Christelle - 2001

S barro struck a chord at the Geneva Motor Show in 1999 with the GT1, and again in 2000 with the GT12. A year later, he adapted the design of these two coupés into a cabriolet.

Base Ferrari

It's common practice to develop a convertible version of a coupé. In the case of the Christelle, while the general lines of the GT1 and GT12 are there, the mechanical basis of the car is totally different. The base is a Ferrari Mondial cabriolet. The Mondial's central unit (cockpit, doors, windscreen and soft top) is retained. The same goes for the mechanics and running gear. Above all, this allows the car to be homologated in Switzerland. When you consider the administrative procedures involved in Swiss road homologation, it's almost a feat to have succeeded in registering the Christelle.

Constraints

The bodywork had to be adapted to this chassis. Among the differences with the GT1 and GT12, apart from the absence of a roof replaced by a soft top, were side air intakes in front of the rear wheels, a different grille with three larger bars, a different hood and, at the rear, the four round lights of the Ferrari Mondial and a spoiler integrated into the bodywork. Later, a rather imposing spoiler was added to the rear hood.
All these differences result in a less pure design, especially at the top of the doors, which are vertical as on the Mondial. The GT1 had a cockpit closer to that of a racing car, narrower. In the end, the GT1 and GT12 designs were less constrained.