Italdesign has been quiet since Audi sold the company last year, but the design house just pulled the wraps off the Itala Automobili 35 at the Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile in Turin. The car revives the Itala brand, a name that dates back to 1903 and went defunct in 1934.
The Itala 35 is not an original creation. It was developed for DR Automobiles Groupe and is widely understood to be a restyled version of the GAC Trumpchi GS3, a Chinese compact crossover. Italdesign described the work as a “complete redesign of all non-structural plastic parts,” including bumpers, the upper bonnet fascia, tailgate and spoiler. The lighting units carry over from the GS3 but have been integrated into the new identity.
That identity includes a large grille that looks like something SEAT would use, flanked by sweptback headlights and prominent Itala badging. A wide central intake sits below, along with a rounded lower lip. The side profile shows flush-mounted door handles, plastic body cladding, and a rakish windscreen. At the rear, the angular window and streamlined bodywork complete the look.
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Inside, the design house fitted a flat-bottom steering wheel and what appear to be two digital displays. Gloss black plastic trim, a minimalist shifter, an upholstered dashboard, and metal speaker grilles round out the cabin.
The project leader for exteriors, Cristiano Fracchia, described the approach as one of “shaping its visual identity through a measured and coherent approach” that relied on replaceable components to build a distinct look on an existing structure.
What powers the Itala 35
Under the sheetmetal, the 35 uses a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 170 hp and 199 lb-ft of torque. Power goes to the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The sprint to 62 mph takes 7.5 seconds, and top speed is 118 mph. Itala quotes combined fuel economy at 34.6 mpg.
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The crossover measures 173.6 inches long, 72.8 inches wide and 63 inches tall on a 104.3-inch wheelbase. Cargo space ranges from 12 cubic feet behind the second row to 44.9 cubic feet with those seats folded.
Italdesign also noted it has been tapped to work on two more Itala models: the five-seat 56 and the seven-seat 61. The 56 is described as blurring the line between compact and mid-size crossovers, while the 61 appears to be a large SUV.
Pricing for the Itala 35 will start at around €35,000 (about $40,700) when sales begin in Italy this September. DR Automobiles has previously faced criticism for selling Chinese cars rebadged as Italian — Italy fined the company $6.4 million last year over consumer confusion about where its cars were actually made. The Itala 35 is likely to invite similar scrutiny, though the brand itself does have a genuine pre-war history.
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Itala was founded in 1903 in Turin and became known for early racing success, including winning the 1907 Peking-to-Paris rally. The company stopped making cars in 1934. DR Automobiles, which acquired the rights, has now brought the nameplate back as a vehicle that is Italian in design and assembly but Chinese in mechanical underpinnings.
The 1.5-liter engine and chassis are pure GAC, and the interior carries many of the same switchgear and layout cues as the Trumpchi GS3. Whether European buyers care about the brand’s heritage enough to accept a Chinese crossover with an Italian suit remains to be seen — but Itala and DR are betting that the styling and price point will be enough.