ASA 1000 GT: The Lost “Baby Ferrari” of the 1960s

Forgotten Thoroughbred - The history of Italian sports cars is often told through legends adorned with prancing horses and powered by roaring V12 engines. Yet quietly nestled between those thunderous icons is a smaller, nearly forgotten chapter—one that dared to reinterpret Ferrari brilliance in a more compact and accessible form. That chapter belongs to the ASA 1000 GT, affectionately known as the “Ferrarina,” or “baby Ferrari,” a car that once promised to reshape the sports car landscape of the early 1960s before gradually fading into obscurity. 

The ASA 1000 GT, affectionately known as the “Ferrarina,” or “baby Ferrari,” a car that once promised to reshape the sports car landscape of the early 1960s before gradually fading into obscurity. (Picture from: Hagerty.co.uk)

The idea was born at the end of the 1950s, when Ferrari—renowned for powerful, large-displacement engines and elite clientele—considered venturing into unfamiliar territory. The goal was ambitious: create a smaller four-cylinder sports car capable of competing in a segment dominated by Fiat. Engineer Franco Rocchi developed a cutting-edge prototype engine in just a few months, drawing technical inspiration from Ferrari’s own V12 units. Codenamed 854, the engine followed Ferrari’s naming logic, referencing approximately 850 cc divided across four cylinders. Under the supervision of Giotto Bizzarrini, early testing began in 1959, discreetly hiding the experimental engine inside a Fiat 1200 to avoid unwanted attention. By December 19 of that year, the refined engine—producing around 100 horsepower—was presented to Enzo Ferrari. Although impressed by its performance and potential for a compact touring car, Ferrari ultimately considered the project too costly for his standards. 

The ASA 1000 GT was built on a lightweight tubular chassis and equipped with four-wheel Dunlop disc brakes—advanced for its era—paired with a finely tuned sporty suspension system. (Picture from: Hagerty.co.uk)

The concept refused to disappear. In 1961, Carrozzeria Bertone unveiled a sleek coupé version called the “1000” at the Turin Motor Show. Designed by a young Giorgetto Giugiaro, the car measured just 3.9 meters in length yet carried itself with the proportions and elegance of a true gran turismo. Its updated 1,032 cc engine delivered approximately 97 horsepower, an extraordinary figure for its size and era. Specialist magazines quickly labeled it the “Ferrarina” or “Volk-Ferrari,” acknowledging both its lineage and its more attainable positioning. In February 1962, industrialists Oronzio and Niccolò de Nora acquired the project’s rights from Ferrari, and by April they had established ASA (Autocostruzioni Società per Azioni) in Lambrate, near Innocenti. Later that year, the ASA 1000 GT officially debuted at the Turin Show with a price tag of 2,250,000 Lire. 

The ASA 1000 GT featured a cabin that reflected refined Italian craftsmanship, highlighted by fine leather upholstery, a Nardi wooden steering wheel, and thoughtfully chosen body colors that enhanced its premium character. (Picture from: Hagerty.co.uk)

Technically, the ASA 1000 GT was anything but modest. Built on a tubular chassis with lightweight construction, it featured four-wheel Dunlop disc brakes—advanced equipment for its time—paired with a sporty suspension setup. The 1.03-liter inline-four engine produced around 93 horsepower in production form, delivering lively performance in a compact package. Power was managed through a four-speed Bianchi gearbox with overdrive, enhancing both flexibility and touring comfort. Inside, the cabin reflected refined Italian craftsmanship, with fine leather upholstery, a Nardi wooden steering wheel, and carefully selected body colors that elevated its premium feel. Customers were drawn not only to its Ferrari-derived engineering but also to its balanced blend of sportiness and sophistication. 

The ASA 1000 GT was powered by a 1.03-liter inline-four engine producing around 93 hp, paired with a four-speed Bianchi gearbox with overdrive that delivered lively performance along with impressive flexibility and touring comfort. (Picture from: Hagerty.co.uk)

In 1963, ASA expanded the lineup with a spider version presented at the Geneva Motor Show. Featuring a fiberglass body and weighing only 710 kilograms—significantly lighter than the 830-kilogram coupé—the open-top variant retained the same mechanical configuration while offering a more visceral driving experience.  

The ASA 1000 GT Spyder made its debut at the 1963 Geneva Motor Show, featuring a lightweight fiberglass body and weighing just 710 kilograms—considerably lighter than the 830-kilogram coupé. (Picture from: RMSothebys)

However, behind the scenes, complications were mounting. Bertone withdrew from the project, prompting the de Nora brothers to commission Carrozzeria Ellena of Turin to continue production, which finally began delivering cars in the summer of 1964. Plans for further evolution emerged, including the aluminum-bodied 411 and a fiberglass spider variant known as the RB, intended for 1965 production. Yet financial reality intervened: high production costs and limited profitability made the venture unsustainable. | zo69M1lywZw |

By 1967, ASA entered liquidation. Production of the 1000 GT ended after only 85 units had been built—70 coupés and 15 spiders—far fewer than the early excitement had suggested. Today, the ASA 1000 GT stands as a rare and intriguing artifact of automotive ambition. It represents a moment when Ferrari engineering briefly stepped into a smaller, more democratic arena, guided by talents like Bizzarrini and Giugiaro. Though its commercial life was short, the “baby Ferrari” now holds a special place among collectors and historians, not as a footnote, but as a bold experiment that dared to reinterpret Italian performance for a different audience—and, in doing so, left behind one of the most fascinating almost-success stories in motoring history. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CARSFORGOTTENSTORIES | HAGERTY.CO.UK | RMSOTHEBYS | RMSOTHEBYS ]

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