The small Italian company Itala Automobili unveiled the 35 supercar – one of the most radical projects of recent years. While the industry is massively switching to hybrids and electric vehicles, the Italians are betting on an atmospheric V12, a manual gearbox, and minimal electronic intervention.
The name 35 refers to the Itala 35/45 HP race car, which won the legendary Peking-Paris race in 1907. The new car is also built around the idea of a “mechanical” car without digital filtering of sensations.
The main feature is the engine. The supercar received an atmospheric 6.5-liter Cosworth-developed V12. The power exceeds 850 hp, and the maximum revolutions reach almost 10,000 rpm. In the era of turbo engines and hybrids, such characteristics are already becoming a rarity.
But even more interesting is the transmission. Instead of a dual-clutch “robot,” Itala uses a classic manual gearbox. The company explicitly states that it is betting on the driver's emotional involvement, not on acceleration records or track telemetry.
The car is built around a carbon fiber monocoque and weighs less than 1000 kg – almost on par with hypercars of the early 2000s. At the same time, engineers deliberately abandoned heavy hybrid systems and complex electronic assistants.
Compared to modern supercars, the Itala 35 looks almost like a provocation. Today, even Ferrari, Lamborghini, and McLaren are increasingly using hybrid powertrains, and many brands are already preparing fully electric models.
That is why the project generates such interest. It shows that a part of the market still wants not the fastest and most technological cars, but the most “analog” vehicles with a lively sound, a manual gearbox, and minimal digital processing.
In a certain sense, Itala is not just selling a supercar, but a disappearing philosophy of automotive engineering.