The making of a concept car in the Italian coach building tradition.

The few remaining coach builders (or ‘carrozzeria’ in Italian), are mostly located in and around Turin. Famous names such as Pinifarina, Bertone and Italdesign. There’s also Touring Superleggera and Zagato in Milan.

Many concept cars are built by hand here, along with small production runs and limited edition sportscars. Whilst car makers have factories and design studios across the world, they are not always able to produce one-offs to this level of finish themselves.

These photographs capture how far removed it all is from the typically high tech car factories and their assembly lines. They offer a rare glimpse into these highly secretive environments. The old tools and craftsmanship being more akin to a sculpture studio.

With today’s computer rendering, rapid prototyping and 3d printing, the art of the ‘carrozzeria’ is becoming increasingly rare. As is car production itself in Turin, a city that epitomised Italy's post-war industrial boom.

The finished one-off car was photographed in a disused factory on the city’s outskirts.


Design and art direction: Martin Brown
Photography: Tim Wren
Agency: Imagination