ATS
2500 GT
Recently
brought back from the dead, Italy’s ATS has announced plans to introduce a new
supercar dubbed 2500 GT at the Top Marques show that opens its doors today in
Monaco.
We
should provide a little bit of background information before we go any further.
In 1962, a handful of Ferrari employees that had been fired by Enzo himself
joined forces and started a new company called ATS, an acronym that stood for
Automobili Turismo Sport. Boldly determined to fight head-to-head against
Ferrari, the company developed a powerful coupe called 2500 GT that was
presented at the 1962 edition of the Geneva Motor Show. ATS quickly found
itself in dire financial straits and it managed to build just 15 examples of
the GT before shutting down in 1964.
Over
50 years later, ATS is back and it is ready to fire a second shot at Ferrari.
The 21st century 2500 GT takes the form of a retro-inspired two-seater coupe
that can be built either on a tubular frame or on a carbon fiber monocoque.
Either way, the GT tips the scale at a hair over 2,000 pounds in its lightest
configuration thanks to body panels crafted out of carbon fiber.
The
coupe pays homage to the original 2500 GT with design cues like elongated
headlights, a fastback-like silhouette, a truncated rear end and round tail
lamps. Pictures of the interior have not been published yet but ATS promises
the retro-styled treatment continues in the cabin with a back-to-the-basics
dashboard devoid of all superfluous equipment and a Nardi steering wheel.
Technical
details are a little murky. ATS says the 2500 GT is powered by a 90-degree
naturally-aspirated V8 engine that makes over 640 horsepower at 10,000 rpm but
it has not revealed the mill’s origins. The company boldly promises that the GT
can reach 62 mph from a stop in just 2.9 seconds and reach a top speed of over
211 mph.
Power
is sent to the rear wheels via either a six-speed manual transmission or an
optional sequential unit. Six-piston Brembo front calipers bring the action to
a stop but, oddly enough, the GT is not fitted with ABS.
Source
: digitaltrends.com
