Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A Spyder Flying Star

Vehicle Overview

In 1931 the first real “concept car” of the Milanese coachbuilder arrived, the Isotta Fraschini 8B Flying Star, built for Miss Alma Matteucci and presented at the Touring stand of the Milan Motor Show, then at the Concorso d’Eleganza di Genova-Nervi of that year, where it won the 1st prize, and finally at the Villa d’Este elegance contest in 1931 where it won the Targa d’Oro. The Isotta Fraschini Flying Star is a large 2+1 seater spider, characterized by a thick chrome strip on the side that starts from the radiator, runs along the entire car forming a “V” at the doors and descends on the tail and a steeply sloping and shaped windshield; all with the chassis, bodywork, spoked wheels and even steering wheel painted in cream white, at the time when most cars were usually dark. The Flying Star line by Touring was a great success and after the first version on the Isotta Fraschini 8B chassis it was also adapted to other chassis. Maintaining the same basic settings, an Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GS Spider Flying Star was built, also presented at the 1931 Concorso d’eleganza Villa d’Este by the wealthy Genoese client Josette Pozzo where she won the Coppa d’Oro. Another Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Spider Flying Star on the longer GTC chassis, for the honorable Francesco Giunta, and a Fiat 522C Spider Flying Star. On the bodywork of these cars the mudguards were modified, in fact the single fender of the Isotta Fraschini disappears in favor of an unprecedented system with “intertwined” front and rear mudguards, superimposed at the door, eliminating the actual running board. The success of the Flying Star line is such that it influences the cars built in that period, in particular the sportier Alfa Romeo 6C 1750s adopted some stylistic features, such as the interlaced mudguards of the 6C 1750 GTC Coupé Royal baptized Fugientem incurro diem made for the Marquis Annibale Prosperini or the line of the 8C 2300 short Spider and the latest 6C 1750 GS Spider VI series. Other coachbuilders, such as Pinin Farina and Castagna tried their luck with the “comet emblem” in those years after Touring’s success at the many Elegance Concours.