ATS plans sports car return and De Tomaso comeback

Historic Italian car brand returns with two new road cars, but also plans to bring back the De Tomaso name next year

 

ATS, the 1960s Italian car maker and Formula 1 entrant, is planning to return to sports car manufacturing with two new road cars.

The £45,000 ATS Sport is a two-seat road car with a track focus. It will be powered by a choice of an Extreme Engines Hayabusa units or a turbocharged 1.6-litre GM powerplant, offering between 185bhp and 300bhp, depending on the state of tune. The car will have a dry weight of 470kg.

The ATS Leggera will weigh 650kg dry and be powered by a 1.6-litre turbo GM engine with 210-300bhp. Prices will range from £45,000 to £60,000. Both cars will use a stainless steel frame with an epoxy resin body. 

ATS was formed in 1963 by ex-Ferrari personnel. Its debut model was the ATS 2500 GT sports car and the firm lasted until 1965. Pre-production tests of both new cars is understood to be imminent, with ATS management currently seeking to appoint dealers. 

It is also understood that ATS owns the rights to the De Tomaso name and that it is working towards a relaunch of the brand later next year. ATS secured the rights in November last year, with reports suggesting the company could use its ATS 2500 GT supercar as the basis for a new Pantera

VIMAL SINGH PGDM 1ST