Sbarro (automobile)

Sbarro is a small Swiss high-performance replica and sports car company founded by Franco Sbarro in 1971.

Models

The first Sbarro offered was a replica of the Lola T70, powered by a 5.4-litre Chevrolet V8. Since then, the company has produced small-series replicas of a variety of models including the BMW 328, Ford GT40, Bugatti Royale and Mercedes-Benz 540K.[1] While the majority of Sbarro's designs remained one-offs, about 135 examples of the BMW 328 Replica were built, making it by far the most common Sbarro vehicle.[2] A few other models were built in smaller runs, usually in the single digits.

Some significant models have included the mid-engine Tiger (powered by a 6.3-liter Mercedes-Benz M100 V8),[3] the Stash (offered as a 2+2 coupé or convertible), and the extremely wedge-shaped Challenge of the mid-1980s. In the name of aerodynamics, the Challenge dispensed with traditional mirrors and may have been the first car sold with a reversing camera.[4] The original Challenge I, presented at the 1985 Geneva Auto Show, had a unique tubular frame and a turbocharged Mercedes-Benz 5-liter V8 engine. Claimed power was 380 PS and the top speed 310 km/h.[5] Other special features were twin rear wheels and a biplane rear wing which angled upwards at up to 18 degrees under braking, to add downforce and stabilize the car. Sbarro also intended to provide each customer with a radio-controlled replica of the car.[5] The 1986 Challenge 2+2 was developed from this; it (and the succeeding Challenge III) had a planned production run of ten cars and used Porsche 930 underpinnings. There was also a "Baby Challenge" for children, presented in 1986. It was powered by a 350-cc, single-cylinder Honda engine.[6]

Sbarro also collaborated with Pierre Cardin for a mid-engined, turbocharged version of the Stash released in Paris 1975.[7] While the 109 kW, 1.8-litre Volkswagen K70 engine provided impressive performance for the time, Cardin's special interior with its striping, special upholstery, and zip-fastened pockets was the main attraction.[8] All Sbarros have been extremely limited production vehicles - for instance, only five Stash seem to have been built, even though at least three engines, two bodystyles, and the Pierre Cardin special edition were on offer.[9]

Another series of project cars of the early 1980s sold to private customers are the Super Twelve and Super Eight. The 1982 Super Twelve had bespoke bodywork looking like a squared-off hatchback, albeit with unusually broad fenders and many other hints at potency. The mid-mounted engine was a straight twelve-cylinder unit constructed from two Kawasaki Z1300 six-cylinder motorcycle engines, with the driveshaft in the center.[10] Claimed maximum power was 260 PS.[11] The 1984 Super Eight featured largely the same bodywork, but received the marginally more sane eight-cylinder engine from the Ferrari 308.[10]

Sbarro has also built dozens of concept cars and custom high-performance vehicles for private customers. Some of the more recent concepts are the Christelle, Millennium Coupé, and Picasso (2001), GT12 (2000) and GT1 (1999). Some of these feature hubless wheels, a recurring Sbarro concept.

At the Geneva Motor Show on 3 March 2011, Sbarro unveiled the Evoluzione concept car. Sbarro's concept car had a 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine from Audi. It output 134 kW of power. The Evoluzione was built without normal production car constraints, as the rear exposes the entire rear suspension set-up as well as the engine. Overall, the design took 25 students just 13 weeks to complete.[12]

Espera

Established over 20 years ago by Franco Sbarro, Sbarro Espera school offers training in car design and mechanics, and combines theory and practice.[13]

Gallery

External links

• Overview of all Sbarro models