The Intermeccanica Italia was the grand tourer with which a small Turin coachbuilder moved from building bodies for other people to selling complete cars under its own name. It was first called the Torino, and became the Italia when it turned out that Ford had already registered that name. About 500 were built between 1966 and 1972, as a coupé and as a convertible, all powered by Ford V8 engines.
Intermeccanica Italia at a glance
| Maker | Costruzione Automobili Intermeccanica, Turin |
|---|---|
| Production | 1966–1972, about 500 cars |
| Body styles | two-door coupé; convertible |
| Engine | Ford V8 |
| Running gear | Ford |
| Chassis design | John Crosthwaite |
| Styling | Franco Scaglione |
| First name | Torino |
| Show car | Italia IMX, Turin 1969, never produced |
| Peak output | 100–120 cars a year |
Neither Wikipedia edition has a separate article on the Italia; this page uses the sections on the car in the English and Italian articles on Intermeccanica. The two differ slightly on the end of production: the English page gives 1972, the Italian one 1970.
History of the Intermeccanica Italia
From a stalled American project to a Turin grand tourer
In 1966 Intermeccanica began a project with Jack Griffith of Long Island for a larger, all-steel car with more financing behind it. The Griffith GT was shaped by Robert Cumberford, refined by Franco Scaglione and given a chassis by the former BRM designer John Crosthwaite, and a car with a Plymouth 4.5-litre V8 was shown at the 1966 New York Motor Show. Tooling was built and production started, but only about fourteen cars had been shipped when Griffith’s company closed. A new customer, Steve Wilder, took the project over, renamed the cars Omega and had them assembled by Holman and Moody in North Carolina; 33 were delivered in the United States.
The episode made it clear that the only way forward was to sell cars that left Italy fully assembled and running. With the help of the Credito Italiano bank Intermeccanica found a distributor in Genser Forman of New Jersey, and output reached 100 to 120 cars a year. These cars used Ford V8 engines and Ford running gear. By 1970 about 500 had been built, first under the name Torino and later as the Italia, because Ford already had the Torino name registered for its own line of cars.
The Italia on the market
The Italia was produced both as a coupé and as a convertible, the open version being described in the company’s history as very successful. The cars were appreciated in Europe, especially in Germany, and in North America: at the 1969 New York Motor Show Intermeccanica appeared with three separate stands. At the Turin show of the same year the company showed a variant called the Italia IMX, which never reached production. The success of the Italia attracted the attention of Opel, and the cooperation that followed produced the Indra of 1971, a car with Opel mechanics and brakes and Chevrolet engines.
The end of the Italian years
The Italian chapter closed abruptly. In 1974 a change of policy at General Motors cut Intermeccanica off from both Opel mechanical parts and Chevrolet engines, and from part of its distribution network. The company moved to California in 1975, first to San Bernardino and then to Santa Ana, and turned to building replicas rather than its own grand tourers. The name Italia was not used again for a new model.
Design and features
- Ford V8 power: the engine and running gear came from Ford, which made the car easier to maintain in the United States.
- Italian steel body: the body was built in Turin, with styling refined by Franco Scaglione.
- Two body styles: a closed coupé and an open convertible, the latter the more successful of the two.
- Complete cars: unlike the earlier Apollo and Griffith/Omega deals, the Italia left Italy assembled and running.
Intermeccanica Italia versions
- Torino: the original name of the car, dropped because Ford had registered it.
- Italia coupé: the closed two-door grand tourer.
- Italia convertible: the open version, described as very successful.
- Italia IMX: a variant shown at the 1969 Turin show that never entered production.
The Italia was followed in the range by the Indra of 1971, and the company later became known for the 356 Speedster replica and the Roadster. More cars are in the Intermeccanica collection.
Video: Vintage: Intermeccanica Italia Spyder
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Intermeccanica, English Wikipedia: history, Griffith/Omega project, production, Ford engines
- Intermeccanica, Italian Wikipedia: Italia production years, IMX show car, Opel cooperation
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