Do the shapes of the prototype in the photo look familiar? In fact, the Volkswagen-Porsche Tapiro has been the inspiration for many models over the years.
Launched in 1970, the Tapiro was the "muse" for cars such as the Maserati Boomerang and the Lotus Esprit, although many will have thought of the DeLorean DMC-12, the mythical character of the "Back to the Future" saga, when they saw the prototype. But how did this Volkswagen become so important? Here is its story.
Italian exterior
At the end of the 1960s, Porsche turned to Italdesign, which had been founded just two years earlier by Giorgetto Giugiaro and Aldo Mantovani, to develop a prototype based on the technology of the Porsche 914. The Germans wanted to develop a car that retained the characteristic features of the models of those years, namely the boxer engine in the centre of the rear and the rear-wheel drive.
Volkswagen-Porsche Tapiro Concept (1970)
Although the basis is the 914, the designers orientated themselves on the lines of the De Tomaso Mangusta. In addition to the changed styling, the chassis was also completely redesigned: The length grew by 8 cm to 4.06 metres, while the width increased by 10 cm to 1.76 metres.
The height was reduced to just 1.11 metres, further emphasising the car's sporty silhouette. The special feature of this Porsche are the four gullwing doors, two of which provide access to the rear luggage compartment. The use of Plexiglas, which also covers the top of the front and rear doors, lends the design an avant-garde touch.
The Tapiro was unveiled at the 1970 Turin Motor Show, the fair at which VW supposedly discovered Giugiaro's art for itself. The rest is history: Passat, Scirocco, Golf.
Pure Porsche: six-cylinder boxer
The engine of the Porsche Tapiro remains true to the tradition of the Stuttgart brand. In contrast to the 914, which is powered by a 1.7-litre four-cylinder engine, the Tapiro is equipped with a 2.4-litre six-cylinder boxer engine that delivers 220 PS at 7,800 rpm. This enables the car to reach a top speed of 152 mph, also thanks to the 5-speed manual gearbox.
Volkswagen-Porsche Tapiro Concept
After its presentation in Turin, the Porsche was exhibited in the United States at the 5th Annual Los Angeles Imported Automobile and Sports Car Show in 1971. In 1972, a Spanish industrialist bought the only existing example, but a few months later the car went to the Argentinian composer Waldo de los Rios.
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During a trip to Madrid, however, the car caught fire, severely damaging the rear end but leaving the front almost intact. After the composer's death in 1977, the car stood in a shed for around twenty years until a collector rediscovered it.
Following this discovery, Italdesign finally recovered the Tapiro and exhibited it in its museum in Moncalieri. It was left in the condition in which it was found. Even though a restoration was considered, Giugiaro decided to leave it as it was, as a testimony to an era and to courage.
Gallery: Volkswagen-Porsche Tapiro Concept (1970)
