The world of custom cars: How the Touring Berlinetta Lusso was formed

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A close up of the Touring Superleggera badge : 'A customer approaches us because he has a desire to have his car transformed,' explains company CEO Piero Mancardi. In the case of the Touring Berlinetta Lusso it was a passionate Ferrari collector who wished to have his Ferrari F12 dressed up. Photo:AFP

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A close up of the Touring Superleggera badge : 'A customer approaches us because he has a desire to have his car transformed,' explains company CEO Piero Mancardi. In the case of the Touring Berlinetta Lusso it was a passionate Ferrari collector who wished to have his Ferrari F12 dressed up. Photo:AFP

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Initial Design Sketches : 'Sometimes a client comes to us already with a clear idea and we have only to translate his ideas and concepts into real volumes and shape, guiding him through the process,' says Mancardi. Sometimes they may only have a vague idea: 'So, our journey starts with a process that includes a form of psychoanalysis. We listen, and listen ... and then after we come with our proposals,' he says. Photo:AFP

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Initial Design Sketches : 'Sometimes a client comes to us already with a clear idea and we have only to translate his ideas and concepts into real volumes and shape, guiding him through the process,' says Mancardi. Sometimes they may only have a vague idea: 'So, our journey starts with a process that includes a form of psychoanalysis. We listen, and listen ... and then after we come with our proposals,' he says. Photo:AFP

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Detaling : Touring’s engineers and artisans devote to each manufactured unit 5,000+ hours of highly skilled work. And it’s this human touch and attention to detail that, according to Mancardi, will always mark out one of the company’s creations from a series production car. Photo:AFP

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Detaling : Touring’s engineers and artisans devote to each manufactured unit 5,000+ hours of highly skilled work. And it’s this human touch and attention to detail that, according to Mancardi, will always mark out one of the company’s creations from a series production car. Photo:AFP

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Body preparation : The company has four concepts that underpin its approach to every commission: proportions; volumes; surfaces; and simplicity, which: “Is one of the most complicated things to achieve as you do not have any margin of error. We avoid anything that is not necessary,” says Mancardi. Photo:AFP

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Body preparation : The company has four concepts that underpin its approach to every commission: proportions; volumes; surfaces; and simplicity, which: “Is one of the most complicated things to achieve as you do not have any margin of error. We avoid anything that is not necessary,” says Mancardi. Photo:AFP

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Panel Assembly : Although the body is formed by hand-form aluminum panels, the company also uses cutting-edge computer modeling to ensure that panels will fit exactly, that there is no vibration, and to ensure that the car will maintain or improve on its existing performance levels. Photo:AFP

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Panel Assembly : Although the body is formed by hand-form aluminum panels, the company also uses cutting-edge computer modeling to ensure that panels will fit exactly, that there is no vibration, and to ensure that the car will maintain or improve on its existing performance levels. Photo:AFP

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Panel forming and beating : Each panel is shaped over an exact 1:1 scale epoxy buck by craftsmen. 'The elegance and purity of the car lines could only be achieved through the manual beating of aluminium panels,' says Mancardi. Photo:AFP

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Panel forming and beating : Each panel is shaped over an exact 1:1 scale epoxy buck by craftsmen. 'The elegance and purity of the car lines could only be achieved through the manual beating of aluminium panels,' says Mancardi. Photo:AFP

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Touring Berlinetta Lusso : Following the overwhelmingly positive response when the finished car was unveiled at Geneva this year, Touring has decided to offer the Berlinetta Lusso in a very limited production run of five units. Photo:AFP

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Touring Berlinetta Lusso : Following the overwhelmingly positive response when the finished car was unveiled at Geneva this year, Touring has decided to offer the Berlinetta Lusso in a very limited production run of five units. Photo:AFP

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Touring Berlinetta Lusso: Interior : And although the company never discusses the fees involved in a commission, the total cost of the car is understood to be around $750,000... Photo:AFP

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Touring Berlinetta Lusso: Interior : And although the company never discusses the fees involved in a commission, the total cost of the car is understood to be around $750,000... Photo:AFP

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A Ferrari F12 Berlinetta : ...plus the cost of the original donor car - a $300,000 Ferrari F12 Berlinetta. Photo:AFP

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A Ferrari F12 Berlinetta : ...plus the cost of the original donor car - a $300,000 Ferrari F12 Berlinetta. Photo:AFP

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