The Ghia 450 SS was a coachbuilt Italian roadster built around American hardware. Its Chrysler 273 V8 and Plymouth Barracuda running gear sat under hand-beaten steel panels, and only 57 examples left Turin before production ended in late 1967. The design is usually credited to Sergio Sartorelli, with final touches by Giorgetto Giugiaro.
Ghia 450 SS at a glance
| Maker | Carrozzeria Ghia, Turin |
|---|---|
| Shown | Turin, 1966 |
| Production | 1966–1967 (late cars as 1968 models) |
| Built | 57 (some sources say 52) |
| Body | two-door roadster with standard hardtop |
| Seats | 2+2 |
| Engine | Chrysler 273 cu in (4.5 L) LA V8, 235 hp |
| Chassis | ladder frame, hand-beaten steel panels |
| Donor parts | Plymouth Barracuda |
| Design | Sergio Sartorelli; grille and details revised by Giorgetto Giugiaro |
| Predecessor | Ghia G230 S (1963) |
The 450 SS has no article of its own; this page is based on the Ghia 450 SS section of the English Wikipedia article on Carrozzeria Ghia (one source).
History of the Ghia 450 SS
The G230 S (1963)
At the 1963 Turin show Ghia presented the Ghia G230 S, a two-seater based on the Fiat 2300. Unlike the Fiat 2300 Coupé, which Ghia also designed and bodied, the G230 S sat on a tubular spaceframe designed and built by the specialists Gilco. Four examples were made, two coupés and two convertibles. Ghia’s owner Luigi Segre had pushed for the car, but after his sudden death it never entered production.
Burt Sugarman’s idea
In 1965 the film and television producer Burt Sugarman saw a picture of the G230 S on the cover of Road & Track and convinced Ghia to build another car along similar lines. The result was the Ghia 450 SS, which continued the company’s long collaboration with Chrysler. Its engine was Chrysler’s newly introduced 273-cubic-inch (4.5-litre) “LA” V8 with 235 hp, and so many of the car’s parts and systems came from the Plymouth Barracuda that the earliest cars were delivered with a Barracuda manual and some pages crossed out.
The 450 SS used the same design language as the smaller G230 S, but its hand-beaten steel panels sat on a more traditional and sturdier ladder frame. Unlike the smaller car it was a 2+2, with vestigial rear seat accommodation, and it was built only as a two-door roadster with a hardtop included as standard.
Who designed it
Over the years many people have credited the design to Giorgetto Giugiaro, but he only left Bertone for Ghia late in 1965, too late to have much impact on the car. The 450 SS was actually designed by Sergio Sartorelli, and Giugiaro revised the grille, front bumper and rear before the car was presented at Turin in 1966. The 450 SS was built until late 1967, with late examples registered as 1968 models; 57 cars were made, although some sources give figures as low as 52.
Design and features
- American heart: a 235 hp Chrysler 273 V8 in a small Italian roadster.
- Barracuda underneath: so many components came from Plymouth that early cars were supplied with a Barracuda manual.
- Coachbuilt body: hand-beaten steel panels over a sturdy ladder frame.
- Open only: a two-door roadster, with a hardtop included as standard.
- Turin design: the G230 S language, drawn by Sergio Sartorelli and revised by Giorgetto Giugiaro.
Ghia 450 SS versions
- Ghia G230 S (1963): the Fiat 2300-based two-seater on a Gilco spaceframe, four built.
- 450 SS roadster (1966–1967): the production car, 57 built.
- Late 1968-model cars: the final examples registered as 1968 models.
Ghia also styled the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia, the mass-produced car that made the coachbuilder famous. More cars are in the Ghia collection.
Sources
- Carrozzeria Ghia, English Wikipedia: G230 S, 450 SS, engine, production numbers
