developed the first Disco Volante, also known as the C52, together with Alfa Romeo. This was an exceptionally aerodynamic racing car for its time, which was driven by Formula 1 legend Juan Manuel Fangio, among others. Even though its success on the racetrack was modest, this Disco Volante remained in the collective imagination.

On this basis, Touring and Alfa now set about transferring the spirit of the Disco Volante into the 21st century. The Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione served as the basis for this. Touring then painstakingly reconstructed the chassis by hand, with more than 4,000 hours of manual labour being invested in each vehicle.

The result, at least from my perspective, is simply breathtaking. The Disco Volante is a masterpiece that perfectly combines the nostalgic aesthetics of the 1950s with the technological advances and conveniences of the 21st century. Modern features such as an electric handbrake, a navigation system, a reversing camera and much more are naturally integrated into this vehicle and complement its classic elegance with contemporary comfort and functionality.

This shows that passion projects can still be realised in today's automotive industry. Despite the trend towards often uninspired production vehicles, we should not ignore the fact that exceptionally beautiful vehicles are still being meticulously crafted by hand. A similar development can be observed in the world of luxury watches. The growing interest in the movements of independent watchmakers such as FP Journe reflects the desire of discerning customers to move beyond the usual models such as Audemars Piguet Royal Oaks and Rolex Submariners and discover something unique.

Secondly, this collaboration also shows us the importance of storytelling in the absolute high-end market. The customer, who already has everything, can only be inspired by uniqueness.

For many, the dream of a Disco Volante remains unattainable.

Although Touring rarely talks publicly about the price, it is obvious that acquiring such a vehicle is no small undertaking. There is an additional hurdle: the need to own an Alfa Romeo 8C, of which only 500 exist. But this exclusivity should not prevent us from admiring and appreciating the beauty of this extraordinary car, at least through pictures and videos. "Luxury is the necessity that begins where necessity ends." (Coco Chanel, French fashion designer, 1883 -1971).