Scaglione, a man whom I felt deserved far more recognition that he ever got. We met and became good friends. Yes, he spoke English quite well and we had many good times together over several years. It was clear his health wasn't the best, and though I had heard about the drugs I never once saw any indication that he was using them. I don't think he could have afforded them.
BAT means Berlinetta Aerodinamica Tecnica - There were BAT1 and BAT8 as well, but they were never realized. They remained on the drawing boards.
All three BATs are based on Alfa Romeo 1900 floorpan. This was the first Alfa to be offered in bigger quantities and was aimed at families. This is one of the wonders of the BATs: although they look huge in pictures, in reality they're compact. Aerodynamics is an exact science. The Hungarian-born Paul Jaray and Wunnibal Kamm did calculations and fabricated prototypes. But it was Hans Ledvinka, who offered aerodynamic models to the public in the form of the Tatra. But their world differed widely from Scaglione's Latin temper: his nose/fin combination doesn't rhyme with the just-oh-so-aerodynamically-shaped Jaray studies.
The BAT5 had a Cd of 0.23,
the BAT7 was further enhanced: 0.19! The BAT 9 is the most sober and it's the easiest to drive. Let's examine the BAT5 first: the tiramaran nose channeled air into the inlets; the same air was exhausted behined the front wheels. Flow patterns were shaped by the inward-curving fender fins, with a small slot for pressure relief. With 16-inches wheels this was a must.
BAT7 which was born along the Arnolt-Bristol in 1954 is more radical than BAT5.
BAT9 is the conclusion of its line. It's more conventional and there's a hint of series production as well.
All three BATs were shipped to S.H. Arnolt after finishing their show carreer. He promptly supplied them to the United States customers and soon they dispersed and lived chequered lives: BAT7 was used as the only car daily driver of a young couple in San Francisco. In the '80s, after intensive restoration of BATs 5 and 7 they were finally brought together at Pebble Beach. Subsequent to that they were the object of several purported sales individually and collectively and have recently been sold as a group to a buyer unknown to the author.
