Had You ever heard the Aguzzoli Condor sports car before?

Another ONES Have you heard the name Aguzzoli before? Well, if some of us today rarely ever know about it. This is natural, indeed that's name is uncommonly heard in the automotive world, though used on the unique shaped coupe of the 1960s called the Aguzzoli Condor.

Aguzzoli Condor MK2 is the second prototype race car designed by Franco Reggiani and built by Piero Drogo in the 1964 for the father and son of Parma businessman, Giovanni and Sergio Aguzzoli. (Picture from: AutoHistory.Blog.Hu)

According to Autohistory, the name is taken from the Parma businessmen father and son, Giovanni & Sergio Aguzzoli who had commissioned (some said) to Piero Drogo and friends to build the mentioned Condor sports car. Just for Ur info, Giovanni and Sergio Aguzzoli were wealthy petrolheads whose had made their fortune in the salami trades. At the same time, Sergio was known also the owner of Alfa Romeo dealer in Parma.

Aguzzoli Condor MK1 Aguzzi Condor MK2 is the first prototype race car built by Piero Drogo and Carrozzeria Nembo in the 1963 for the father and son of Parma businessman, Giovanni and Sergio Aguzzoli. (Picture from: Coachbuilt)

The story begins in the early of 1960s, when a former Ferrari test driver named Luigi Bertocco seek for the help of Giovanni and Sergio Aguzzoli to build the specifically mid-engined race car for him, because they are both considered to be able to provide financial support, and the car manufacturer connections at the same time.

Aguzzoli Condor MK1 is built using the Alfa Romeo SZ running gear on a tubular frame chassis and powered by a mid-mounted 4-cyl 1300cc engine linked to a Citroen DS19 gearbox. (Picture from: Coachbuilt)

Why did Bertocco insisted to make the such race car? Because Ferrari was too stubborn, conservative and would not built the mid-engined race car construction in the Formula One, eventhough in the circuits at the time, the Prancing Horse owned race cars looked overwhelmed by the might of the mid-engined construction ones.

Aguzzi Condor MK2 has unique bodywork designed by Franco Reggiani in the response to Aguzzoli’s request that the technical content be embedded in an artistic form. (Picture from: ClassicandCreationSportsCars)

In short, Aguzzoli agreed to give the financial supports to Bertocco in order to build the race car based on the mid-engined construction ideas with the fiberglass body mounted on the tubular frame chassis. To realize the race car, then Sergio Aguzzoli contacted Piero Drogo through his bussines connection to make the car design.

Aguzzoli Condor MK2 is debuted at the Geneva Show, in March of 1964, and was given a much more harmonious chestnut than its predecessor. (Picture from: DannataVintage)

Coincidentally, Piero Drogo is brought his old friend of Giorgio Neri and Luciano Bonacini, also known as Nembo (this trio formed the famous Ferrari Breadvan for Count Giovanni Volpi's Scuderia Serenissima racing team), them both was run a small carrozzeria and mechanic shop based in Modena, Italy, active from the late 1950s to around 1967. As the result, the Aguzzoli racing purpose car is only built as many as 2 units.

Aguzzoli Condor MK2 with Luigi Bertocco behind the wheels raced in various prestigious domestic racing events at that time, along with its predecessor, the Condor MK1. (Picture from: WheelsAge)

The first Aguzzoli race car was built and assembled in 1963 at the Modena-based Carrozzeria Nembo, which was soon referred to by everyone as Aguzzoli Condor MK1. The car built using the Alfa Romeo SZ running gear on a tubular frame chassis and powered by a mid-mounted 4-cyl 1300cc engine linked to a Citroen DS19 gearbox.

Aguzzoli Condor MK2 is built based on the mid-engined construction ideas with the fiberglass body mounted on the tubular frame chassis. (Picture from: ClassicandCreationSportsCars)

The first Aguzzoli Condor prototype had weighed of only 520 kilograms which theoretically had a top speed of 260 kph, and reportedly it had attracted the Alfa Romeo's attention to renew their racing division spectacularly and also promised to entrust the company's racing program to Aguzzoli. But then the wish was annulled by Alfa Romeo itself by sending the Alfa Romeo TZ racing cars made of the ex-Ferrari engineer, Carlo Chiti to the racing arena.

Aguzzoli Condor MK2's interior has two bucket seat, seeringwheel with simple dashboard such on the racing car in general. (Picture from: BellesItaliennes)

It did not necessarily make Aguzzoli give up, instead they then prepared a second prototype called Aguzzoli Condor MK2 in 1964 with its unique bodywork is designed by Franco Reggiani in the response to Aguzzoli’s request that the technical content be embedded in an artistic form. This time the MK2's chassis development process was carried out very quickly, and is powered by an TZ's twin-spark 1,600 cc engine, coupled with the Hewland's transaxle. Then all wrapped in a unique Piero Drogo made body.

Aguzzoli Condor MK2 is powered by an TZ's twin-spark 1,600 cc engine, coupled with the Hewland's transaxle. (Picture from: BellesItaliennes)

As the result, some of the features installed on the Condor MK2 such the ventilation shafts above the engine room and the hidden placement of radiator is preceded its time and were only introduced several years later. The Aguzzoli Condor MK2 is debuted at the Geneva Motor Show, in March of 1964, and was given a much more harmonious chestnut than its predecessor, and didn't stand out from the impressive sports cars of the era.

Aguzzoli Condor MK2 featured with the ventilation shafts above the engine room and the hidden placement of radiator is preceded its time. (Picture from: ClassicandCreationSportsCars)

The two Aguzzoli's race cars along together (with Luigi Bertocco was using the MK2 and its compatriot racer, Umberto Masetti behind the MK1's) went down in various prestigious domestic racing events at that time, with fairly successful results. Unfortunately in 1966, Aguzzoli withdrew from the race, due to a lack of sponsorship and technical problems that continued to cost money. 

Aguzzoli Condor MK2 has a beauty captivating appeal of an Italian-made sports car under the racing car construction and a pinch of secrets that surrounds all similarly unique cars. (Picture from: Perico001's Flickr)

Then Sergio Aguzzoli lended the cars to the private racers, among whom Domenico Lo Coco is managed to grab the runner-up titles in the high mountain racing and the Italian Formula 3 Championship, that's the Aguzzoli's cars best results achieved. By the end of season, the Aguzzoli Condor MK2 race car got into a garage where it dusted for years, and forgotten.

The above description might explained why the unknown and not very successful cars can be attractive. This is probably because it has all the beauty, captivating appeal of an Italian-made sports car under the racing car construction and a pinch of secrets that surrounds all similarly unique cars. Thus, the Aguzzoli's short wheelbase sports cars were once rejected by Alfa Romeo can become a legendary vehicle that is almost lost and forgotten by fans of the automotive world today. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | AUTOHISTORY.BLOG.HU | CLASSICANDCREATIONSPORTSCARS | COACHBUILT | MENUDEIMOTORI.EU ]

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