Carrozzeria Touring’s historic connection with Alfa Romeo dates back to the late 1920s and continued after World War II. In 1958, the 102-Series 2000 cars were introduced as successors to the 1900 line. Interestingly, production of the Touring-bodied Spider version exceeded that of the Berlina, with 3,443 soft-top Spiders crafted compared to just 2,804 saloons. Anderloni and Anselmi, in their book ‘Touring Superleggera,’ note the significance of Touring’s order to supply the Alfa Romeo 2000 convertible.
Touring’s renowned Superleggera (Superlight) body construction method was used, now featuring machine-pressed panels instead of hand-beaten ones, significantly increasing production efficiency. This marked a turning point for Touring, allowing them to produce bodies in higher quantities, though it was still a far cry from mass production.
Beneath the surface, the 2000 retained many elements of the previous 1900, including independent front suspension, a live rear axle, a five-speed gearbox, and drum brakes all around. Often referred to as the ‘old’ 2-liter, the twin-cam 2000 engine combined features of the older 1900 and the new Giulietta, retaining the cast-iron block and separate cam covers of the former while adopting the latter’s bucket-and-shim valve adjustment method. The Spider and Sprint versions boasted 115bhp, providing a top speed exceeding 177km/h (110mph). Despite its relaxed high-speed cruising capability and excellent smoothness, the 2000 was somewhat overshadowed by the smaller and more affordable Giulietta in its heyday. Only now is this model beginning to receive the recognition it deserves.
Source: Bonhams Cars
