FEBRUARY 1990

1989 December Milan Portello. The first sketch of the Alfa Romeo Proteo by Alberto Bertelli.

For many years the Fiat Group has not created concept cars for motor shows, and in the first days of February 1990 Alfa Romeo decided to present an innovative, fully functional prototype with very high technological content for the future 1991 Geneva Motor Show.
Alberto BertelliGiven the experience gained in the style modeling sector, and the growth of the design office, despite not having specific experience in the concept sector, Fiat's top management decided to entrust STOLA s.p.a. this work.
The first meeting will take place in Milan in the historic Alfa Romeo Style Center in Portello, now almost disused due to the imminent transfer to Arese which will take place two weeks later.
Present at the meeting were Alfa Romeo Walter De Silva Director of Design, Alberto Bertelli the designer and Benedetto Carmelo of Design, and Stola S.p.A. Gottardo Bustreo, Director of Design, is present, together with Roberto and Alfredo Stola.
At this meeting Bustreo will present the preliminary general feasibility studies on immense rolls of drawing paper and in particular the rough idea of ​​the innovative rigid top broken down into two parts which can be completely disappeared through a carbon cover, an aesthetically integral part of the bodywork. .
Obviously the movement will have to be automated and what's more the two parts of the hood will be made of glass.
The desire of the Alfa Romeo Style Center, at that time still for a short time located at Portello, (it will then be moved to Arese in a brand new building) is to amaze by showing the world two versions in a single car, a spider and a coupe without taking away space for luggage in the rear trunk and above all without any compromise on beauty in the two totally distinct configurations.
Over time, the working meetings between the Alfa Romeo men of the Style and Design Center with Gottardo Bustreo and his assistants became almost daily between the respective offices in Arese and Turin / Grugliasco.

March 1990, start of the milling of the Alfa Romeo Proteo style / Master model.
The milling machine is a Jobs Jomac 35, the operator is Luigi Sartin.

March 1990 start of the milling of the Alfa Romeo Proteo style / Master model.
The milling machine is a Jobs Jomac 35, the operator is Luigi Sartin.

April 1990 the Alfa Romeo Proteo in the Fiat research center wind tunnel, in Orbassano for the latest aerodynamic refinements to reach the optimal CX.

April 1990 The almost finished Alfa Romeo Proteo chassis.
It is a slightly shortened and reinforced 164 type.

April 1990 The Alfa Romeo Proteo chassis almost finished.
It is of the type 164 extension, which is slightly shortened and reinforced.

Over time, the business meetings between the Alfa Romeo’s Centro Stile and Gottardo Bustreo and his assistants became almost daily at their the respective offices in Arese and Grugliasco.
It was a difficult challenge, the bodywork would have to be made entirely of aeronautical carbon, there was a fully retractable folding glass top, 6-cylinder engine and both four-wheel drive and steering.
The top was as extraordinary electrochromic glass object, hydraulically operated and totally retractable.
By pressing a convenient switch positioned inside the passenger compartment the architecture could be transformed in 45 seconds from coupe to spider and vice versa, without having the impression that one may become the other.

October 1990 from left Alfredo, Bustreo, Ardagna and RobaldoOctober 1990 Ardagna, Robaldo, Bertelli and Marco Goffi..

October 1990 Ardagna, Bustreo and AlfredoOctober 1990 The Stola Team and the CP Team at work.

November 1990 The Teams at work.
Designer Alberto Bertelli at the wheel,the Cav Giuseppe Civardi (with his hand on the front upright) from the Fiat style center overseeing the work, behind him Mr. Boggio of the CP. Marco Goffi can be seen bottom left.

November 1990, bottom left Roberto Stola and Cav. Civardi overseeing the Stola and CP Teams.

November 1990 Alfredo Stola with Walter de Silva, Alberto Bertelli and Cav. Civardi.
On the right in the foreground, Stefano Ardagna.

1990 December Alfredo Stola and Cav. Civardi.

1990 December, bottom, Walter de Silva
and Maria Paola Stola.

December 1990 The complete team, at the back, Alfredo Stola, Walter de Silva, Bertelli Tree, Cav. Giuseppe Civardi and Giampiero Boggio. On the right with the white coat, Pautasso a very good panel beater.

