De Tomaso resurrected with SLC concept

Italian brand returns with luxury SLC crossover concept which debuts at Geneva Motor Show.

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Tom Phillips

16th February 2011

De Tomaso is back! The Italian luxury car manufacturer will rise from the ashes with the SLC – Sport Luxury Car – concept, which will be shown at the Geneva Motor Show.

Originally founded in 1959, De Tomaso has a somewhat chequered history of building sportscars and luxury saloons. Ultimately going into liquidation in 2004, the De Tomaso name and trademarks were bought up by former Fiat marketing man Gian Mario Rossignolo in 2009.

Backed by an investment group which has invested €116million (£98 million), he plans to relaunch the company with a new business plan, which was presented to the Italian government yesterday, that will see the firm build 8,000 cars per year including 3,000 of the Pininfarina-designed SLC that’s a rival for the BMW 5 Series GT. An SUV and a two-seater coupe are also planned.

The cars will be built at Pininfarina’s Grugliasco plant in Italy from 2012, and feature an innovative aluminium construction called Univis. One of De Tomaso’s original hallmarks was the use of an aluminium backbone chassis in its car’s construction.

The SLC will get a new name at launch, and be offered with a choice of 296bhp V6 or 542bhp V8 petrol engines, or a 247bhp V6 diesel, powering all four wheels. Prices are set to start at around €85,000 (£71,000).