The De Tomaso SLC

De Tomaso is back – and it will show a initial concept car at the Geneva Motor Show next month. The concept is referred to simply as SLC for now, which stands for Sport Luxury Car, though it’s expected that any production model may well have a different name - I'm hoping one from their storied past, like Deuville or Longchamps.

The De Tomaso SLC will be pitched at the crossover market, so that means it will go head-to-head to rivals like BMW X6, Porsche Cayenne, Range Rover Sport and Lexus RX. It will be designed by Pininfarina.

Two engine options will be available – a 550bhp V8 petrol engine as good as a 250bhp diesel V6.

So the De Tomaso liquidators must be relived that former Fiat exec Gian Mario Rossignolo has bought up the De Tomaso brand from the Modena Government. No price has been given, so we must assume that it was a bit of a steal – certainly less than the €1.6 million they were looking for.

Despite being no Spring Chicken (he’s 79), Gian Mario Rossignolo has big plans for De Tomaso. He’s been looking for a way to utilise a manufacturing plan based on a process known as Univis, which is an aluminium space-frame technology requiring only 30 dies to build a car. The plans are for a range of three cars – a coupe, saloon and an SUV – to be built in a Pininfarina factory in Grugliasco on the outskirts of Turin. Rossignolo plans to have the three car range ready to show at Geneva in 2011.


Well, I wrote that a liitle while back and since then some pictures have since broken cover of what appears to be the finished car. I can't help but be underwhelmed if this is the final design.

As per historic tradition, DeTomaso seems to have raided the Great American Parts Bin for some components - a number of parts within the cabin, including the gauge cluster, dashboard, and front door panels - appear to have been culled from the current Cadillac SRX. Whether this is indicative of a complete SRX re-skin or simply parts sharing remains to be seen.