The automotive world loves a good resurrection story, but the latest one out of Turin is turning heads, raising eyebrows, and sparking fierce debate.
If you are a student of automotive history, the name Itala likely rings a distant, glorious bell. Founded in 1903, the historic Italian brand achieved legendary status in 1907 when Count Scipione Borghese drove an Itala Tipo 35/45 HP to victory in the grueling, 16,000-kilometer Peking-to-Paris motor race—finishing a staggering three weeks ahead of the runner-up. Sadly, financial ruin caught up with the company, and it went defunct in 1934, its remnants sold off to Fiat.
Now, nearly a century later, Itala is officially back. Unveiled at the National Automobile Museum in Turin, the brand has been revived to launch an entirely new flagship vehicle: the Itala Automobili 35. But while the name conjures images of vintage open-top racers and dusty endurance runs, the reality of the new model is thoroughly modern, highly digital, and deeply complex.
The Recipe: Historic Italian Flair Meets Chinese Engineering
The new Itala 35 is not a bespoke, hand-built supercar. Instead, it represents a bold, modern industrial strategy orchestrated by DR Automobiles Groupe—the Italian firm famous for adapting and assembling foreign vehicles for the European market.
Underneath its sharply tailored Italian suit, the Itala 35 is built on the bones of the GAC Trumpchi GS3, a highly capable compact Chinese crossover. To transform it into a vehicle worthy of European luxury status, DR Automobiles didn’t just slap a new badge on the grille; they brought in the heavy hitters of Italian automotive design and engineering.
1. The Italdesign Facelift
The legendary design house Italdesign was tasked with giving the crossover a distinct, recognizable identity. Designers completely overhauled all non-structural exterior plastic parts. Up front, the Itala 35 boasts a bold, geometric, SEAT-style grille flanked by aggressive, sweptback LED headlights. Streamlined bodywork, flush-mounted door handles, and a sharply rakish rear window give it a premium, athletic stance on the road.
2. Tuned by Ferrari Alumni
To ensure the car drives like a true European machine, DR Automobiles recruited Roberto Fedeli, the former technical director at Ferrari. Fedeli and his team reportedly spent months re-engineering and refining the car’s suspension and chassis setup, stiffening its composure to meet the demanding tastes of European drivers.
Power and Performance: What’s Under the Hood?
Mechanically, the Itala 35 drops the massive, 7-liter powerplants of its 1900s ancestors in favor of a modern, highly efficient, downsized powertrain.
| Specification | Details |
| Engine | 1.5-liter Turbocharged 4-Cylinder |
| Horsepower | 170 hp |
| Torque | 270 Nm (199 lb-ft) |
| Transmission | 7-Speed Dual-Clutch Automatic (DCT) |
| Drivetrain | Front-Wheel Drive (FWD) |
| 0–100 km/h (0-62 mph) | 7.5 seconds |
| Top Speed | 190 km/h (118 mph) |
| Fuel Economy | 6.8 L/100 km (~34.6 US mpg) |
Measuring 4,410 mm (173.6 inches) in length, it sits comfortably in the premium compact crossover segment, making it perfectly sized for tight European city streets while offering up to 1,271 liters of cargo space with the rear seats folded.
Step Inside: A Tech-Forward Sanctuary
Step through the doors, and the Chinese donor car fades into the background, replaced by an interior that leans heavily into premium Italian textures.
The cabin features a sporty, flat-bottom steering wheel wrapped in tactile leather, offset by custom options like striking red leather upholstery and Alcantara detailing. The dashboard is minimalist, dominated by two massive digital displays that seamlessly handle instrumentation and high-end infotainment connectivity.
Machined metal speaker grilles, a sleek minimalist gear selector, and deep gloss-black accents create an executive-level environment. It is a space designed to blend high-tech convenience with old-school Italian craftsmanship.
The Verdict: Can Heritage Justify a Restyle?
The Itala Automobili 35 is scheduled to hit Italian showrooms in September 2026 with an aggressive starting price of approximately €35,000 (around $40,700 USD). DR Automobiles has already announced that larger 5-seat and 7-seat SUVs (dubbed the Itala 56 and 61) are currently in development.
The car is bound to stir up controversy. Purists will inevitably scoff at the idea of a pre-war racing legend being revived as a restyled Chinese crossover. However, in a rapidly shifting global automotive market, this cross-continental partnership might just be the cleverest way to bring a legendary name back into the sunlight. For €35,000 fully loaded, buyers receive exotic Italdesign styling, Ferrari-tuned driving dynamics, and a piece of history reborn for the modern era.