The IKA Torino was the first car developed and built entirely in Argentina. Introduced on 30 November 1966, it combined the body of the Rambler American with a Pininfarina restyle and an Argentine-built Tornado six, and it stayed in production, under Renault ownership, until 1981.
IKA Torino at a glance
| Maker | Industrias Kaiser Argentina, Santa Isabel, Córdoba |
|---|---|
| Production | 1966–1981 |
| Bodies | two-door hardtop coupé and four-door sedan |
| Base | Rambler American body, restyled by Pininfarina |
| Engine | Tornado six, 2960 cc or 3770 cc, single overhead camshaft |
| Gearbox | four-speed manual |
| Fastest version | GS200, 203 km/h |
| Built | 99,792 |
| Racing | fourth in class, Marathon de la Route, Nürburgring, 1969 |
| Titles | Turismo Carretera 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971 and 2022 |
History of the IKA Torino
By the early 1960s IKA wanted a car that would combine American reliability with European style. The company sent two 1965 Rambler Americans, a hardtop coupé and a sedan, to Pininfarina for a new front, rear and interior, while the basic body, engine bay and boot stayed with the Rambler American. The front suspension used the upper and lower arms of the Rambler Classic, the rear suspension came from the IKA Bergantín, and the wheelbase was about 2.5 cm longer than the American’s. The car was shown on 30 November 1966 at the Autódromo Municipal in Buenos Aires and marketed as the «Auto Argentino»; IKA did not publicise how much of it came from the United States.
Three versions were offered at the launch: a sedan with a three-litre engine and a four-speed gearbox with a column lever, a pillarless coupé with the 3770 cc engine, a Holley carburettor and a ZF four-speed, and the high-performance 380 W with three Weber DCOE 17 carburettors. The range carried a Tornado six with a single overhead camshaft, hemispherical combustion chambers and, in some versions, three carburettors — solutions that made the car suitable for competition as well as for the road.
The engine was developed over the model’s ten years. The Tornado Special 181 of 2960 cc went into the 300 and 300S; the 3770 cc Tornado Interceptor with four main bearings served the 380, 380W, TS, SE and GS200; and from late 1973 the Torino 233 used a new block and head with seven main bearings in the SE, GR, TS, TSX, GS and ZX. The GS200 replaced the 380W and was the first Argentine car to exceed 200 km/h, reaching 203 km/h. A 241 cu in Tornado Interceptor was prepared for the 380W TC racing cars.
Competition was part of the marketing. IKA set up the «Argentine Mission of 1969» under Juan Manuel Fangio, with engineer Oreste Berta co-ordinating, and sent three lightened cars to the Marathon de la Route at the Nürburgring. Weight fell from 1407 to 1365 kg, power rose to 250 hp, and top speed to 230 km/h. After three and a half days the No. 3 car of Eduardo Copello, Alberto Rodríguez Larreta and Oscar Mauricio Franco had covered the most laps, 334, but lost the lead on penalties. That car is now in the Juan Manuel Fangio museum in Balcarce, and Fangio himself used a 1970 Torino 380S sedan as his everyday car until 1974; it was sold at Silverstone in 2022 for £28,175.
Production ended in 1981, or 1982 according to the English article, after Renault took over IKA and the Argentine market opened to imports. By then the Torino had won the Turismo Carretera in 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971 and again in 2022, and it remained the only non-Renault model the French company built in the late 1970s — probably the last front-engined, rear-wheel-drive Renault. Argentines still call it the national car, parts remain available and the model is still raced in silhouette form with Jeep Cherokee engines.
Design and features
- Argentine design: a Pininfarina restyle of the Rambler American, presented as the country’s own car.
- Tornado six: a single-overhead-camshaft engine built in Argentina, from 2960 cc to 3770 cc.
- Two bodies: a four-door sedan and a pillarless two-door hardtop coupé.
- Racing record: a class result at the 1969 Marathon de la Route and five Turismo Carretera titles.
- Long life: unchanged basic platform from 1966 to 1981, with 99,792 cars built.
IKA Torino versions
- 300 and 300S (1966–): sedan with the 2960 cc Tornado Special 181.
- 380 and 380S: 3770 cc Tornado Interceptor; the S is the four-door.
- 380 W: three Weber DCOE 17 carburettors, the fastest road version of its time.
- TS and TSX: later sports versions on the same engine.
- GS200: replacement for the 380W and the first Argentine car over 200 km/h.
- Torino 233 (from 1973): seven-bearing engine in SE, GR, TS, TSX, GS and ZX trim.
- 380 W TC: competition car with the 241 cu in Tornado Interceptor.
The Torino grew out of the Rambler line that IKA built from 1962, and it shared its engine family with the IKA Jeep. More cars are in the IKA collection.
Video: Torino El auto argentino 1
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- IKA-Renault Torino, English Wikipedia: development, engines, racing, production
- IKA Torino, Spanish Wikipedia: launch versions, platform details, model range
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