In 1961, a group of eight engineers and technicians complained to Enzo Ferrari about what they perceived as poor management of the company that also include the overbearing influence wielded by old man Ferrari’s wife. However, in disagreement with their view, Ferrari fired them all. But the employees had a grand plan to get back at Ferrari, and it entails building cars that will outperform Ferrari cars, both on the race strip and the street. Hence, in 1963, led by Carlo Chiti and Giotto Bizzarrini, the ousted employees formed the Automobili Turismo e Sport, known as ATS.
This is certainly not a story with a happy ending, because ATS failed spectacularly due to bankruptcy. Yet, during its brief reign, which lasted till 1965, the Italian company built a few units of great Formula One racing cars and a road-going sports car – the ATS 2500 GT. While several unsuccessful revival attempts have been made in the past, ATS seems to have finally found the right revival formula, having successfully introduced the incredibly gorgeous ATS GT in 2017. Let’s tell you more about this amazing sports car.
10 Spiritual Predecessor
The ATS GT is the spiritual successor to the incredibly awesome ATS 2500 GT. Launched at the 1963 Geneva Motor Show, the ATS 2500 GT is a mid-engined sports car, and it is highly revered for several reasons that include it being the first-ever mid-engined production road car.
The 2500 GT is fitted with a 90-degree V8 engine which displaces 2.5-liter with a top speed capability of 150 mph. Notably, ATS also had plans of building a lighter and more powerful version known as the 2500 GTS, but the car was never produced.
9 Based On McLaren 650S
To build the modern GT, ATS adopted a modern platform from McLaren. Precisely, the ATS GT is based on the McLaren 650S, a model that in itself was based on the McLaren 12C. Unveiled at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, the McLaren 650S remained in production till 2017, and it received 25% new parts in comparison with the 12C.
Some elements adopted by the GT from the McLaren 650S include the dihedral doors, airbrake, and wing mirrors, as well as other mechanical features such as engine and transmission.
8 Interior
ATS puts a major focus on making the interior of the GT as ergonomically pleasing as possible. Hence, the ATS GT’s cabin is designed to have the driver faced with a thin but detailed TFT instrument cluster, and direct access to control the suspension, powertrain, and rear wing through centrally mounted buttons on the dashboard.
Furthermore, the GT also features a robust and state-of-the-art infotainment setup integrated with the professional “Prima Orchestra” hi-fi system and wireless charging.
7 Powertrain
As a modern, highly impressive sports car, power generation is properly handled in the new GT. The amazing sports car features a twin-turbocharged V8 engine with an incredible output of 641 horsepower in the standard trim and as much as 690 horsepower in the optionally upgraded version.
Also, maximum torque in the GT is rated at 500 lb-ft in the base version, while it’s increased to 553 lb-ft in the upgraded version. GT sends power to wheels through a seven-speed sequential transmission, helping the car to a top speed of 206 mph.
6 Performance
Inspired by the original ATS 2500 GT, a car built in the era when ATS was majorly focused on producing race cars, the new GT surely had to live up to the very high performance standards of its predecessors.
Hence, courtesy of its twin-turbocharged engine mated to the amazing seven-speed sequential gearbox, the awesome GT is capable of accelerating from rest to 60 mph in a time of 3.0 seconds. Also, the sports car is capable of speeding from rest to 120 mph in 9.9 seconds, at 206 mph.
5 Drive Mode
ATS GT has several premium features that put it at par with some of the most terrific sports cars in the current automotive market. Some of these include the G-meter, launch control, as well as the sports car’s variable driving modes. Notably, there are three driving modes in the GT. These are the Viaggio, Sport, and Corsa.
The Viaggio is adopted for standard road use, while the Sport and Corsa are for track use. The Corsa, however, offers the ultimate racetrack experience with an aggressive engine and suspension setup.
4 Carbon Fiber Body
Just like the McLaren 650S it was based on, the ATS GT is built on a carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer chassis. Also, carbon fiber is extensively used in building the car’s entire bodywork, thereby helping it achieve an incredibly low weight of about 2,860 pounds. Furthermore, drawing inspiration from the vintage predecessor, the GT’s rear window has been deleted.
Nonetheless, to show its contemporaneity over its predecessor, the GT features an active rear spoiler that acts as an airbrake by captivatingly flipping up upon braking.
3 Bespoke
There are several reasons an ATS GT owner would be excited about the car, and one of them is its uniqueness. The ATS GT is bespoke as each unit will be built to order, thereby allowing the owners to determine the constituent of some fittings incorporated into the car.
Some of these include the materials adopted in fabricating the interior components, as well as the colors on the interior and exterior of the car, among other things. With this approach, no two GTs are going to be the same.
2 Cost
Bespoke cars often aren’t within the budget range of an average car enthusiast, and it’s the same with the ATS GT. Usually, bespoke cars are acquired by the wealthiest people in society due to the cost involved, and it is often a staple of luxury brands like Rolls-Royce or Ferrari.
The process of acquiring the car often involves getting the customer to determine some car features before production. These and more probably justify the new GT’s price tag of a whopping $1,150,000.
1 Production Number
ATS could only produce one unit of the 2500 GT in the ‘60s before the company folded. The Franco Scaglione designed car couldn’t be produced in huge numbers as investor withdrew their financial support, thereby ending the project. However, we will be seeing more units of the new GT in the market as ATS has proposed to build 12 units of the sports car.
Nonetheless, having been slammed with such a high price tag, the relatively small production number is quite understandable as only the super-rich can afford the car.
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