| De Tomaso Longchamp | |
|---|---|
.jpg) De Tomaso Longchamp GTS | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | De Tomaso |
| Production | 1972–1989 409 produced |
| Assembly | Italy:Modena |
| Designer | Tom Tjaarda atGhia |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Grand tourer (S) |
| Body style | 2-doorcoupé 2-doorconvertible |
| Layout | Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive |
| Related | |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 5.8 LFord Cleveland V8[1] |
| Transmission | 3-speedFord C-6automatic 5-speedZFmanual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,600 mm (102.4 in) |
| Length | 4,600 mm (181.1 in) |
| Width | 1,830 mm (72.0 in) |
| Height | 1,295 mm (51.0 in) |
| Curb weight | 1,815 kg (4,001 lb) (GTS) |
TheDe Tomaso Longchamp is a grand tourer which was produced by the ItalianautomakerDe Tomaso from 1972 to 1989.
The Longchamp was derived from theDe Tomaso Deauville four-door saloon, using a shorter wheelbase chassis with the same suspension, engine and transmission. The same platform underpinned theMaserati Kyalami grand tourer and theMaserati Quattroporte III saloon as Maserati was owned by De Tomaso at the time. The Deauville and the Longchamp were the onlyfront engine production cars produced by De Tomaso. The Longchamp was first exhibited at the1972 Turin Motor Show[2] and was initially offered only as a 2-door2+2coupé. It was designed by Tom Tjaarda ofGhia and was influenced by his previous Lancia Marica prototype. The taillights were the same units as were used for theAlfa Romeo 1750/2000 saloon.[3] The headlights and front indicators are from theFord Consul/Granada. The name Longchamp is likely a reference to theLongchamp Racecourse in Paris and/orLongchamps, Buenos Aires, a city near de Tomaso company founderAlejandro de Tomaso's birthplace.
The Longchamp featured a long and wide hood to accommodate the American power train, i.e. the 351 cubic inch (5,769 cc)Ford Cleveland V8.[4] The 351 Cleveland, a popular and very potent engine in early 1970s Fordmuscle cars, was the same unit used in thePantera. It was rated at a power output of 335 PS (246 kW; 330 hp) and gave the Longchamp an official top speed of 240 km/h (149 mph). After Ford stopped manufacturing the 351 Cleveland V8 in the US, De Tomaso sourced the engines from Ford Australia. The standard gearbox was a three-speed Ford C-6Cruise-o-Maticautomatic transmission;[5] however around 17 cars were equipped with a five-speedZFmanual transmission. The suspension was independent front and rearwishbone unit equipped with coil springs. Steering was power assisted rack and pinion and the car came with vented disc brakes all around with the rear brake discs being positioned inboard. The interior of the car was quite luxurious and it was almost fully upholstered in leather, although the use of Ford sourced parts (steering wheel, gear shift) somewhat diminished the luxurious impression.[6]
Production of the Series 1 began in 1973. For the 1980 model year, the modernised Series 2 was introduced, with slight modifications occurring later as well.
A sporty GTS variant was introduced at the1980 Turin Motor Show, featuring wider wheels and flared wheel arches.[2] and minor suspension setting differences to better utilise the widerCampagnolo wheels withPirelli P7 tyres. A Longchampcabriolet variant ("Spyder") was also introduced alongside the GTS.[7] It was made byCarrozzeria Pavesi of Milan, and a small number of cars were built to GTS specifications.[8] Pavesi also converted a number of older coupés to Spyders.
After supplies of American-built 351 V8s dried up, De Tomaso began sourcing their engines from Australia, to where the production line had been transferred. The engines were tuned in Switzerland before being installed, and were available with power outputs of 270, 300, or 330 PS (199, 221, or 243 kW).[9] In the eighties another version also appeared, the GTS/E. This was the top-of-the-line version, fitted with twin round headlights and extra spoilers, skirts, and a rear wing.[9]
A total of 409 cars were built (395 coupés and 14 spyders) between 1972 and 1989,[7] with only a couple of cars per year built during the last years. The vast majority are of Series 1 specifications. Some claim that production actually came to an end in 1986, with later cars being sold from stock.[8] From 1979 on, bodyshells for the Longchamp and the Kyalami were built byEmbo S.p.A. The Longchamp was never officially sold in the United States, although a number of cars found their way into the US as gray-market imports.[8] The Maserati Kyalami and Maserati Quattroporte III were both developed using the Longchamp chassis and conceived just as Alejandro de Tomaso took over Maserati. The Kyalami was also superficially very similar to the Longchamp, although no body panels were actually shared. The Maserati derivatives used a Maserati V8, however, rather than the Ford unit favoured by De Tomaso.
