Coachbuilt Press

Transatlantic Style/ Stile Transatlantico

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What precisely is ‘Transatlantic Style’ in automobile design and why is it important to identify and celebrate it? The term is symbolic of a very important creative exchange between two of the greatest nations on Earth at a time of unparalleled creative activity and industrial activity as the automobile completed its transition from a toy of the wealthy into the transformative technological artifact of the 20th century.

Automobiles designed and built in the decade and a half spanning the end of World War II and 1960 represented much beyond mere function. They served as the tangible expressions of progress, personal freedom, style and prestige for both the manufacturer and the consumer who drove them.

At the end of World War II, the only great nation in the world left standing virtually unscathed was the United States. Exhausted and crushed by the weight of the years of war, the rapturous appeal of the powerful and triumphant USA resonated deeply in the minds, hearts and souls of the other combatants, allies and former enemies alike. America’s confident, bold, expansive spirit was a beacon to the world.

In this book you will see how American stylists and manufacturers looked to incorporate the design heritage, native artistic spirit and abundant artisan talent available in postwar Italy to lend prestige, glamour and sophistication to their mass-production offerings in the strong and hungry domestic US market through the building of concept cars in Italy and the employment of freelance Italian designers.

On the other side of the picture the clear influence and appeal of what can only be described as the audacious, Hollywood ‘Technicolor’ glamorous land of smooth ribbon-like superhighways, skyscrapers and jet fighter planes translated into perhaps surprising expressions of design on Italian cars destined for both export and domestic consumption.

That this extraordinary moment in time, which saw the creation of some of the most important, dramatic and memorable automobiles in both America and Italy has not been examined and celebrated before now seems hard to believe. Any true review of 20th century design and the effect of World War II on automotive design must include a close look at this dynamic and fascinating period of creative exchange between two automobile loving nations.

Welcome to the magical world of the Transatlantic Style/ Stile Transatlantico. You are about to glimpse the products of a time of great wonder and creative magic, quite unlike any other before or since.

Donald Osborne, author, is a classic car historian, consultant and writer. An Accredited Senior Appraiser (A.S.A.) member of the American Society of Appraisers, he works for clients on the acquisition, sale and valuation of classic vehicles and travels the US and Europe attending major events, rallies and auctions. An Editor at Large for Sports Car Market magazine, Donald is a specialist in postwar Italian sports cars.

Michael Furman, photographer whose studio photographs can be seen in numerous books that celebrate the beauty and history of the world’s most significant motorcars. He is present at many of the major concours events as featured artist, author, judge and sponsor.

Corrado Lopresto is an architect, entrepreneur and vintage car collector who’s collection is one of the most important in the world, focused on prototypes and rare pieces of the Italian coachbuilder’s art with a particular feature of the collection being cars which carry chassis number 0001.

Don Williams is a man acknowledged worldwide as a man who buys and sells more million-dollar cars than anyone else in the business. During the course of a career of almost 50 years, Williams has become a connoisseur of postwar Italian automotive design.

Massimo Delbò, a classic car writer and passionate enthusiast, is a regular contributor to Octane Magazine (UK) and the Classic Car Trust Blog (Liechtenstein), among other internationally recognized publications in Europe, United States and Japan. With a small collection of post-1960’s classics of his own, he actively participates in club events and car shows. Massimo has been selected since 2009 to judge at numerous, esteemed concours d’elegance throughout Europe, Great Britain and Japan and, in recent years, has trained with the International Chief Judge Advisory Group (ICJAG). He was born and raised in Milan, Italy.

A grand tour of postwar design excellence in a numbered, limited edition.

Text is written in both English and Italian in all editions.
Standard Edition - $100
Special Edition - $450