Thanks to a number of small ventures around Europe,
we can still see classic-inspired automobiles being built in the 21st century.
One of those companies is Fratelli Frigerio. It was set up by brothers Leonardo
and Vittorio Frigerio in Vidigulfo, Italy with one purpose in mind: build an
authentic grand tourer using coachbuilding techniques and a design inspired
from the greatest Italian automobiles ever created. The result is Barchetta SS,
an Alfa Romeo-powered coupe that bears an astonishing resemblance to the
almighty Ferrari 250 GTO.
The fact that the Berlinetta SS pays tribute to the
golden age of car manufacturing (read 1950s and 1960s) becomes obvious the
second you lay eyes on it. Its sculpted body and rounded shapes are a nod to
the numerous sports cars that came out of Italy after World War II. Like most
sports cars of the era, the Berlinetta SS’ front end is highlighted by round
headlamps, muscular fenders and a larger, oval gaping mouth. Around back, the fenders
become beefier above the wheels, but slope nicely toward the rear end. A pair
of tiny taillights stand on each side of the trunk lid and the absence of a
proper bumper enhance the tail’s sporty character.
The interior is equally exquisite to 1960s standards.
Crafted by Matteograssi, an Italian company with more than 100 years of
experience in artisanship of coach hide and leather, the cockpit is mostly
wrapped in high-quality leather and comes with black wool carpets. Everything
from the seats, the center console and the door panels are covered in
hand-stitched, brown leather. The pattern is complex differs on each surface.
Whereas the seats are upholstered in a classic fashion, the center console
comes in a diamond pattern.
The Berlinetta SS prototype is powered by an Alfa
Romeo-sourced, 1.9-liter, four-cylinder engine that pumps 170 horsepower at
6,500 rpm. The four-pot mates to a six-speed manual gearbox and enables the
coupe to reach top speeds between 140 mph and 152 mph depending on tire specification.
The wheels are wrapped in Dunlop rubber, but the Frigerio brothers have yet to
release more specs on this matter.
Since the Berlinetta SS is only a prototype as of
August 2014, there’s no pricing information available. The coupe it may enter
production over the next couple of years, but we figure the Italians will roll
out a highly limited series based on preorders. U.S. availability isn’t likely.
