ATS Stile50 Speedster, old school driving pleasure - Sports Cars
The Stile50
When it comes to sports cars, you have to forget about trunk data, fuel consumption and easy access to the driver's seat, what matters is how you feel behind the wheel.
Try to get inside the car. Speedster ATS Stile50 it is one of those acrobatic operations that should not be judged, but rather appreciated, and which gives you the time it takes to realize that you are going to ride something else.
story
La ATS (touring and sports cars), for the uninitiated, was a small Italian manufacturer that in a very short period (1962-1964) created several road sports cars and racing single-seaters, but due to lack of funds, he managed to carry out his project.
Today, ATS was founded by a young entrepreneur and his team and is now headquartered in Northern Italy, between Milan and Lake Maggiore. On this site you can familiarize yourself with its history and see the range of current models (www.ats-automobili.com).
There are currently two models on the list: Sport, a near-race car built for track day enthusiasts, and the Stile50, a retro sports boat inspired by old 50s Italian GTs. A GT is planned, but this is still a project, there is talk of a possible v8 with a power of about 600 hp. at 9.000 rpm.
First contact with Speedster
Right now I'm trying to sit in the Stile50 Speedster, which has no doors and no windshield. This particular sample is under development, but today we have the opportunity to review it and evaluate its capabilities.
Its lines are a successful fusion of British and Italian styles, say halfway between Ginetta and Morgan, equipped with delightful retro details and modern mechanics.
The riding position is practically a few centimeters off the ground, and despite being over six feet, my legs are almost fully extended.
I push the metal start button and the engine starts with the typical four-cylinder growl, but more throaty and metallic than usual. The first thing I notice is that the adjustable aluminum pedal set is offset to the left and it takes a while to get used to the position of the pedals.
The steering wheel, on the other hand, is small and exquisitely finished, even if it reaches me more or less at chest level.
Driving experience
I put the first, let go of the hard clutch and leave. The first thing that catches your eye is Speed: The 5-speed manual has a really short stroke and a dry clutch requires some effort, you have to maneuver with determination and timing, but it pays off with the pleasant mechanical feeling of successful shifting.
Il engine it is a 1.6-liter turbodiesel made by Opel, producing around 210 hp, which, given a dry weight of 650 kg, is a real journey.
This instance does not yet have full cavalry, but the engine is still doing its job and moving in a full and progressive manner towards the red area of the tachometer, accompanied by the full sound and hiss of the turbocharger.
Lo steering without power steering, it is straight and conveys everything that happens to the front wheels, there is a void in the first part of the race, but I was told that the next models will have a better steering mechanism without "holes".
La thrust it sits on the rear axle and handles power very well through the Quaife limited-slip differential (optional); the car only turns when provoked, and the crossings are easy and natural thanks to the speed of the steering and the sincerity of the chassis.
This is not a car designed to be driven to the limit, but rather to enjoy the roads at medium to medium-high speeds with the wind in your hair. IN brakes The Tarox do their job, but they don't have a brake booster, so you'll have to pedal hard to slow down.
Drive ATS Speedster this feeling, sorry for the obvious, is retro. It's not one of today's "lightweight" sports cars where you sit, fasten your seatbelt, and launch like rockets; she needs time to get comfortable, and physical help is part of the fun. You discover it little by little, and the more you learn about it, the more you pick up the pace and begin to enjoy its qualities.
We will have the opportunity to better experience the Stile50 when all work is completed, but the direction seems right, which is the creation of a very exclusive car for driving enthusiasts, capable of offering a different experience: away from high performance sports. cars that are affordable today, but at the same time quieter and less annoying than what Lotus has to offer, just like that.
Il price it will cost around 60.000 euros and the list of options and parts that can be customized will make it a very exclusive and personalized vehicle. We are curious to try the final version.
