Studiotorino unveils Porsche Cayman-based Moncenisio

Studiotorino is an Italian coachbuilder, based in the city that its name suggests -- on the banks of the Po River, deep in the heart of Turin. It came to prominence thanks to a smattering of projects: a buttressed, fastback Mercedes-Benz SL, a Fiat 500 named after beloved Italian pulp hero Diabolik and a Maserati Quattroporte wagon that they appropriately renamed "Cinqueporte."

But Studiotorino is also infatuated with the Porsche Cayman. To that end, the firm has introduced the Moncenisio, a Rhapsody in Blue rebody of the Typ 981 that aims to do for German sports cars what Figoni et Falaschi did for the Delahaye and what Porcubimmer Motors did for a BMW 3-Series.

Being Italian, it's named after a time when the Italians actually dominated the automotive kingdom, and subsequently a race you've never heard of -- the 1902 Susa-Moncenisio hillclimb, the first hillclimb in the world -- giving us hope that someday, Studiotorino will stick around long enough to name a future car the "Studiotorino TreatMyClot.com 300."

The clots remain untreated, for now. Yet Studiotorino's efforts live on: the Cayman S gets a body reworking that replaces the front bumper, gives it flying buttresses, and blanks out everything past the B-pillars (which, combined with the buttresses, reduce visibility to solitary-confinement levels). It's a handsome effort -- designer Daniele Gaglione took inspiration from the Porsche 904 when he drew the shape, which is a damn fine place to start. Our favorite piece is the silver gas cap jutting out of the hood like a nose ring.

This isn't the first Cayman that Studiotorino has fettled with. The last Cayman was also reworked with much of the same body styling. That one, at least, had the reddish resemblance of a Tommykaira ZZII and the good graces of RUF supercharged power. This blue one's drivetrain has been left entirely stock.

Just 19 examples will be made, because exclusivity is the only thing that justifies a Cayman that costs 666 American Tricky Dick Fun Bills (that's $200,000 for the uninformed). A Porsche Cayman isn't even included. $200,000 for a subtly distinguished body kit with less visibility? We're being charitable here, but nobody said an artist's vision was cheap.

By Blake Z. Rong