Mystery car
This month we’re looking at an interesting one-off British coupé, pictured here, we believe at its press introduction at Brooklands racing track in 1938. Who can give us information on this rather attractive fastback coupé? Send your solution to editor@classiccar.co.nz or mail to Mystery Car 261, November 2017, New Zealand Classic Car, PO Box 46 020, Herne Bay, Auckland by mid November. Last month’s Mystery proved to be difficult even for the most erudite of our readers, several of whom got very close to it by identifying the coachbuilder as the prominent Italian concern Touring, which was at that time noted for advanced thinking both in aerodynamics and building for lightness, with its Superleggera body construction system. The car body was built on a Lancia Aprilia chassis. On the Touring concern’s website, a picture caption claims it to be a 1940 model, but our picture from the Italian language book Carrozzeria Touring by Anselmi identifies it more correctly, we believe, as a 1947 creation, possibly built on an earlier 1940 second series Aprilia chassis — hence the website’s 1940 dating? Our interest in this picture was sparked by its resemblance to the highly regarded MG Magnette ZA (and ZB) saloons of the mid 1950s. That car’s designer, Gerald Palmer, was noted for his interest in aerodynamic efficiency, which showed both in the Magnette’s design and in his earlier Jowett Javelin design. The motoring press of the time, which liked the Magnette, somewhat coyly commented on the Italianate design of the ZA Magnette, and they were probably in the know about how Palmer was perhaps influenced by this Aprilia body in sketching out his MG design for Nuffield. Pictures below may point out the resemblance.