💥HAPPY NEW YEAR💥 - For years, cars have been designed around performance numbers and digital features, often forgetting their role as shared living spaces. As urban life becomes more fluid and mobility needs grow more diverse, the idea of a vehicle that adapts to people—not the opposite—feels increasingly relevant. Citroën taps into this shift with the ELO Concept, a forward-looking electric vehicle that revisits the spirit of the minivan through a modern, human-centered approach.
The Citroën ELO, a forward-looking electric vehicle that revisits the spirit of the minivan through a modern, human-centered approach. (Picture from: QuirkyRides in X)
The Citroën ELO is a conceptual evolution of the OLI project introduced in 2022. While OLIfocused on radical efficiency and reducing environmental impact, ELO expands the idea into everyday usability. It explores how an electric vehicle can function as a flexible environment for travel, rest, work, and social interaction. Rather than being a technical experiment, the ELO positions itself as a realistic response to how people live and move today.
The Citroën ELO Concept features a compact, city-friendly 4.1-meter van-like form with rectangular LED lights, a bold illuminated logo, and a clean, approachable silhouette.(Picture from: VOI.id)
From the outside, the ELOpresents a compact yet purposeful form. At 4.1 meters long, it remains city-friendly while offering the proportions of a classic van. Rectangular LED lights at the front and rear, a large illuminated Citroën logo, and a clean silhouette give it a confident but approachable presence. Large sliding doors with a wide opening improve accessibility, while 21-inch wheels with futuristic covers reinforce its modern, efficient character.
The Citroën ELO Concept offers wide-opening sliding doors for easy access and 21-inch futuristic wheels that highlight its modern, efficient design.(Picture from: VOI.id)
The true strength of the ELO emerges inside. Built on a fully electric platform, it benefits from a flat floor that unlocks a spacious and highly modular cabin. Citroën collaborated with Decathlon and Goodyear to shape this interior, combining practical materials, outdoor-oriented design thinking, and smart tires capable of handling varied conditions. The result is a bright, colorful, and welcoming space that feels more like a shared room than a conventional car interior.
The Citroën ELO Concept, designed as a “mobile living space,” carries up to six passengers and can transform for rest, work, or play with sleeping, workspace, or social zones.(Picture from: ArenaEV)
Designed as a “mobile living space,”the ELOcan carry up to six passengers and be reconfigured depending on needs. Its layout follows the rEst, pLay, and wOrk philosophy—also the meaning behind its name. The cabin can transform into a sleeping area for two, a mobile workspace with swivel chairs, or a social zone complete with a home cinema. It can even supply power for outdoor activities, extending its usefulness beyond the road.
The The Citroën ELO Concept, built on a fully electric platform, features a flat, modular cabin designed with Decathlon and Goodyear, creating a bright, practical, and welcoming space.(Picture from: TopGear)
Citroën’s leadership frames the ELO as a practical vision rather than a distant fantasy. CEO Xavier Chardon describes it as a clear expression of the brand’s creative, accessible, and comfort-focused DNA, aimed at solving present and future mobility challenges. Design Director Pierre Leclercq highlights its balance of form and function, emphasizing that the ELO is meant to enrich daily life through intelligent design, not excess technology. | sV_7Nu4GLa0 |
By revisiting the versatility that once defined the minivan era, the Citroën ELO shows how that concept can thrive again in an electric format. It challenges current automotive priorities by placing adaptability and shared experience at the center of mobility. In doing so, the ELO quietly suggests that the future of electric vehicles may not be about going faster, but about living better along the way. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CITROEN | ARENAEV | TOPGEAR | AUTONETMAGZ | VOI.ID | QUIRKYRIDES IN X ]
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💥HAPPY NEW YEAR💥 - When we think of automotive pioneers in the post-war era, the image of sleek, innovative European machines often comes to mind. Among these, a rare gem stands out not for mass production, but for its bold experimentation and racing pedigree: the 1954 Borgward Hansa 1500 Sportcoupe. Emerging at a time when the automotive world was rediscovering speed, elegance, and engineering prowess, this car represents a fascinating intersection of design ambition and motorsport heritage.
