De Tomaso Vallelunga

De Tomaso Vallelunga

The 1965 De Tomaso Vallelunga was the first production car from Alejandro de Tomaso's eponymous company, establishing the template of combining American-sourced engines with Italian chassis and bodywork that would define the marque. Named after the Autodromo Vallelunga race circuit near Rome, this small, lightweight mid-engine sports car demonstrated the engineering ambitions that would later produce the more famous Mangusta and Pantera.

The Vallelunga was powered by a 1,498cc Ford Cortina GT inline-four engine, producing approximately 104 horsepower in De Tomaso's tune. While this seems modest, the car weighed only approximately 680 kg, providing a respectable power-to-weight ratio. The engine was mounted longitudinally behind the driver, feeding the rear wheels through a five-speed Hewland gearbox — a racing-derived unit that demonstrated De Tomaso's competition background.

The chassis was a sophisticated backbone design, with a central steel spine from which the suspension was mounted. This provided excellent rigidity for the car's light weight and allowed easy access to mechanical components. The body, designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro (then working for Ghia), was a clean, attractive shape with good aerodynamic efficiency.

Suspension was independent at all four corners using double wishbones with coil springs, providing sharp handling that exploited the mid-engine layout's inherent balance. Disc brakes at all four wheels provided stopping power appropriate to the car's performance. The overall driving experience was engaging and responsive, rewarding skilled drivers with excellent feedback and adjustability.

De Tomaso produced only approximately 53 Vallelungas between 1964 and 1968, making it extremely rare. The car was primarily sold in small numbers to European enthusiasts who valued its sophisticated chassis design, mid-engine layout, and lightweight construction. It was a proof of concept that demonstrated De Tomaso could build a proper sports car, paving the way for the V8-powered models that would follow.

Today, the Vallelunga is a rare and fascinating collector car that represents the birth of a marque. Its significance in the De Tomaso story, combined with its extreme rarity and Giugiaro body design, makes it a highly prized find for collectors of Italian sports cars and De Tomaso enthusiasts.