With only 15 made, these aren’t exactly all over the place.
A far cry from your everyday car, this 1988 Italdesign Aztec by Giorgetto Giugiaro will definitely make people do a double-take. A legendary car designer, Giugiaro shot for the moon with this car, which was shown off first at the 1988 Turin Motor Show, where the 20th anniversary of Italdesign was celebrated. Now it’s available for purchase through Autosport Designs.
The very instant you first lay eyes on this car those twin canopies really stand out. After all, you don’t see such that kind of aerospace-inspired feature on cars much at all. Inside, the cabin is split by the prominent center console, while large digital displays were certainly well ahead of their time.
Aerospace design inspiration is certainly present throughout the rest of the concept car, like the sleek sides with rear wheel skirts, prominent carbon-fiber rear wing, and the sleek, wedge-like shape of the entire vehicle. If you look closely at the rear quarter panel, Giugiaro’s signature is present.
Sitting mid-ship is an Audi 2.2-liter 5-cylinder turbocharged engine. It makes a nice 250-horsepower, which is routed through a 5-speed manual transmission, and goes to all four wheels through the Lancia Delta HF Integrale all-wheel-drive system.
Ultimately, only 15 of these cars were built, making each one quite special. It’s shocking to see how accurately Giugiario predicted the future of the automobile back in the late 80s. Not only does this car have digital displays which are quite similar to what you see in cars today, the fingertip controls also obviously had an influence.
This car is #1 of the production run, making it that much more special. At first it was in some well-known Japanese collections, then it was owned by a US collector, so the history is thoroughly documented. For specific questions or to make an offer, contact the dealer directly.
If you’re looking for other interesting cars, Autosport Designs has quite the selection to go through. They’re also willing to take on consignments, if you want to free up garage space. Other services are available, including restoration.