The 1954 Borgward Hansa 1500 Sport Coupe was designed as the road-going counterpart to the so-called “Le Mans Rennsport Coupes,” combining lightweight construction with advanced engineering. (Picture from: SwissCarGold)
The Borgward Hansa 1500 Sportcoupe was more than just a car—it was a statement. Designed as the road-going counterpart tothe so-called “Le Mans Rennsport Coupes,” it combined lightweight construction with advanced engineering. The body featured steel panels, but the doors, hood, and dashboard were meticulously crafted from aluminum, a forward-thinking choice in the 1950s that reduced weight while highlighting craftsmanship.
The 1954 Borgward Hansa 1500 Sport Coupe used a steel body with aluminum doors, hood, and dashboard to reduce weight while showcasing advanced craftsmanship for its era.(Picture from: SwissCarGold)
The rims were specially produced aluminum sheets with central locking, a feature typically reserved for racing machines, demonstrating Borgward’s commitment to performance even in a street car. The hydraulic brakes, equipped with oversized ribbed drums, were designed for efficient cooling, ensuring that stopping power matched the car’s potent engine.
The 1954 Borgward Hansa 1500 Sport Coupe reveals a beautifully restrained interior defined by a minimalist dashboard, classic round gauges, and warm period materials that reflect its racing-bred elegance.(Picture from: SwissCarGold)
At the heart ofthe Hansa 1500 Sportcoupe was Borgward’s first self-developed racing engine. This in-line four-cylinder powerhouse incorporated hemispheric combustion chambers, two Solex carburetors, and a lateral camshaft. Producing an impressive 80 horsepower, it outperformed contemporaries like the Porsche 356, which, despite having the same displacement, delivered only 70 horsepower and lagged slightly in top speed. The Hansa’s combination of lightweight construction and advanced engine design translated into a driving experience that felt both agile and purposeful—a rare achievement in its era.
The 1954 Borgward Hansa 1500 Sport Coupe featured Borgward’s first self-developed racing four-cylinder engine producing 80 horsepower.(Picture from: SwissCarGold)
However, brilliance came at a cost. With a price tag approximately 4,000 Deutsche Marks higher than comparable models likethe 356, the Hansa 1500 Sportcoupe was accessible only to a select clientele. This exclusivity, coupled with limited production—only two prototypes were ever built—meant that it never entered widespread circulation. Despite its scarcity, the engineering legacy of the car lived on: the engine became a cornerstone for Borgward’ssubsequent racing vehicles, powering entries in national and international competitions. Notably, in 1959, racing legend Stirling Moss piloted a Cooper T51fitted with a Borgward engine to four victories, a testament to the engine’s enduring capabilities.
The 1954 Borgward Hansa 1500 Sportcoupe embodies a rare combination of ambition, craftsmanship, and motorsport DNA.(Picture from: SwissCarGold)
After its debut at the 1954 Geneva Motor Show, the car found its way to Andre Stauffer, Borgward’s representative in Switzerland. Stauffer not only showcased the car in public appearances but also drove it in competitive mountain races such as the “Grand Prix Suisse de la Montagne” in 1956. Remarkably, decades later, the car remains largely in its original state. Its interior has never been restored, preserving a tangible connection to its mid-20th-century roots. Over the years, it has continued to grace rallies, concours d’élégance, and historic automotive gatherings, celebrated as a rare piece of German automotive history. | IH9UnVIKEvM |
The 1954 Borgward Hansa 1500 Sportcoupe embodies a rare combination of ambition, craftsmanship, and motorsport DNA. It tells a story of a time when carmakers dared to blend road-going practicality with racing technology, leaving behind not just a machine, but a legacy of engineering daring that continues to capture the imagination of collectors and enthusiasts today. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SWISSCARGOLD ]
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Design Reverie - Few things reveal the spirit of innovation in the automotive world quite like the concept cars that dared to break away from familiar shapes. Long before today’s designers began chasing ever-smoother silhouettes and smarter packaging, Italdesign had already been exploring what a truly unified, flowing vehicle could look like. This curiosity eventually led to one of its most intriguing creations: the Italdesign Aspid, a compact coupé whose unconventional form still feels fresh in a modern design landscape defined by efficiency, aerodynamics, and seamless integration.
The Itakdesign Aspid, a compact coupé whose unconventional form still feels fresh in a modern design landscape defined by efficiency, aerodynamics, and seamless integration. (Picture from: Carrozzieri-Italiani)
Although commonly associated with the early 1970s in terms of its conceptual origins, the Aspid itself arrived later as the second of two prototypes developed to celebrate Italdesign’s 20th anniversary in 1988. It grew out of the same ideas that shaped the earlier Aztec prototype, and from the waistline upward the two shared a strong design kinship. Yet the Aspidwasn’t simply a closed-roof version of its open-topped sibling. Its character emerged through subtle but significant differences—particularly in the front bumper and the bonnet. Here, the Aspid introduced a centrally positioned air intake and a noticeably smaller hood, choices that altered the car’s visual balance and hinted at a more cohesive, integrated shape.
