PHOTO BY JAY RAMEY
TWO-SEATER SPORTS CAR PLANNED IN LATEST RELAUNCH PROPOSAL OF ITALIAN MARQUE
De Tomaso, the dormant Italian sports-car manufacturer, has a new owner with ambitious plans, according to Germany'sAuto Motor und Sport. The magazine reports that De Tomaso was purchased for 2 million euros, or approximately $2.1 million, by Swiss-based L3 Holdings last Thursday, beating out competing bids from China's Consolidated Ideal TeamVenture and the Italian Eos Group. L3 Holdings is said to be tied to Genii Capital, which runs the Lotus Formula One team.
The company, famous for combining dramatic Italian styling and American V8 power, went bankrupt most recently in 2012, after facing similar issues in 2004 and 2008. De Tomaso saw a resurgence in 2009 after being bought out by Fiat executiveGian Mario Rossignolo and presented ambitious plans for a lineup consisting of a two-seater sports cars, a limousine and a crossover. Despite fielding a warmly received crossover concept dubbed the De Tomaso SLS at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, the company failed to move into the production phase.
PHOTO BY JAY RAMEY
Auto Motor und Sport reports that the company's new owner has plans for a two-door mid-engined sports car. The group also plans a workforce of 360 by 2021 and envisions an annual output of 4,500 cars. L3 Holdings is also reportedly considering a new plant near Turin for the venture. The plans, which were not described in greater detail, nevertheless seem more realistic than the lavish lineup of cars announced during the fizzled 2011 relaunch.
De Tomaso was originally founded by Alejandro de Tomaso in 1959 and produced a number of small-volume models that combined original styling with engines from Ford and Maserati. The company's first model was the Vallelunga, which paired a Ford Cortina engine with a fiberglass body. The company achieved greater success with later models like the Mangusta and Pantera, later acquiring Maserati in 1976, which allowed for sharing of engines and technology. The Guara, which debuted in 1993, was effectively the last De Tomaso car to be built in any significant number.
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