Here are the finished interiors of the Proteo

The Centro Stile Alfa Romeo wanted to surround the mythical 6-cylinder Busso
engine with a refined functional design cover.

Precisely for this characteristic, the name of this car is "Proteo", from the shape changing Greek God- Proteus .
It was a prototype "Spider-Coupé" laboratory, a forerunner of the future Mercedes SLK, SL and BMW Z 4, whose hoods were formed in sheet metal, foldable and totally hidden when open.
Alfa Romeo had a really good idea, the Stola technicians succeeded at engineering and building it; the regret was not having patented it in March 1991.

The complicated retractable roof of the Proteo imagined by Alfa Romeo and engineered and built by Stola s.p.a

From the beginning the goal was to build a first salon prototype and to follow that up with two more for technical checks and preliminary feasibility as Fiat Auto’s intention was to put this sports car into production as soon as possible.
For the record, shortly afterwards the project was stopped, of the two technical prototypes only the platforms were built and nothing more.
For Stola that was their first salon prototype, and it brought a lot of luck to the modeling shop because in the following thirteen years, through to the end of July 2004, another fifty-six were made for the most prestigious car manufacturers in the world.

February 1991 Balocco test track. Mauro Palman
and Marco Goffi carry out the prototype
unloading operations.February 1991 Walter de Silva and Madam with the tester Moroni. In the center we can see Siro Palestra
and Gianpiero Boggio.

February 1991 Mauro Palman and Marco Goffi make sure everything is perfect before the track test.February 1991 finally the Proteo is driven by Moroni making its first lap of the track.

February 1991 at the Balocco track the official photo before the tests.

February 1991 Balocco test track. The test driver Moroni performs one hour of testing.February 1991 Balocco test track. The test driver Moroni performs one hour of testing.

February 1991 Balocco test track. Walter de Silva and Alfredo Stola at the first test of the Alfa Romeo Proteo.

The Alfa Romeo Proteo was presented to the world press on the morning of March 5, 1991 in Geneva on the occasion of the 61st International Motor Show.
In the presence of hundreds of journalists and professionals, the hearts of Roberto and Alfredo Stola, Bustreo, Sasso and Goffi were put to the test during the opening of the convertible top in the presence of the Fiat leaders represented by the 'Agnelli, the lawyer Cesare Romiti and the engineer Paolo Cantarella accompanied by the technical director the engineer Stefano Iacoponi and the director of the Style Center, Walter Da Silva.
Ten minutes earlier, in a final pre-show test of the opening and closing top, it had jammed ...

March 1991 Geneva Motor Show Marco Goffi
and Gottardo Bustreo.March 1991 Geneva Motor Show, Alfredo Stola.

March 1991 Geneva Motor Show Finally the Proteo on the Stand.

March 1991 Geneva Motor Show . The engineer Paolo Cantarella describes to lawyer Gianni Agnelli and Dr. Cesare Romiti, the complex function of the disappearing glass roof. A few moments later they demonstrate the opening and closing to Marco Goffi for the first time. These were the longest sixty second of the lives of those responsible.

March 1991 Geneva Motor Show Stefano Iacopone, technical director of Alfa Romeo, Roberto Stola and engineer Alberto Sasso relaxed and smiling after the successful opening and closing of the roof in front of journalists and above all the board of the Fiat group.

END 1990

1991 La Stola realizes a model proposal of style
of the Fiat Punto.Between the end of 1990 and the first weeks of 1991, STOLA S.p.a. was contracted by Fiat Auto to build a see- through style model for the Uno replacement, the European leader in the B segment.
The style for the model built in Via La Thuile 69/71 was by designer Mauro Basso of the Fiat Style Centre then under the direction of architect Armando Cressoni.
We are talking about the model that went on the be called Punto. For Fiat Auto the program was so strategic that the most important Italian style centers such as Italdesign, Pininfarina, Bertone and Idea were also involved.
Many models were built, and in the end it was Giorgetto Giugiaro's proposal that was chosen for production.