The Itakdesign Aspid itself arrived later as the second of two prototypes developed to celebrate Italdesign’s 20th anniversary in 1988.(Picture from: Carrozzieri-Italiani)
That cohesiveness was essential, because the Aspid wasn’t just another stylistic exercise. It embodied Italdesign’s ongoing exploration of the one-box coupé form, a layout the company had first experimented with two decades earlier through the striking 1968 Bizzarrini Manta, and one it would revisit again decades later in the 2008 Quaranta. In the Aspid, this philosophy produced a shape that felt unified from front to rear, with no abrupt changes in surface or geometry. Its proportions suggested a single sculpted volume—clean, continuous, almost architectural—capturing an aerodynamic sensibility that aligns unexpectedly well with the priorities of today’s efficiency-focused mobility trends.
The Itakdesign Aspid embodied Italdesign’s ongoing exploration of the one-box coupé form, a layout the company had first experimented with two decades earlier through the striking 1968 Bizzarrini Manta.(Picture from: Carrozzieri-Italiani)
One of the Aspid’s most impressive breakthroughs came from something often overlooked in design discussions: the glass. Traditional automotive glass of the era, and still common today, typically uses a cylindrical cross-section. Italdesign instead developed a technique to mold double-curvature windows using spherical glass, allowing them to wrap the car’s body without introducing the sharp edges or breaks that normally appear where surface meets glazing. This was more than a neat trick. It enabled a level of visual harmony that concept cars often strive for but rarely achieve. The Aspid’s exterior became a fluid surface, its glass areas blending in rather than interrupting the form.
The Itakdesign Aspid's exterior became a fluid surface, its glass areas blending in rather than interrupting the form.(Picture from: Carrozzieri-Italiani)
Inside, the vehicle continued to express this boundary-pushing philosophy. The passenger compartment sat beneath a distinctive dome divided into two cross-sections, giving the cabin an identity all its own. The doors were equally unusual: a two-part system where the lower panel opened like a traditional door while the upper section rotated forward. This configuration wasn’t just theatrical—it made entering and exiting the low coupé noticeably easier, addressing one of the perennial challenges of futuristic sports-car design. Even access to vehicle information became an experiment, with both side panels offering coded entry to essential data, a detail that feels surprisingly modern in an age of digital locks and encrypted onboard systems.
The Italdesign Aspid balanced style and function by featuring rear wheels with streamlined covers that enhanced aerodynamics.(Picture from: UltimateCarPage)
Aerodynamics also played a role in the rear design, where the wheels were fitted with streamlined covers to reduce drag. Small touches like these, when viewed together, show how the Aspid balanced creative expression with functional thinking. It was a concept car that tried to look ahead not just stylistically but technologically, suggesting new techniques and new solutions that could influence production models. | 6wjBzDSQck0 |
Looking at the Aspid today, its significance lies not only in its bold form but in the ideas it helped crystalize. Many of the themes it explored—smoothly integrated glazing, unified body volumes, innovative access systems—remain part of the ongoing conversation about how future vehicles should be shaped and experienced. The Aspid serves as a reminder that forward thinking often requires stepping outside the conventional template, even if only for a prototype. It captures a moment in Italdesign’s history when creativity, experimentation, and technical ambition came together in a compact coupé that still feels ahead of its time. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CARROZZIERI-ITALIANI | ULTIMATECARPAGE ]
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Revived Rarity - In an era when compact European sports cars were gaining personality, few prototypes captured the hopeful energy of the 1960s quite like the TVR Tina Coupé. Its story began when Martin Lilley took over a struggling TVR in 1965 and immediately sought a fresh direction that could broaden the brand’s appeal. He envisioned a smaller, more affordable model built around the mechanicals of the Hillman Imp Sport, and he turned to designer Trevor Fiore to create an all-steel body that would embody this new philosophy. Fiore produced both a convertible and a fixed-head coupé, the latter ultimately constructed in Italy by Fissore shortly after the cabriolet made its first appearance at the 1966 Turin Motor Show.
