The ATS 2500 GT is a sports car made by Italian company Automobili Turismo e Sport

Automobili Turismo e Sport

ATS was an Italian automotive constructor and racing team that operated between 1963 and 1965, formed after the famous "Palace Revolution" at Ferrari....

 in Bologna

Bologna

Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...

. It was the first Italian and one of the first GT or sports car in the world to have a mid-engine layout. The group behind the ATS project consisted mainly of Ferrari defectors, where family troubles had created an uncomfortable working atmosphere for the personnel. ATS, intent on beating Ferrari on all fronts, also produced a Formula One car for 1963, "a ghastly mess, one of the most inept racing cars ever, and its appalling performances did not help the road car." Even the late great Phil Hill

Phil Hill

Philip Toll Hill, Jr., was a United States automobile racer and the only American-born driver to win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship. Hill was described as a "thoughtful, gentle man" and once said, "I'm in the wrong business. I don't want to beat anybody, I don't want to be the big hero...

 was unable to provide ATS with any results on track.

The space frame 2500 GT was introduced in 1963 Paris Motor Show. Designed by Franco Scaglione

Franco Scaglione

Franco Scaglione was an automobile coachwork designer.-Biography:Franco Scaglione was born in Florence to Vittorio Scaglione, a chief army doctor, and to Giovanna Fabbri, captain of the Italian Red Cross service. His was a well-to-do family of noble ancestry...

 and engineered by Carlo Chiti

Carlo Chiti

Carlo Chiti was an Italian racing car and engine designer. Chiti is best known for his long association with Alfa Romeo's racing department....

 and Giotto Bizzarrini

Giotto Bizzarrini

Giotto Bizzarrini is an Italian automobile engineer active from the 1950s through 1970s....

 the car was built only in limited numbers before investors withdrew financial support and the project collapsed. The car's drawings were later used for Count Volpi's

Giovanni Volpi

Count Giovanni Volpi di Misurata was an automobile racing manager. He inherited a fortune, at the age of 24, from his father, Count Giuseppe Volpi di Misurata, a politician financier and founder of the renowned Venice Film Festival....

 (an early backer) failed Serenissima

Scuderia Serenissima

Scuderia Serenissima was a successful auto racing team in the early 1960s. Funded by Giovanni Volpi, Serenissima used Ferraris to much success until the founder financed the exiled Ferrari company, ATS...

 sportcars project. A Moreno Baldi attempted another revival of the ATS concept in 1970, and failed even more disastrously.

With its 220 bhp (210 bhp according to some) and 255 N·m (188.1 ft·lbf) of torque it was claimed to be capable of top speed 240 kilometres per hour (149.1 mph). A competition version (ATS 2500 GTS) produced 245 bhp but never amounted to much. The decent looking body was by Allemano

Carrozzeria Allemano

Carrozzeria Allemano was an automobile coachbuilder in Turin, Italy, owned by Serafino Allemano. Allemano made various cars based on their own designs, and in some cases, externally made designs, such as those by Michelotti...

, and the 5-speed transmission by Colotti

Valerio Colotti

Valerio Colotti was an Italian automotive engineer, known for his early work with Ferrari and Maserati chassis and transmission systems....

.