FEBRUARY 1991

1991 Andreas Zapatinas, the designer of the Fiat Barchetta.In February 1991, just before transporting the Alfa Romeo Proteo to the Geneva Motor Show, the Fiat Style Center through its technical director Cavalier Giuseppe Civardi asked STOLA spa to create a very accurate red style model with opening doors for the Fiat Barchetta project.
In the Fiat Style Center, three style proposals had just been presented through volume models, and the chosen one is designed by Andreas Zappatinas.

March 1991 Carlo and Alfredo Stola with the Barchetta model at the very first stages of setting up.April 1991,the Barchetta opening doors begin to take shape. From the left Zanellati, Zanini and Chiara.

February 1991 Marco Goffi and engineer Sasso prepare the commercial offer for the Barchetta model.For the interiors, the proposals of Peter Davis and Giuseppe Bertolusso was  chosen.
The work started immediately with great energy and enthusiasm in order to deliver for the visits of the CEO Fiat Cantarella and  other directors to check progress.
There was much curiosity, even  within the Fiat Style Center, to see is a new  spider after so  many years absence.

April 1991 Alfredo Stola and Zanini posing..

April 1991 From left Zanini, Goffi, Bustreo, Robaldo and Ferrero.

April 1991. Engineer Alberto Sasso and on the opposite side the modeler Robaldo.

There  were two objectives for Fiat for this highly accurate model: firstly, to refine the design of the first selected volume model and secondly, to update the surface model engineering macro feasibility.
Ultimately the aim was to  use model with opening door as a "Clinic Model" throughout Europe to find the level of interest of a very select audience The European clinic tour started in June of the same year and ended in September.

May 1991

Beginning June 1991, Gottardo Bustreo and Laura Giunipero.

Turin late May 1991. On the right Marco Goffi and the designer Andreas Zapatinas. On the left Vincenzo Mammone, Andrea Granata and X

Mid June 1991, Alberto Sasso, at the wheel, Roberto Stola and Zanini.June 1991 From the left Roberto Stola, Sasso, Alfredo, Ferrero, Zanini, Palmieri

End of June 1991 before delivery for the european tour for Clinic Testing. From left Bustreo, Bonito, Ardagna, Robaldo, Della Rocca, Sassu, Zanellati, Maurizio, Palmieri, Giachino, K, Zanini and Ferrero.

In April 1992, during  the Turin Motor Show, STOLA spa became involved in the Barchetta project for Fiat. 
It was  for a turnkey production task also involving  partners Itca and Maggiora.
It was the initiative of engineer Paolo Cantarella to give the project to the three companies and allow them to decelop the car.
The engineer Nevio di Giusto, who had recently been appointed as coordinating director of the Fiat Group’s styling centres, gave his support to quickly integrate the style work already completed into the development  process.

1992 Engineer Paolo Cantarella, CEO of Fiat Auto.

1992 engineer Nevio di Giusto, coordinator of the three style centers of the Fiat group.

April 1992 the technicians of the STOLA prototype department in coordinating the design work and the first list of sheet metal parts to be made.April 1992 the technicians of the STOLA prototype department in coordinating the design work and the first list of sheet metal parts to be made.

April 1992 the first technical drawings of the Fiat Barchetta with the aim of creating two prototypes in sheet metal.April 1992 the first technical drawings of the Fiat Barchetta with the aim of creating two prototypes in sheet metal.

The Fiat board, wanting to relaunch a spider into their range that had been absent since  the time of the pininfarina built 124 had to find a competitive production solution.
For Fiat, these months in 1992 were very intense, especially for the beginning of the design of the new Punto.
It must be borne in mind that the usual partners Pininfarina and Bertone in 1993 and 1994 were involved in the production of the Fiat Coupé and Punto Cabrio.

September 1992 beaten model of a panel.October 1992 The instrument panel lid.

October 1992 Frontal.October1992 Trunk structure.

November 1992 This photo shows Bonetto and Comollo.November 1992 Felice Chiara and Beppe Comollo.

December 1992 Ferrero Varsino and Beppe Comollo check the body.December 1992 the body of the first prototype ready for painting.

