Effeffe Berlinetta
Now you're looking at a brand
new car, not one that has spent 50 years under a tarp in some barn in the
Italian countryside. The vintage-looking Berlinetta, dreamed up by the brothers
Frigorio, has been in the works for a number of years now. It was initially
unveiled at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este two years ago, and the
official introduction will be held at the 2016 Top Marques show in Monaco.
As it stands, it offers a
fascinating glimpse into the way sports cars used to be built, with virtually
nothing to let a casual observer know that it's factory fresh. The drivetrain
on the two-seater Berlinetta is classic Italian, using a front-mid-mounted Alfa
Romeo Twin Cam four-cylinder, which originally dates back to 1971 in design.
Naturally, the two-liter unit is coupled to a five-speed manual gearbox, and
the two Weber DCOE carburetors finish off the power figures at 180 horsepower
at 6,500 rpm.
The car follows classic Alfa
Romeo lines, but isn't a direct replica, rather a tribute to Italian GT car
building half a century ago – the chassis is a handmade tubular spaceframe and
the entire Berlinetta will weigh less than 1,760 lbs. There are disc brakes
front and rear, and while the front suspension is independent, the rear relies
on a solid live axle complete with a Watt's linkage setup. And – of course – it
sits on wire wheels with center knock-off lugs.
As for the interior, it will
all be custom-made and tailored to the buyer's taste, and each car will be
unique. The full Matteograssi leather interior includes a matching luggage set,
too, and the driver will be holding a wooden Nardi steering wheel.
What kind of price would you
expect for something like this? The Frigerio brothers have priced their
small-series creation at nearly US$ 320,000. That includes some track time to get
to grips with one's new 1960s sportscar, and the chassis settings will be
fine-tuned to one's personal preferences. There are plans to widen the
portfolio with another model, and we're hoping that will be a drop-top Spider
made in the same style.
