Events & Tours
The Nostalgia of Forgotten Gods: ATS, Italy, 1962-1965
In 1960s Italy, amidst Ferrari's turmoil, ATS aimed to rival it. Financial woes and internal conflicts led to a short-lived dream, yielding few cars like the ATS 2500 GT, a nostalgic relic.
Roarington's journey among the brands that have disappeared from the automotive scene stops in Italy this week, more precisely in Bologna. It is the early 1960s and an internal turmoil within Ferrari had just ended, leading to the dismissal of the entire management staff in the winter of 1961, caused by protests over the behaviour of Enzo's wife, Laura. Enzo did not tolerate these protests. Among the protestors were Carlo Chiti, known for designing Maranello's first rear-engined single-seater, the 156 F1, and Giotto Bizzarrini, creator of the 250 GTO.
The opportunity to make a different Ferrari a few kilometres from Maranello arose: Giorgio Billi, Jaime Ortiz Patino and Count Volpi di Misurata, wealthy enthusiasts, decided to finance the project with the aim of entering the field with their own Formula 1 car and producing road cars competing with Ferrari. A project that was more than ambitious, it was daring. Starting from scratch required huge financial resources and the creation of an entire company represented a seemingly impossible challenge.