January 1993, Modelleria STOLA. Roberto and Alfredo Stola together with Andrea Granata, one of the painters, next to the first Barchetta sheet metal prototype in the paint oven of via Villa Giusti.

February 1993 Mechanical assembly of the first prototype.


February 1993 a group photo on the assembly prototype. From left Franchino, Giorgione, Alfredo Stola, Felice Chiara and Marco Goffi.

February 1993 The first prototype prototype practically finished. To be precise, original rims and headlights. Instead of the headlights, resin models have been fitted. From left Renato Bianco, Rocco, Ferrero Varsino, Beppe Comollo, Felice Chiara, Danilo Franchino, Bonetto, Mammone, Granata and Giorgione

May 1993, via La Thuile 71 Alfredo Stola with the little Francesco posing next to the second and final prototype Yellow barchetta made from the sheet metal models. Mirabella, Felice Chiara, beppe Comollo, Alberto Porzio and Aniello Tornatore can be recognized from the back left.

Turin May 1993. Marco Goffi and Bruno Arienti in the office in Via La Thuile 71 they work on the calculation of the prototype modifications.

Each of the three companies had to call upon their best skills, Stola for modeling, engineering and the first two prototypes derived from wooden models, Itca for test prototypes and the production of the chassis and the Maggiora for the actual production line and purchase of all components.
This consortium, under the direction of Fiat, gave  excellent results in terms of quality, timing and savings. The imposed objective to start production 24 months after styling freeze with an available budget 100.000.000.000 Lire.
In view of synergies coordinated by Fiat, the painting of the Barchetta was planned for the Bertone plant in Grugliasco. The deliveries of the Fiat Barchetta would begin in March of 1995 at the same time as its official presentation at the seventy-fifth Geneva Motor Show.

February 1995 the official photo of the Fiat Barchetta before being presented at the Geneva Motor Show.

MARCH 1991

October 1992 Maria Paola Stola with Francesco and behind them the aluminum body of the BMW Z13 in Turin Via La Thuile 69.As soon as the Geneva Motor Show was finished in March 1991, BMW, having seen the Proteo, asked STOLA spa to create a very special three-seater Show Car with electrically powered aluminum frame and body to be presented for the next Geneva Motor Show in 1993.
The satisfying aspect for Stola was that in the BMW offer they requested the same high quality as seen on the Alfa Romeo Proteo.
When this dark blue BMW ,called Z 13, was completed at the end of February 1993, the Bavarian house immediately ordered a second red one for their internal use in the BMW Technic department with delivery in September 1993.

1993 The official photo of the BMW Z13 just before being exhibited at the Geneva Motor Show.

SPRING 1991

With the constant stream of requests for Show Cars and Style Models, Roberto and Alfredo Stola decided in the spring of 1991 that the time had come to have a new factory.
The objective was to concentrate the three operational offices and eliminate the inefficiencies deriving from a fragmented and obsolete "lay out".
The new Cad Cam technologies, the need for ever larger and faster CN milling machines, the increase in workers who by then had reached 160 people, the need to give better and safer spaces to customers, make decisions for restructuring and expansion of a large building in Rivoli located in Via Ferrero 9, just off city ring road. 27 months was set  as the goal for the realization of work, from design to moving in.

1992 Construction sign of the new building.June 1992 Start of the first works.

1992 Spallitta and Giordano of Edil G are seen.

April 1992 Alfredo Stola with little Francesco.

May 1992 preparation of the styling models department on the second floor.

The design was by the architect Paolo Rosani, son of Antonio Rosani who had built the Lancia skyscraper in Borgo San Paolo near the old headquarters of Via Issiglio 38 where founder  Alfredo Stola and his three sons, had witnessed its construction in the second half of the 50s.
Marco Goffi and Alfredo Stola, from the spring of 1992 dedicated themselves 100% to following the construction and plant work together with building contractor Edil G, taking care of the move up until the last day.
This decision was taken by Roberto Stola who oversaw the entire project almost daily.

October 1992 in front of the future reception, the designer Silvano Crosazzo, Roberto Stola
and the manager of Edil G Paolo Spallitta.

February 1993 A view from Corso Allamano.February 1993 a view from via Ferrero.