The ultimate italian coachbuilder site
The ultimate italian coachbuilder site
The De Tomaso Vallelunga production version by Ghia.
The De Tomaso Vallelunga holds a special place in automotive history as the first road-going car produced by De Tomaso. Its journey began with a striking design crafted by Carrozzeria Fissore, unveiled to the public as a concept car at the prestigious Turin Motor Show in 1965. Named after the famed Autodromo di Vallelunga racing circuit, the Vallelunga exemplified the spirit of Italian design and innovation. Initially, Alejandro de Tomaso, the founder of the company, intended the Vallelunga to be a design he could sell to another manufacturer. However, when no buyers emerged, he took a bold step and decided to produce the car himself, entrusting the task to Ghia, a renowned Italian coachbuilder. This decision marked a pivotal moment for De Tomaso, transitioning the company from building racing cars and prototypes to creating production road vehicles. The Vallelunga featured a lightweight mid-engine layout, an innovative choice for the time. Powered by a 1.5-liter inline-four engine sourced from Ford, the car was designed for spirited performance, combining the agility of its compact dimensions with the benefits of a low center of gravity. The use of aluminum and fiberglass in its construction further reduced weight, ensuring nimble handling and responsiveness on the road. While only around 50 units of the Vallelunga were produced, it laid the foundation for De Tomaso’s future successes. The car’s sleek and minimalistic design, paired with its advanced engineering, garnered attention from enthusiasts and critics alike. It represented the company’s ambition to merge racing technology with road car practicality—a vision that would define De Tomaso’s legacy. Today, the Vallelunga is celebrated as a rare and valuable classic, a testament to the ingenuity and perseverance of Alejandro de Tomaso. It stands as a symbol of the brand’s adventurous spirit and its contribution to automotive innovation in the 1960s, marking the beginning of a storied legacy in the world of performance cars.
The De Tomaso Vallelunga was presented as a concept car at the Turin Motor Show in 1964. De Tomaso initially intended to sell the Vallelunga project to some other car group, primarily Ford. However, no car manufacturer was interested in the purchase, so De Tomaso decided to build the car at its own expense. Production of the model was then assigned to Ghia. The design was instead the work of the Fissore bodywork.
Read part 1 The revolution by Savonuzzi The succession of prototypes made on behalf of Chrysler undoubtedly influenced the 1951 project by Piero Dusio,…
