The great Italian coachbuilding houses have been sadly decimated since the '60s, unable to face the challenges of a world in which car makers can competently design and produce even their low volume models in-house.

Back then, this colourful industry was very much in its pomp, made buoyant by the growing momentum of the Italian economic miracle, its attendant industrialisation, and a wealth of homegrown talent.

Nowhere else could you find such a happy blend of artistic and technical skill when it came to styling and fabricating motor car bodywork.

Iginio Alessio, General Manager of Alfa Romeo at the time and a true enthusiast at heart, was concerned for the future viability of the independent Italian coachbuilding industry as the arrival of the unibody chassis design was threatening to put the Carrozzerie out of business.

Consequently, Alfa magnanimously offered official contracts to Touring to build the sporty 1900 Sprint Coupé and to Pininfarina to create an elegant four-seat Ca...