An automotive déjà vu came over us at the recent Geneva Motor Show. And if the car pictured looks familiar to you, too, that’s because we reported on the GTA Spano back in 2009, at its inauguration at that year’s show. What’s changed since then? The Spano has now been approved and finalised for production, and 99 examples will be built under the direction of Domingo Ochoa. Unlike many other small-series production cars which use a mish-mash of parts, the GTA Spano has already received a number of global patents itself. Valencia-born chief engineer Sento Pallardo oversaw the development process, and sees the company as a technological pioneer in its own right.
The design of the GTA Spano is particularly fluid. It’s the side view that is especially striking - the rounded shape of the frameless doors, which nestle neatly into the openings for engine-cooling inlets.
Internally developed by GTA, the longitudinally mounted 10-cylinder engine has an 8.3-litre capacity and conjures up to 820 horsepower and 708lb ft of twist. The abundant power is fed to the rear wheels by a choice of seven-speed gearboxes – one being a traditional manual, the other an automatic with sequential shift paddles. A 0-60mph sprint of under three seconds puts it on a par with the supercar elite.
Inside, the occupants are surrounded by leather and carbonfibre, and even six-footers are catered for. Unusually, the Spano has two luggage compartments – 100-litre fore, 200-litre aft – and the rear-view mirror has been replaced by a camera. It’s transmitted to a seven-inch screen, which displays virtual instrumentation when the car isn’t in reverse. The two-seater’s chassis is made entirely of carbonfibre, titanium and Kevlar, which ensures the monocoque is super-stiff despite weighing just 56kg. Overall, the car weighs an impressively low 1350kg.
The vehicle will be available worldwide shortly. GTA has distribution partners in many countries, which should enable them to provide an exact price to most customers. A rough estimate for the car comes in at around 700,000 U.S. dollars.
Photos: GTA Motor