The 1966 TVR Tina Coupé Concept was envisioned by Martin Lilley as a smaller, more affordable TVR built on Hillman Imp Sport mechanicals, with an all-steel body designed by Trevor Fiore. (Picture from: IconicAuctioneers)
The naming of the car became part of its charm. Lilley wanted something quickly, and since racing driver Gerry Marshall—an important figure at the Barnet Motor Company—was closely involved, the team chose to name it after his daughter, Tina. The long-standing anecdote claims they simply trimmed “Cor” off a Ford Cortina badge to create the emblem. The name also fit naturally beside the TVR Trident, which shared a subtle family resemblance. The early Tina prototypesattracted notable attention, and despite their modest Hillman-based underpinnings, they presented a stylish, compact 2+2 package powered by a twin-carburetor Imp engine producing around 55 bhp, dressed in pale gold paint with red leather trim.
The 1966 TVR Tina Convertible Concept was the companion model to the Coupé, built by Fissore at Martin Lilley’s request for joint display at the 1966 London Motor Show.(Picture from: Autoevolution)
However, early feedback pushed the project into further refinement. The front design ofthe Tina faced criticism for failing to satisfy the increasingly strict American regulations—an important consideration given that the U.S. market was essential for the car’s profitability. Fissore reworked the coupé’s design while completing the fixed-head version, and Lilley insisted that both the coupé and convertible appear at the October 1966 London Motor Show to signal TVR’s renewed confidence. The decision paid off: visitors were so enthusiastic that potential buyers offered blank cheques simply to secure a place on a future waiting list, and TVR’s factory phones rang nonstop afterward.
The 1966 TVR Tina Coupé Concept faced criticism over U.S. safety regulations, prompting Fissore to revise its front design, yet the compact 2+2 still drew strong attention. (Picture from: IconicAuctioneers)
Enthusiasm alone couldn’t solve the manufacturing challenges, as TVR lacked the capacity to build the Tina cheaply and in high volumes. The company explored partnerships with Rootes, Jensen, and Aston Martin to put the car into production. Rootes had the facilities but would have faced internal competition withits Alpine; Jensen, though skilled in body construction, doubted the Tina could reach the sales volume needed—especially in the American market; Aston Martin, meanwhile, faced financial constraints that ruled out participation. Complicating matters further, the plan to bond a fiberglass body to the Imp’s steel subframe proved impractical, while a full metal body would have been too heavy for the intended engine.
The 1966 TVR Tina Coupé Concept presented a stylish, compact 2+2 layout highlighted by red leather trim on the seats and door panels. (Picture from: IconicAuctioneers)
Despite these obstacles, TVR continued to push the concept. Only the Tina Coupé appeared at the 1967 Turin Motor Show, accompanied by optimistic claims that production would begin in early 1968 with a price of £998 including taxes. Yet every attempt to make the project viable eventually collapsed under the combined weight of cost issues, capacity limitations, and doubts about market suitability. As a result, the Tinanever progressed beyond its two prototypes, which gradually faded from public view even though they had briefly served as showstoppers that helped portray TVR as an ambitious and forward-moving company.
The 1966 TVR Tina Coupé Concept was adorned with an elegant pale gold exterior that emphasized its refined yet understated 1960s character. (Picture from: IconicAuctioneers)
One of the prototypes resurfaced years later in the hands of Gerry Marshall, who acquired a neglected coupé in 1989 with the intention of restoring it. But his long and successful racing career left little free time, and the car remained untouched until his daughter Tina inherited it in 2005. Motivated by childhood memories, she began an extensive restoration effort that involved gathering archival photographs, researching technical details, and reconnecting with individuals who had worked on the original build—including David Hives, one of the craftsmen involved in constructing the first car.
The 1966 TVR Tina Coupé Concept was powered by a twin-carburetor Hillman Imp engine producing around 55 bhp. (Picture from: IconicAuctioneers)
Through years of patient and meticulous work, Tina managed to revive the car that once bore her name. Restored in its original pale gold finish with red leather interior and running on its twin-carburetor Imp engine, the car is now fully road-legal. Today, it occasionally appears at major automotive events, such as its recent presence alongsidethe new Griffith at Goodwood—an appearance that echoed TVR’s tradition of pairing its latest models with memorable, eye-catching companions. Even next to a modern, muscular TVR, the petite and elegant Tina still holds its own.
