1967 De Tomaso Vallelunga (by Ghia)
Born from Alejandro de Tomaso’s racing ambitions, this Italian exotic became one of the earliest production mid-engine sports cars, following the RenΓ© Bonnet Djet by just two years. Production ran from 1964 to 1967 with less than 60 examples built (three aluminum-bodied prototypes by Fissore and the remainder fiberglass production cars by Ghia).
The backbone chassis used a 1.5-liter Ford Kent engine producing 104 horsepower at 6,200 rpm with twin Weber carburetors, mounted mid-ship and weighing just 1600 pounds (726 kilograms). Its significance was recognized when a Vallelunga was displayed at New York’s Museum of Modern Art in 1966. The design launched De Tomaso’s road car legacy and established the engineering foundation later used for the more powerful Mangusta.
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