Tuesday 25th October 2011

YKYWT... Ital Design Aztec

The Italians always get it right. Generally...

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This could be you...

In the Eighties Italy produced a lot of memorable and evocative machines, like the outrageous Lamborghini Countach, the pretty Ferrari 328, and the six-time world rally champion Delta Integrale to name just a few. They also umm... made the Aztec too.

To be fair though it wasn't intended to be an actual production car, just a concept on which to test out a few ideas. But the story goes that a Japanese firm liked it so much that they ordered a run of 255, although the final figure built was a lot less than that. For the mechanical parts the designer took inspiration from rallying, with an Audi Quattro engine and an Integrale four-wheel-drive system. The seating arrangement, however, seems to have been inspired by the Batmobile.

...or rather this could!

This one was spotted on eBay and needs a bit of work... make that a lot of work. As if it wasn't going to be hard enough to nail back together an Eighties Italian concept car which is currently in many exotic pieces, the vendor has decided to upgrade from the original turbo'd five-pot to a 4.2 litre Audi V8 - which still needs to be finally installed and connected.

Slightly better news is that if you're either brave or possessed by masochism and fancy taking the project on, then you'll be able to acquire an Italian concept car which you can drive on the road and which comes with a fair old pile of spares for under fifteen grand.

Okay, so who's tempted?

[Gizmo!]

I saw one of these parked on the promenade in Cannes about ten years ago. Crazy looking thing.

Although the Alfa 164 rear lights are ideal for futuristic kit car use.

[Oddball RS]

I love the bolts sticking into the cockpit area, does the engine transplant follow the same quality level?

[myhandle]

The last one I saw was over £100,000 , so this would represent good value if you had access to a good & friendly mechanic. The horrific colour scheme and wrong wheels do it no favours - the car needs to be silver to look any good.
There were two other variations on the same these, Asgard and Aspid, but only the Aztec made production.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=aspid+asgard+aztec&...

[uncle tez]

Not for me, In its current state it looks like someones mr2 kit project

[over_the_hill]

myhandle said:

The last one I saw was over £100,000 , so this would represent good value if you had access to a good & friendly mechanic. The horrific colour scheme and wrong wheels do it no favours - the car needs to be silver to look any good.
There were two other variations on the same these, Asgard and Aspid, but only the Aztec made production.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=aspid+asgard+aztec&...

May have been advertised at £100k but doesn't mean it sold or fetched anything like that.
I expect this will be sold on several times to well intentioned fanatics who will all lose the will and give up before
selling it on again, probably never to see the light of day.

[V8 GRF]

Well somebody wanted it, ebay listing already closed after two offers.

I remember that from the car magazines at the time so if I had the cash to both buy and finish it it'd be a nice bit of nostalgia to have.

[Johnboy Mac]

To sort this project out & do it right, it needs the correct engine, wheels etc, etc and a professional restorer. £50k might do it!

Edited by Johnboy Mac on Tuesday 25th October 11:16

[thewheelman]

I don't even slightly want it, it looks terrible.

[900T-R]

Beats the Pontiac Aztek into a cocked hat, that's for sure...

[The Danimal]

It looks like STU was too busy doodling on the white board to actually get on with any work once the car was jacked-up... what a slacker.

[soad]

Do not want, not even remotely keen.

[Animala]

ew

[Scoobyshue]

Article said:

Okay, so who's tempted?

Errrr....no!

[fingersprice]

Gizmo! said:

I saw one of these parked on the promenade in Cannes about ten years ago. Crazy looking thing.

About 2 years ago I spotted one parked up in Casino Square whilst on a weekend in Monte Carlo. Good odds it was probably the same one.

Couldn't work out what it was back then and haven't been able to work it out since, until I read this article

[richb77]

Is it me or is the Ital Minivan of the same ilk a mid to late 90's Renault Espace?!

[scholesy]

Personally I think it looks like a dogs breakfast, the Aspid is much more futuristic and carries it off in that sense, this looks like some odd European take on the Toyota MR2 or Nissan 300ZX, very weird...

[MrGeoff]

Saw one of these at the Essen motorshow this year along with another odd looking Audi.

[5lab]

I was expecting a thread full of these

[GTRene]

I would have more interest in that somewhat strange? looking GT40 on the left...what is that?



en here

[silversixx]

GTRene said:

I would have more interest in that somewhat strange? looking GT40 on the left...what is that?



en here

I wondered that. Could it be a Mirage replica?