The 1966 TVR Tina Coupé Concept remains especially meaningful as a near-realized path for TVR, reflecting the brand’s creative ambition and renewed momentum in the late 1960s despite never reaching production. (Picture from: IconicAuctioneers)
The survival of the TVR Tina Coupé feels especially meaningful now because it represents a path TVR nearly pursued but never fully realized. Although the car never reached production, it demonstrated the company’s creative ambition during a pivotal moment and helped project an image of renewed vitality in the late 1960s. Through its restoration, the Tina has regained not just its physical form but also its place in the brand’s narrative—a small, charming reminder of what TVR once dreamed of becoming. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CARROZZIERI-ITALIANI | AUTOEVOLUTION | ICONICAUCTIONEERS | CLASSIC CARS & CONCEPT CARS IN FACEBOOK ]
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Fiberglass Renaissance - At a time when today’s sports cars often feel shaped more by software than by hand, it’s compelling to revisit the era when fiberglass first opened the door for everyday enthusiasts to build machines of their own. That environment gave rise to Canadian entrepreneur Leslie Albert Dawes, who founded LaDawri Coachcraft in 1956 and moved the operation to Southern California in 1957, where custom-car culture flourished.
The supercharged LaDawri Conquest shown here, assembled in Wyoming in the 1960s, revives a long-forgotten era of American fiberglass sports cars. (Picture from: Motorious)
Across roughly nineteen fiberglass models produced before the company closed in 1965, the LaDawri Conquestemerged as his most recognized design, earning a Road & Track cover appearance that same year and firmly establishing itself as one of North America’s earliest fiberglass sports cars. Its significance feels even more striking now, when handcrafted innovation is returning to the spotlight in a world dominated by factory-perfect precision.
The LaDawri Conquest embodies LaDawri’s design philosophy, with bodies mounted on donor frames and fitted with whatever components builders could source, ensuring no two cars were ever alike. (Picture from: Motorious)
One surviving Conquest, originally assembled in Wyoming during the 1960s, captures that inventive spirit with clarity. Riding on a shortened 1952 Ford chassis, it wears a blue fiberglass body paired with matching blue vinyl upholstery—choices that reflect both the builder’s taste and the practical realities of kit-car construction. LaDawri bodies were intended to be mounted on donor frames and fitted with whichever components builders could source, ensuring no twoConquestswere ever the same. This particular example channels that philosophy through period-correct engineering, including a C4 three-speed automatic transmission and a Ford 9-inch rear axle equipped with Positraction.
The LaDawri Conquest rides on a shortened 1952 Ford
chassis and wears a blue fiberglass body with matching blue vinyl
upholstery, reflecting both the builder’s taste and the practical
realities of kit-car construction. (Picture from: Motorious)
Lift the compact hood and the car’s ambitions become unmistakable. A Paxton-supercharged 289-cubic-inch Ford V8 sits at the center of the build, fed by a Holley four-barrel carburetor and a HiPo intake manifold that transform the lightweight fiberglass shell into a surprisingly potent machine. Its supporting parts reinforce its handmade identity: drum brakes at all four corners, chrome wire wheels, and a mix of sourced components ranging from a 1950s Chevrolet truck windshield to Lucas headlights, Pontiac taillights, and an integrated roll bar. These mismatched yet intentional choices form a visual language unique to homebuilt performance cars of the era.
The LaDawri Conquest reveals its bold intent through a Paxton-supercharged 289 V8 with a Holley four-barrel and HiPo intake that make its lightweight body impressively potent. (Picture from: Motorious)(Picture from: Motorious)
Inside, the Conquest embraces a similar blend of simplicity and customization. Stewart-Warner gauges provide crisp instrumentation, while a Fenton shifter anchors the driving position and dual heaters offer a surprising touch of practicality for a minimalist cabin. The interior isn’t polished in the way modern sports cars strive to be, but that’s precisely what makes it compelling—it’s a reflection of decisions made by its original builder, guided by function, creativity, and whatever parts were accessible at the time. | LF5lSJ0hidI | mmi0ePBfGzc |
Today, this supercharged Conquest stands as a vivid reminder of a period when American car culture celebrated resourcefulness, accessibility, and the thrill of shaping a vehicle by hand. As interest in early composite-bodied sports cars continues its resurgence, machines like this offer a direct link to that experimental era—one defined by ambition, improvisation, and a belief that extraordinary performance didn’t require a factory badge so much as the will to build something entirely your own. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MOTORIOUS | UNDISCOVEREDCLASSICS | WIKIPEDIA ]
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Engineered Dissent - The late 1960s and early 1970s were a turbulent yet thrilling chapter in automotive history, when ambition often outweighed caution. Exotic cars were no longer just about speed; they became statements of intent, personality, and rivalry. Within this climate of experimentation and challenge, the De Tomaso Mangusta appeared as a bold declaration rather than a calculated product, embodying the restless spirit of its era and the uncompromising vision of its creator.
