Designer Federico Formenti - Federico who?

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Designer Federico Formenti - Federico who?

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Created on June 20, 2025

Text:

Thomas Suter

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Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.

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Lamborghini

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Bruno von Rotz

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ACO

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Centro Storico Alfa Romeo

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Archiv

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Alfa Romeo Disco Volante - a design by Federico Formenti in the service of Touring Superleggera

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Alfa Romeo Disco Volante (1953) - The 2-liter Disco Volante was also built as a coupe for long-distance races, but was never used

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Ferrari 166 MM (1949) - alongside the Cabriolet and the Touring Coupé at the 1949 Geneva Motor Show

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Ferrari 166 MM (1949) - Test drive with the Touring Barchetta

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Ferrari 166 MM (1949) - victorious at the Mille Miglia, Le Mans and Spa

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Ferrari 166 MM (1949) - Spider Superleggera, surrounded by small Fiat vehicles

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Ferrari 166 MM (1949) - Chinetti/Mitchelll/Thompson - Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1949

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Ferrari 166 MM Le Mans Berlinetta Touring (1950) - shown at the Turin Motor Show in 1950

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Pegaso Z-102 B Touring (1953) - prototype, 2800cc, bird's eye view

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Pegaso Z 103 Coupé Superleggera (1958) - with touring body

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Pegaso Z 102 BS Thrill Berlinetta Touring (1955) - particularly attractive variant

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Alfa Romeo 1900 Sport Coupé Touring (1953) - elegant Superleggera Coupé

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Alfa Romeo 1900 SS, Superleggera (1956) - with touring body and lowered engine, on the chassis of the second series

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Aston Martin DB 4 (1959) - elegance and sportiness - one of the most beautiful designs of the late fifties

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Lancia Flaminia GT Coupé Touring Superleggera (1959) - the Touring Coupé appeared more compact and 'lighter'

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Lancia Flaminia GT Coupé Superleggera, Touring (1959) - early example of this elegant line

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Lamborghini 350 GT (1964) - The edgy-aggressive design language typical of Lamborghini today only appeared later.

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Lamborghini 350 GT (1964) - flowing roofline and prominent bumpers

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Lamborghini 350 GT (1964) - shown in Geneva in an improved version - Geneva Motor Show 1964

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Lamborghini Islero (1969) - large windows, simple bodywork

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Lamborghini Islero (1968) - Named after a fighting bull again

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Alfa Romeo Alfetta (1972) - Juan Manuel Fangio at the presentation in Grignano

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Alfa Romeo Alfetta (1972) - elegant sports sedan

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Alfa Romeo Alfetta (1972) - initially still equipped with chrome bumpers

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Summary

There are many unnoticed and little-known car designers who were responsible for important and even legendary vehicle models and shaped the style of the time. One of them is Federico Formenti, who first helped develop well-known vehicles at Touring Superleggera and later at Alfa Romeo.

This article contains the following chapters

Pioneering design of the Touring Superleggera
The creative minds in the background
From the sketch to the production model
Technical background
Team player and hard-working
From Touring to Alfa Romeo
Miura? 350 GT? Pegaso
Remaining modest

Estimated reading time: 7min

Preview (beginning of the article)

There are few icons among classic cars that really deserve this designation. Franco Scaglione's Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale is one of them. This designation also applies to the Alfa Romeo 1900 C Sprint, the Alfa Romeo Disco Volante, the Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Villa d'Este and the Aston Martin DB4. The design of these magisterial vehicles is usually attributed to Carlo Felice Bianchi Anderloni, the long-standing patron of Carrozzeria Touring in Milan. Is that true? From the end of the 1920s to the beginning of the 1960s, Touring was the benchmark in car design and a trailblazer for many car manufacturers.

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