ATS’s 300 Leggera is the best looking thing you’ll ever wrap around a tree

By Stephen Edelstein November 6, 2013

ats 300 leggera sports car revealed — Image used with permission by copyright holder

From the Bluebird DC50 to the Syrena Sport, the world is flush with upstart sports cars. But there’s always room for more, apparently.

Italy’s Automobili Turismo e Sport (ATS) just unveiled this little number, the 300 Leggera. ATS got its start in 1963 with the 2500 GT, a sports car with a mid-mounted 2.5-liter V8. Only six to 12 cars are believed to have been built.

Like the company itself, the ATS 300 Leggera is a blast from the past. It looks like a generic 1960s sports car – and that’s not a bad thing. Even if passersby have never heard of ATS, they’ll probably mistake this car for a Jaguar E-Type.

ATS seems to have gotten everything right, from the overall proportions to charmingly retro details like the tiny door mirrors and wood-trimmed steering wheel.

The styling isn’t the only throwback.

The Leggera 300 doesn’t have any electronic driver aids, which means the driving experience should be more fulfilling, as long as the driver has enough talent to avoid crashing into a tree.

ATS 300 Leggera — Image used with permission by copyright holder

However, the 1.6-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine is thoroughly modern. While small Italian sports cars of the 1960s were known for having more spirit than speed, the 300 Leggera boasts a healthy 200 horsepower, pulling just 1,400 pounds. In Italian, “Leggera” means “light”, after all.

That combination should provide fairly robust performance, especially for a car with a low-cut windshield and wire wheels.

The 300 Leggera will carry a base price of around 30,000 Euros, or about $40,550 at current exchange rates. It will reportedly be available in the United States, so even we dumb Americans can get our European roadster fix.

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Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

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