Italdesign Aztec

The Aztec is a sports car introduced by Italdesign at the 1988 Turin Motor Show, to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the establishment of the firm. The two-seater is unique because the driver and passenger are separated, requiring the two parties to communicate electronically. It incorporates a speedster body style with partial visor sections which are removable and open in a gull-wing arrangement. It was fitted with a turbocharged Audi engine mated to a four-wheel-drive system derived from the Lancia Delta HF Integrale.[4][5] According to most sources only 18 cars were ever built out of a planned production run of 50 (although some sources simply state the production number as "less than 25").[1][6]

Italdesign Aztec
Overview
ManufacturerItaldesign Giugiaro
Also calledAudi Aztec
Production1988–1992
(18 reportedly produced)[1]
AssemblyTurin, Italy
DesignerGiorgetto Giugiaro at Italdesign [2]
Body and chassis
ClassSports car (S)
Body style2-door speedster
LayoutLongitudinal front engine, four-wheel drive
Powertrain
Engine2.2 L (2,226 cc) Audi MB/1B turbocharged DOHC I5
Transmission5-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase2,601 mm (102 in)[3]
Length4,270 mm (168 in)[3]
Width1,971 mm (78 in)[3]
Height1,175 mm (46 in)[3]

Features
1988 Italdesign Aztec (rear)
The Aztec's cockpit

The Aztec's Audi-sourced five-cylinder DOHC engine produces 200 PS (147 kW; 197 hp),[7] although the car carried a prominent "250 HP" badge on the flank. Many cars were indeed fitted with boosted engines producing closer to that number.[8]

The car incorporated futuristic styling cues with many features ahead of its time. The car had control panels on both sides of the car at the aluminium body panels at the rear and upon entering certain codes into the panel, information and about the car's performance status along with certain functions of the car (i.e., an extra set of lights, hydraulic jack, removable screw driver, a fire extinguisher, a compressor for inflating tires and a flashlight) could be accessed via a voice message. Inside of the car, the car was wrapped in a leather interior and there was a separate instrument cluster for the passenger shaped like a steering wheel displaying vital information about the car and containing damper controls and communication controls along with engine timing controls. The car also incorporated a satellite navigation system located in the centre of the dashboard (positioned more towards the driver). The design of the car is inspired by the space technology rather than the organic technologies used in that era while the LeMans inspired wing mirrors gave a nod to the aspects of motorsport. The car incorporated an adequate luggage compartment in order to carry the normal luggage of the occupants while being true to its futuristic theme. A carbon fibre rear wing optimised for downforce and roll-bars for safety of the occupants were also installed.[9]

In Filmography

The Italdesign Aztec appeared in the 1990 science fiction horror movie Frankenstein Unbound as the computer-controlled futuristic car of the movie's protagonist, Dr. Joe Buchanan.[10] It made its second film appearance in the 1996 Italian science fiction comedy movie A spasso nel tempo alongside the BMW Nazca C2 and the Italdesign Machimoto concept cars.[11]

Notes
  1. Kemeyo, Ray (5 March 2017). "Italdesign Aztec listed up for sale". Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  2. Melissen, Wouter (29 November 2004). "Italdesign Aztec". Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  3. "Italdesign Aztec Specifications". Carfolio.com. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  4. "1988 Italdesign Aztec specifications, images, specs, wallpapers". Scorpiocars.net. Retrieved 2011-05-11.
  5. "Hemmings Find of the Day – 1988 Italdesign Aztec". blog.hemmings.com. Retrieved 2011-05-11.
  6. "In its dreams, this Italdesign Aztec is a '90s spaceship". Hagerty Media. 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2020-06-06.
  7. "1988 Italdesign Aztec specifications, images, specs, wallpapers". Scorpiocars.net. Retrieved 2011-05-11.
  8. Jens. "Italdesign Aztec, & Aspid & Asgard". AudiStory. Archived from the original on 2013-02-11.
  9. Gilad, Yoav (18 September 2014). "Driven by design: Italdesign Aztec". Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  10. "Project Aztec". Italdesign. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  11. "Appearances of the Italdesign concepts in the Italian film". Retrieved 20 February 2018.
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