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ASA Cars

AT the Turin Motorshow in 1961 a prototype car  on the Bertone stand, designed by Giugiaro  with the blessing of Enzo Ferrari  the engine and chassis were designed at Maranello. 

Despite positive comments, Ferrari made it known that they would not be producing it, and so in April 1962 was born ASA or Autocostruzione Societa per Azione  to produce it. With financial backing by the Oronzo de Nora petroleum company the car entered volume production in 1964, built at the rate of around one per week. 

Unfortunately a lack of success meant that after only a few years production stopped and the ASA disappeared.

 

1000GT

At the Turin Motorshow of 1962 the ASA 1000 GT was finally revealed in its final form.

The lack of the fairings for the headlights being the main difference from the prototype shown one year earlier   The only production variant to appear was a Spider version with a fibreglass body, again designed by Bertone, and displayed in 1963.

Known to some as the 'Ferrarina', the 1000GT was a front engined rear-wheel drive two door coupe with a tubular spaceframe chassis. 

The body was designed by Bertone, whilst the mechanicals were designed by Giotto Bizzarrini (working at  Ferrari). It was powered by a 1032cc dohc engine producing a stunning 91bhp and fitted with two twin barrel carburettors. Disc brakes were fitted on all four wheels, together with a double wishbone coil spring front suspension and a coil sprung live rear axle. A four speed manual transmission (with overdrive on third and fourth "ala"  MG ) was fitted.

Production began slowly, with about seven cars built by 1964. At this point Bertone ceased producing the bodies and production went to Ellena in Torino until 1967 when Marazzi in Milano took over. The chassis were all produced by Marchesi who also produced many Ferrari chassis. A total of 104 chassis were constructed allowing homologation, which required 100 examples, to be completed, but less cars were built, somewhere around 95, before production was stopped in 1967. 

Even rarer Six Spiders were also built.

A single example of a lightweight competition version appeared in 1963 the 1000 GTC . This was developed by Bizzarrini after having left Ferrari and had the engine moved back and used a new all aluminium body. Rumoured to be destined for the 24H Le Mans in that year, it vanished from the scene well before that event took place.

Official competition began in 1965 with two cars entered in the Targa Florio, with 1070cc engines and one car with a fibreglass body. Other competitions that year saw the GTC reappear alongside more 1000GT coupes. 

At the Paris Motorshow of 1965 the ASA 411 Berlinetta was revealed, being a 1000GT with an aluminium body, a 1092cc engine and new headlights. Four examples were built. 

In the following year at the Geneva show the ASA 613RB was shown, with a fibreglass body and a 1290cc six-cylinder engine. A 1755cc engine was also available. Although only 3 613RB's were built, one competed at Le Mans in 1966.