Have You Ever Heard of the Aguzzoli Condor, the Forgotten Italian Sports Car?

Forgotten Gems - For many of us, the world of motorsport history often highlights the giants—Ferrari, Porsche, Alfa Romeo—leaving many unsung stories buried beneath the roar of the mainstream. But every now and then, an obscure name resurfaces, hinting at a tale filled with ambition, rebellion, and ingenuity. One of those names is Aguzzoli, and behind it lies a creation so distinct, so full of character, it deserves to be remembered: the Aguzzoli Condor.

The Aguzzoli Condor MK2 was a 1964 prototype race car commissioned by Giovanni and Sergio Aguzzoli, designed by Franco Reggiani and built by Piero Drogo with a focus on both performance and artistic form. (Picture from: AutoHistory.Blog.Hu)

This remarkable sports car was born not from a major automaker’s boardroom, but from the passionate drive of a father-son duo from Parma, Italy. Giovanni and Sergio Aguzzoli weren’t engineers or racing legends—they were successful salami entrepreneurs. But Sergio, in particular, was a true car enthusiast, even owning an Alfa Romeo dealership in his hometown.  

The Aguzzoli Condor MK1 was the first prototype race car, built in 1963 by Piero Drogo and Carrozzeria Nembo for motorsport enthusiasts Giovanni and Sergio Aguzzoli from Parma. (Picture from: Coachbuilt)

When former Ferrari test driver Luigi Bertocco approached them in the early 1960s with an idea for a mid-engine race car, they didn’t hesitate. They saw an opportunity to back something daring and different, at a time when Ferrari still stubbornly clung to its front-engine race cars. 

The Aguzzoli Condor MK1 was constructed on a tubular frame chassis using Alfa Romeo SZ running gear, featuring a mid-mounted 1300cc 4-cylinder engine paired with a Citroën DS19 gearbox. (Picture from: Coachbuilt)

Bertocco’s frustration with Ferrari's outdated design philosophy sparked the genesis of what would become the Aguzzoli Condor. His vision aligned with the shifting landscape of Formula racing, where mid-engine cars were proving to be the future. He needed financial support and industry connections, both of which the Aguzzolis could offer. And just like that, a project that began with a conversation turned into the start of a rare automotive chapter.

The Aguzzoli Condor MK2 featured unique bodywork designed by Franco Reggiani, created in response to Aguzzoli’s request for a fusion of technical precision and artistic expression. (Picture from: ClassicandCreationSportsCars)

To shape the dream into metal and fiberglass, Sergio Aguzzoli reached out to none other than Piero Drogo, a well-known Modena-based designer with a flair for unique, race-ready bodies. Drogo brought in his longtime collaborators Giorgio Neri and Luciano Bonacini—collectively known as Nembo—who had already made waves with the eccentric but successful Ferrari Breadvan. With this powerhouse team in place, the first Aguzzoli Condor took form in 1963.

The Aguzzoli Condor MK2 debuted at the Geneva Show in March 1964, showcasing a more refined and harmonious chestnut-colored body than its predecessor. (Picture from: DannataVintage)

Known as the MK1, the car featured a lightweight tubular frame paired with an Alfa Romeo SZ drivetrain and a mid-mounted 1300cc four-cylinder engine. A Citroën DS19 gearbox completed the powertrain setup. Clad in fiberglass, the whole package weighed just 520 kilograms and could reportedly hit 260 km/h. 

The Aguzzoli Condor MK2, driven by Luigi Bertocco, competed in several prestigious domestic racing events alongside its predecessor, the Condor MK1. (Picture from: WheelsAge)

Despite its potential and a brief flirtation with Alfa Romeo’s racing division, the car never received the backing it needed to enter the big leagues. Alfa chose instead to continue with its in-house TZ models under the guidance of former Ferrari engineer Carlo Chiti.

The Aguzzoli Condor MK2 was built on a mid-engine layout, featuring a fiberglass body mounted on a tubular frame chassis. (Picture from: ClassicandCreationSportsCars)

Still, the Aguzzoli team didn’t walk away. In 1964, they returned with a more refined machine: the Condor MK2. Designed with a more artistic flair by Franco Reggiani, it was faster, more technically advanced, and visually striking. Beneath its sleek body—which was again shaped by Piero Drogo—was a twin-spark 1600cc engine from the Alfa Romeo TZ and a racing-spec Hewland transaxle. The design included smart innovations like hidden radiators and functional engine bay vents, features that were well ahead of their time.

The interior of the Aguzzoli Condor MK2 features two bucket seats and a steering wheel paired with a minimalist dashboard layout, reflecting the straightforward, function-driven design commonly found in race cars of that era. (Picture from: BellesItaliennes)

The MK2 made its public debut at the 1964 Geneva Motor Show and impressed not with extravagance, but with elegance. It wasn’t trying to outshine its contemporaries through flamboyance—it didn’t need to. What it brought to the table was a smart, cohesive fusion of artistic design and mechanical precision, clearly built with racing in mind. From its hidden radiator placement to the functional engine bay vents, every detail was thoughtfully executed, signaling a car far ahead of its time in both concept and construction.

The Aguzzoli Condor MK2 is powered by a 1,600 cc twin-spark Alfa Romeo TZ engine paired with a Hewland transaxle, offering strong performance and precise shifting ideal for racing. (Picture from: BellesItaliennes)

Both Aguzzoli race cars—the MK2 driven by Luigi Bertocco and the MK1 piloted by fellow Italian racer Umberto Masetti—entered several prominent domestic racing events with modest success. However, as promising as things looked, reality soon set in. Mounting financial pressures and persistent technical hurdles began to weigh heavily on the small operation. By 1966, those obstacles became too great to overcome, and the Aguzzoli team made the difficult decision to withdraw from competitive racing. 

The Aguzzoli Condor MK2 featured ventilation shafts above the engine bay and a hidden radiator placement—innovative design elements that were ahead of their time. (Picture from: ClassicandCreationSportsCars)

Even so, the story didn’t quite fade into silence. The cars found temporary homes with private drivers, where they continued to earn respectable results—most notably with Domenico Lo Coco, who took home podium finishes in hill climb events and the Italian Formula 3 Championship. Yet by the end of the decade, the once-ambitious machines were quietly retired, collecting dust in forgotten garages.

The Aguzzoli Condor MK2 carries the captivating beauty of an Italian-made sports car, built with racing car engineering and wrapped in the intrigue that often surrounds such rare and unique creations. (Picture from: Perico001's Flickr)

But here’s where things get fascinating. The Aguzzoli Condor wasn’t just another unsuccessful racing prototype. It’s a reminder of how innovation can sprout from unexpected places. It’s proof that design doesn’t need mainstream approval to be ahead of its time. And most of all, it’s a love letter to those who dared to dream beyond the limits of convention—built not for mass production or glory, but for the thrill of doing something different.

In a world full of automotive icons, the Aguzzoli Condor remains an elegant footnote—a rare bird that flew briefly, brightly, and just a bit off the radar. And perhaps that’s what makes it so unforgettable. *** [EKA [27082021] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | AUTOHISTORY.BLOG.HU | CLASSICANDCREATIONSPORTSCARS | COACHBUILT | MENUDEIMOTORI.EU ]

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