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History and Meaning of TI, Turismo Internazionale

23K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  2000 touring sp 
#1 ·
Does anyone know about the history and meaning of TI, Turismo Internazionale?

Many thz.:)
 
#2 ·
D'Amico & Tabucchi wrote in their book the following about the introduction of the 1900 T.I. in 1953:
Destined mainly for competition use and designed to keep pace with Lancia whose Aurelia saloons were increasingly threatening, Alfa Romeo specially prepared 572 examples of the 1900 berlina, creating very competitive cars for the Turismo Internazionale category, hence the T.I. initials.
 
#3 ·
If I remember correct.
The Italian producers of racing cars, had a problem with the competitiveness in Grand Prix event against the German end France producers.
It was a problem for the Government with that lack of competitiveness. To brighten the glories of the Fascist image of superiority. A new class was introduced Turismo International.
It opened up for Lancia,Fiat and Alfa Romeo, for participating in these classes with standard tuned cars. And as the classes was called International, it had some sort of glories.
And the Italian produced cars took all the glory, because hardly no foreigner participated.
After the war the classes continued, and Alfa Romeo gave these cars that was produced for privateers racing in Berlinas, the destination TI
 
#8 ·
One thing I always wondered: Was Carrozzeria Touring named after this category, or was the category named after Carrozzeria Touring (or are the names just coincidence)? In other words, where did the definition of "Touring car" come from?
 
#9 ·
That's a interesting question Rudi.

For sure we know that Felice Bianchi Anderloni had very close political relations, and he certainly had picked the right name for his company, Nicola Romeo had it to. In general the so called Industrialist has great influence on the politic in Italian in this period. Mussolini was personal interesting in fast cars and competition.
And as I se it, there was no big difficulties to settle the common interest for promoting a new competition class in general.
In 1930 the new class Turismo/Touring was introduced, a sort of competition for standard cars. In general a brilliant idée. Then there was a possibility to use experience from competition in daily cars, and this could led to development, first the market and then the cars.
We often se the same arguments to day in connection with high performance competition.
Felice Bianchi Anderloni who had participated in competition before he took over the Carrosseria Falco, and named it Carrosseria Touring in 1926/27, if I remember correctly.
He drove small Peugeots,in competition, for promoting these small cars into the italian marked.
His aim was to produce lighter cars, as he did see the weight as the enemy.
When he establish Carrosseria Touring, he got the licence to build light bodies on a patented design by Weymann.
When the new class was introduced, both Nicola Romeo and Andeloni was prepared.
In connection with the MM 1930 Carrosseria Touring presented what they called Semi Grid, a new way to produce light bodies, and it was used on the chassis of Alfa Romeo 6C 1750.
It was a body construction containing wood, canvas, and aluminium. The experience lead to the construction of the Supperleggera design in 1935/36.
As one can see the idée of competing in a daily standard car, was already corrupted by the first possible opportunity.
To day, I suppose that these first Semi Grid designs would be regarded as prototypes.
Felice Bianchi Anderloni was not only a brilliant thinker in connection with body designs. he was also a business man.
The Carrosseria Touring was settled some years before the first Touring class was introduced. But taking into consideration, that he was prepared for the new class, with the new body design, in 1930. It can easily led to the assumption, taking his business skills into consideration, that he had used his influential connection,to get a proper name for the new class.
 
#10 ·
Mille Miglia 1952 and the Turismo Internazionale category

Although there were previous hints as to "Nazionale" and "Internazionale" class designations, the names were not applied with strict consistency in early years and the rules were not necessarily applied consistently at all events. It was clear that the burgeoning GT category made for the possibility of some fairly special cars masquerading as "production" versions. The organizers of many races sought to encourage participation by Italian Nationals as well as foreigners and part of the name usage reflects that intent. The C.S.A.I. was the main sporting arm of the Italian motoring scene and formed the rules under which most racing events were conducted.

Until 1950, there was a simple class structure at most racing events in Italy. The classes broke down into the following categories for what we consider production type cars. There were strict rules as to how these cars could be prepared, but again, not all events adhered precisely to all of the rules.

Before 1950:
Turismo 750
Turismo 1100
Turismo oltre 1100 (over 1100)

In 1950, things began to shift a bit with the creation of a new category added to the above, reflected in the added class names:

Gran Turismo Internazionale 1500
Gran Turismo Internazionale oltre 1500

By 1951, there were additional categories, some of which essentially replaced the newly created categories of the previous year ... but not for all events.
Gran Turismo 750
Gran Turismo 1500
Gran Turismo oltre 1500

Certain important events created further categories, not all of which were acknowledged by the Italian National Championship structure.

The 1951 Giro di Sicilia had:
Turismo 2000
Gran Turismo Internazionale 2000

The 1951 Coppa della Toscana had:
Turismo 1500

The 1951 Coppa d'Oro delle Dolomiti had:
GTI 750
GTI 1500
GTI 2000
GTI oltre 2000

By 1952, the Mille Miglia was run somewhat under its own rules ... to a point. There were many categories that became subdivided. Without needing to list them all, there was "Turismo Nazionale" as well as "Turismo Internazionale". "GT" as well as "GTI". It is not hard to find Mille Miglia results online but I have not checked to see if the sources reflect the complexity of the situation correctly. I will try to do so later but cannot do so now. In any case, it was here that a Fiat Topolino driver could claim to have won the Turismo 750 (Nazionale) category when there were several Panhard ahead of him overall but which raced in the Turismo 750 (Internazionale) category instead. Some manufacturers were part of the drive to create these new categories as there was cachet and advertising to be gained. And cars to be sold.

More to follow?

John de Boer
The Italian Car Registry
 
#11 ·
hanks for you input John
Turismo Nazionale" as well as "Turismo Internazionale". "GT" as well as "GTI".
I have no intention to correct you.
But for younger people the. "GT" as well as "GTI" stand for Gran Turismo and Gran Turismo Internazionale, so we don't be confused, with the letters is meaning to day
 
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