Fiat Turbina
Italian Automobile Avantgarde
At the beginning of the 1950s, as a result of the revolutionary advances that gas turbines brought to aviation, the idea of applying similar technology to cars began to take shape among the major manufacturers. Fiat, for example, launched a research project in the late 1940s under the direction of engineer Dante Giacosa, head of the technical offices, and engineer Oscar Montadone, director of the research department. The result is a futuristic car with innovative mechanincs that combines the chassis of 8V with a gas turbine producing 300 HP. The powertrain consists of a 2-stage centrifugal compressor coupled to a 2-stage turbine, and a drive turbine conncected to a gear reduction system to transmit motion to the wheels. The engine is located at the rear, on the chassis with four independent wheels. In particular, the physics of aerodynamics was studied on scale models in the wind tunnel of the Polytechnic University, for which an excellent shape coefficient of 0.14 was achieved, which remained a record for over thirty years. The chassis derived from the Fiat 8V, with a two-seater "berlineta" body with excellent aerodynamics profile, pop-up headlights and fins on the two rear mudguards. The car reached a top speed of 260 km/h during track tests at Lingotto and Caselle, driven by Carlo Salamano.
Alfa Romeo Disco Volante
Italian Automobile Avantgarde
Conceived in 1952 with an open 'barchetta' bodywork and built as a single model, this car with its extraordinary and futuristic aerodynamic shape was he result of a courageous project that saw Alta Romeo collaborating with the coachbuilder Touring from Milan. The result was a car that matched chassis and bodywork in the best possible way, made using the Superleggera (ultralight) technique, re. a skeleton of thin welded steel tubes, covered by a light alloy outer 'skin' and attached to the chassis. The unprecedented bodywork was characterised by a biconvex profile and flattened shape, reminiscent of an aircraft wing, with lenticular shaped bodywork that was intended to rewrite the laws of aerodynamics and at the same time appeal to the overseas market. Based on this experimental prototype Alfa Romeo later built a dozen or so competition models with 2-, 3-, and 3.5-litre engines. One of these cars, a 6C 3000 CM, driven by Juan Manuel Fangio, finished second overall in the 1953 Mille Miglia. In a similar model Fangio also won the first Supercorte maggiore Grand Prix, held in Merano in the same year. The model donated to the Museum by Alta Romeo in 1956 was built with a 2-litre engine and fitted with the powerful 6-cylinder engine of the 6C 3000.
Lancia D24
Lancia D24
It is the latest evolution of the series of cars built by Lancia for participation in the great sports category races, with which Juan Manuel Fangio, Piero Taruffi and Eugenio Castellotti finished in the first 3 places overall in the 1953 Carrera Panamericana. With same model, the following year Taruffi won the Giro di Sicilia and the Targa Florio, Alberto Ascari the Mille Miglia and Luigi Villoresi the Oporto Grand Prix. Designed by Vittorio Jano's technical team, the "D 24" is a magnificent example of refined automotive engineering, in line with the great Lancia traditions.
