.jpg?q=50&fit=contain&w=1140&h=&dpr=1.5)
In the past, manufacturers would often turn to specialist coachbuilders to produce handcrafted bodies for their sports cars, mass production techniques improved and put a lot of these highly specialized companies out of business.
Only a handful of these companies are still in business today, which is unfortunate. Handcrafted cars take a lot of skill and time to complete, all of which results in something unique each and every time. Something made by human hands is always going to be imperfect, these imperfections give the cars a sense of individuality that simply does not compare to the mass-produced cars of today. Over the years, the companies that have survived all adopted some modern techniques, but their touch is still unique in every way.
Coachbuilding is automotive art, and these 10 companies were the best at their unique discipline, creating some of the most desirable rolling art of all time.
10 Frua
Having started off working for another famous Italian coachbuilder; Stabilimenti Farina, Pietro Frua went off on his own in the 40s.
His most famous design of the time was his take on the Maserati A6, it garnered so much attention that Ghia bought him out and employed him. That relationship was short-lived, and he went out on his own once again by 1958, shifting his attention once more to Maserati.
9 Karmann
Their most famous work will always be the venerable Beetle-based Karmann Ghia, one of the most iconic (not-so-sporty) sports cars of the 20th century.
Their work borders on the mass production side, having built millions of Beetle convertibles and a host of other sports cars for just about every car manufacturer under the sun until they closed their doors in 2009.
8 Fissore
Certainly one of the more obscure coachbuilders to come out of Italy, after building anything from trucks to hearses after the war, they struck gold with the little OSCA 1600 GT.
Although they only made 24 of these pretty little cars it was more than enough to put them on the map, as a result, they were contracted to produce a show car for DeTomaso and then went on to secure a lucrative contract with Monteverdi.
7 Zagato
Arguably the most famous coachbuilder, still in business today, still designing incredible cars that we all desperately want.
Their cars range from the bizarre to the spectacular, with a design philosophy focussed heavily on removing weight and adding flair. Although they had their struggles in the 90s, their consultancy work has kept them going in the 21st century.
6 Scaglietti
After mostly doing repair work for Ferrari, Scaglietti was given the opportunity to make his own Ferrari, his career would subsequently revolve around Ferrari in the 50s, producing a host of incredible cars including the 250 Testa Rossa.
He and Bizzarrini would then go on to design the 250 GTO which has famously become the most valuable car in the world. Strangely, it isn't ever accredited to either designer, but accepted to be a collaborative effort.
5 Ghia
Before Ghia was swallowed by Ford, they were one of the premier coachbuilders, having designed cars like the Fiat 8V Coupe and the Chrysler Turbine Car.
While they were part of Ford they helped design the original Fiesta and the RS200, but by the 2000s they had been reduced to a trim level until they were gone for good by 2010.
4 Pininfarina
Although most people recognize Pininfarina as a Ferrari designer, there is so much more to them than their fabled Ferraris.
Before they even got any Ferrari contracts, they had already been designing some beautiful Alfa Romeos and some of the most incredible classic Lancias.
3 Bertone
Without a doubt, the most memorable cars that Bertone has ever made were during Giorgetto Giugiaro’s time with them. His Alfa Romeo designs set new design standards, and his wedges reshaped the industry.
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=750&dpr=1.5)
He was not the only esteemed designer though, with Scaglione and Gandini both making names for themselves over the years. Bertone was also never shy to lend a hand to non-Italian manufacturers and did a lot of less glamorous work too.
2 Vignale
Although they designed and crafted a host of different cars, their most memorable will always be the beautiful Maserati 3500GT.
They, along with Ghia were bought by Ford as the Pantera production line needed more hands on deck. Unlike the Ghia brand, which Ford used for many years after their purchase, the Vignale name was discontinued entirely.
1 Touring
In the 50s, Touring was at the very top of its game, designing cars like the Ferrari 340 Spyder and the Alfa Romeo Disco Volante.
Everything they touched seemed to turn to gold, so it was little wonder they bit off more than they could chew in the 60s, getting forced out of the business after initially investing in new production lines. Today, we have seen the name getting used once more, but that is an entirely different entity.