The De Tomaso Mangusta appeared as a bold declaration rather than a calculated product, embodying the restless spirit of its era and the uncompromising vision of its creator. (Picture from: Carrozzieri-Italiani)
Unveiled in production form by 1971 asthe De Tomaso Mangusta by Ghia, the car owed much of its visual impact to Giorgetto Giugiaro, then working at Carrozzeria Ghia. The design was strikingly futuristic: low-slung, wide, and tense, with sharp surfaces that looked carved rather than styled. Its most recognizable feature was the split rear engine cover, hinged along a central spine and opening upward in gullwing fashion, with tinted plexiglass revealing the V8 beneath. Flared wheel arches, large alloy wheels, and a sleek fastback profile completed a shape that still feels dramatic decades later.
The De Tomaso Mangusta, unveiled in production form by 1971, owed much of its visual impact to Giorgetto Giugiaro during his tenure at Carrozzeria Ghia. (Picture from: Carrozzieri-Italiani)
Even the name carried intention. “Mangusta” means mongoose in Italian—an animal famous for killing cobras. This was no poetic coincidence. At the time, the Shelby Cobra ruled the performance conversation, powered by Ford V8 engines similar to those used by De Tomaso. By choosing this name, Alejandro de Tomaso quietly framed his car as a challenger, a symbolic predator aimed at one of the most respected sports cars of the era. The Mangusta was designed not just to exist alongside legends, but to confront them.
The De Tomaso Mangusta reflected its race-bred philosophy inside, with a compact cabin tightly wrapped around two occupants, limited rearward visibility, and modest luggage space. (Picture from: Carrozzieri-Italiani)
Inside, the Mangusta reflected its race-bred philosophy. The cabin was compact and tightly wrapped around its two occupants, with limited rearward visibility and modest luggage space. Comfort played a secondary role, though features such as power windows and optional air conditioning were available. The driving position placed the driver close to the mechanical core of the car, reinforcing the sense that this was a machine focused on engagement rather than indulgence.
The De Tomaso Mangusta was powered by Ford V8 engines—most commonly 289 or 302 cubic-inch units—paired with a ZF five-speed transaxle derived from serious competition machinery. (Picture from: Carrozzieri-Italiani)
Power came from a mid-mounted Ford V8—most commonly a 289 or 302 cubic-inch unit—paired with a ZF five-speed transaxle borrowed from serious competition machinery. Performance was formidable for its time, with De Tomaso claiming top speeds beyond 150 mph. However, the pressed-steel backbone chassis struggled to fully contain the V8’s muscle. A heavy rear weight bias and limited rigidity resulted in handling that could feel unpredictable, alternating between understeer and oversteer depending on conditions, making the Mangusta thrilling but demanding at speed.
The De Tomaso Mangusta, produced in limited numbers of around 400 units, stands today as a daring blend of American muscle and Italian design. (Picture from: Carrozzieri-Italiani)
Although often linked in conversation to the 1969 De Tomaso Mangusta Shelby Mark V Prototype, it is important to understand that the Mangusta did not originate from that collaboration. By the time Carroll Shelby became involved in the experimental Mark V project, the Mangusta had already been designed, revealed, and was in production. The Shelby Mark V was a later, standalone prototype—an exploration of potential evolution rather than the Mangusta’s foundation—and it never progressed beyond the experimental stage as De Tomaso shifted focus toward more viable future projects. | u6F9AXmqiPE |
That future arrived in the form ofthe Pantera, which replaced the Mangustain 1971 and achieved far greater commercial success. Yet the Mangusta’s legacy remains uniquely powerful. Produced in limited numbers—around 400 units—it stands today as a daring blend of American muscle and Italian design, a car driven by symbolism as much as engineering. Imperfect, provocative, and unforgettable, the De Tomaso Mangusta represents a moment when courage mattered more than certainty, leaving an enduring mark on automotive history. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | STORY-CARS | CARROZZIERI-ITALIANI | SILODROME | CLASSIC CAR VOYAGE IN FACEBOOK ]
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