1950 Ford Italmeccanica IT160

Sold for $143,000 at 2010 RM Auctions - Sports & Classics of Monterey.
This Coupe was to be produced by Italmeccanica of Torino, Italy. It was a sports car that combined the best of European cars with that of American vehicles. Its design and performance were that of a European vehicle but the ease of maintenance of an American vehicle.

The IT160 was powered by a Ford Flathead V8 engine with two-barrel carburation. The prototype car had a Cadillac power-plant. Top speed on the prototype car was in the neighborhood of 140 mph and could race from zero-to-sixty in ten seconds.

The IT160 had a three-speed column-mounted manual transmission and four-wheel mechanical drum brakes. The design of the aluminum body is credited to the coachbuilding firm of Stabilimenti Farina.

In 2010, this car was offered for sale at the Sports & Classics of Monterey presented by RM Auctions. It was estimated to sell for $60,000 - $100,000 and offered without reserve. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $143,000, inclusive of buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2010