Cristiano Luzzago racconta: ASA 1000 GT “ the FERRARINA”
www.cristianoluzzago.it/en/col...
Cristiano Luzzago in a short documentary extracted from the transmission "Gentleman Driver" describes the
ASA 1000 GT "LA FERRARINA"
The project that Enzo Ferrari wanted strongly but of which he never wanted to admit paternity.Designed by a very young Giorgetto Giugiaro, developed by Giotto Bizzarrini this is one of the most rare and iconic italian sport cars ever built.
HISTORY
source : International ASA register- www.asaregister.com
By the end of the fifties, Ferrari started testing a Gran Turismo prototype with a four cilynders engine of 850 cc , installed on a modified chassis and body Fiat 1200 Pininfarina, with the aim of entering the growing market of small, fast sporting cars.
After having realized this unique model, the engine was modified and on 1961 at Salone dell'Automobile di Torino, a new sporting car showed up at the Bertone stand: on the bonnet a rectangular logo symbolizing the Italian Tricolor with the number 1000 in blue on a yellow background.
The body was designed by the very young Giorgetto Giugiaro , at the time working for Bertone, and manufactured by Carrozzeria Bertone.
The chassis, conceived by Eng. Giotto Bizzarrini , on the guideline of Ferrari 250 GT: tubular, with elliptical side-members and strenghtening elliptical crossbars.
The engine, not shown at the Salone di Torino as the car was not yet registered at ANFIA (Associazione Nazionale delle Fabbriche di Automobili e Affini) was the evolution of the four cylinders of 850 cc installed on a Fiat 1200 the year before.
The displacement was increased to 1032 cc (bore and stroke 69x69) fed by two twin carburettors Weber 40 DCOE9 type.
The new car was immediately re-named "Ferrarina" despite the decision of Mr Ferrari not to allow the use of the "Cavallino Rampante" logo
After long discussions , the production started in Milano thanks to a group owned by Mr. Oronzio De Nora entrepreneur in the field of electrochemical industry.A new company, managed by Mr.Niccolò De Nora, was established under the name of ASA (Autocostruzioni Società per Azioni) located in the periphery of Milano in the Lambrate quarter.
The technical assistance was granted to the new born ASA by Ferrari with the supply of chassis and engines and the consultancy of Chiti and Bizzarrini ; moreover Bertone was the manufacturer of bodies and responsible for the final assembling.
The agreement between De Nora and Ferrari did not allow the use of the logo or the name Ferrari on any car part, but for the enthusiasts the new car maintained the nickname of "Ferrarina".
On 1963 the production, preannounced in 1962, eventually started at the Bertone's premises where no more than ten exemplaires were assembled.
The production, after some discussions between Bertone and De Nora, was transferred to Ellena, Torino, and the new coupé was marketed outside the Ferrari network with the exception of USA where it was sold by Luigi Chinetti, official Ferrari dealer in North America.
In 1964 the spider 1000 was officially presented in its final version with fiberglass body , manufactured by Bertone, with a riduction of about 120 Kg. compared to the prototype shown at Geneva the year before.
Despite the good performances and the extremely high technological content, the "1000 GT" was not as succesfull as expected. The reasons : the lack of a glamouring sporting mark and the expensive sale price (2,520,000 lire in 1965 both for coupè and spider).
Even the activity of Luigi Chinetti, former pilot and Ferrari dealer in USA, trying to market the car with the undeclared understanding of ASA's noble origins, did not get very positive market results.