Here's another Serenissima's scarce sportscar

Rare ONES Again, we will discuss about classic cars whose appearance is very rare and very little known by the world's automotive enthusiasts like us today. The following car name may strange to some of you. But after seeing the shape it will certainly make you raise your eyebrows and have many questions. Because indeed you have never known this car before.

1968 Serenissima Ghia GT is one-off two-seater concept gran tourer designed by Tom Tjaarda and bodied by Carrozzeria Ghia. (Picture from: Artcurial)

Well, the name of the following car is the Serenissima Ghia GT, a gran tourer of the end of 1960s which was built only one unit based on a design made by an Amertican designer named Tom Tjaarda, while the bodywork was done by Carrozzeria Ghia which at that time had been acquired by Alejandro de Tomaso for Count Giovanni Volpi di Misurata.

As quoted of Silodrome, Count Volpi had inherited a large estate and noble title from his father, but his hobby contrast from that of other nobles who preferred polo. Instead, Giovanni Volpi prefers motorcycle racing and lead him later to be founded his own racing team called Scuderia Serenissima. At the first, the Count Volpi's racing team garage filled by the line of Ferrari's race cars, as he had an excellent relationship with 'Il Commendatore' Enzo Ferrari.

1968 Serenissima Ghia GTmade under commissioned of Count Giovanni Volpi di Misurata and debuted at the Turin Auto Show 1968. (Picture from: Artcurial)

But things changed, when a group of top engineers left Ferrari after had disagreement with the big boss. Then some of these former Ferrari engineers established a new automotive company called Automobili Turismo e Sport (ATS), to make racing cars and Count Volpi supported them.

Apparently Enzo Ferrari learned of this, then he refused to sell any new race cars to him, this left the Count in a difficult position and it directly led to the creation of the car you see here and other Serenissima's cars such the Serenissima Jet of 1965, Serenissima Agena of 1967.

Inside of 1968 Serenissima Ghia GT has twin short bucket seats, a centre console with an array of switches and buttons, a plethora of gauges in the dashboard, a radio, a gated shifter, and what appears to be air conditioning. (Picture from: Artcurial)

At first glance, the Serenissima's car has similarities with the previous by Alejandro de Tomaso's car made. This is not surprising because the car was developed by Ghia shortly after the De Tomaso Mangusta designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro. 

And Tom Tjaarda took some of the Ghia's design language of the Mangusta to implement onto this new coupe-styled gran tourer, and it's also gave him the inspiration while designing the DeTomaso Pantera a few years later. These three cars share a clear design resemblance, so it is not surprising if many assumed that the actually Serenissima Ghia GT was an unknown De Tomaso prototype.

1968 Serenissima Ghia GT was initially powered by a Massimino 3.5 liter V8 engine but was later quickly replaced with an Alf Francis M-167 V8 engine of the same capacity. (Picture from: Artcurial)

This is also supported by a statement of Count Volpi di Misurata's as quoted of the Silodrome, ''I was friends with De Tomaso, who owned Ghia (…) De Tomaso was an amazing character, very dynamic and full of life. We built a really well designed coupé with him, which had incredible suspension. It went round corners completely flat."

While the interior of the Serenissima Ghia GT is rather well appointed for a concept car, it has twin bucket seats, a centre console with an array of switches and buttons, a plethora of gauges in the dashboard, a radio, a gated shifter, and what appears to be air conditioning.

1968 Serenissima Ghia GT's engine can shoot up to 320 hp at 7,500 rpm and chanelled to drive its rear-wheels via a five-speed Serenissima (Francis) gearbox and limited slip differential. (Picture from: Artcurial)

This Serenissima sports car was initially powered by a Massimino 3.5 liter V8 engine but was later quickly replaced with an Alf Francis M-167 V8 engine of the same capacity. The new engine is then combined with 4 Weber's carburetors so that it can shoot up to 320 hp at 7,500 rpm. Then, those engine power is sent to the rear wheels via a five-speed Serenissima (Francis) gearbox and limited slip differential.

This Serenissima concept gran tourer was built by Ghia which was then exhibited (under the initial color of green) at the coachbuilder's booth at the 1968 Turin Auto Show. Unfortunately this car was never produced at all, although it is known that the concept car is a fully functional car.

In 2019, the one-off car has been sold at a pretty fantastic price tag of around €452,960 or $513,883 (over of Rp.7 billions) while was auctioned at the Vente Rétromobile 2019 event by Artcurial (a French auction agency). Even though at that time the car was in 'not-well' condition and needed a fully comprehensive restoration for back into its original appearence. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SILODROME | ARTCURIAL ]

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