DeTomaso Vallelunga
Even before the De Tomaso Company became known as the producer of Pantera and Mangusta supercars, this Italian outfit presented a very interesting compact model called Vallelunga. After the small Italian racing track. The Vallelunga was born in 1964. And, by the standards of the times, it was very advanced with a mid-engine layout, independent suspension all around, and four-wheel disc brakes (via Hagerty).
However, Vallelunga used a 1.5-liter Ford Kent engine tuned to 104 hp, a Volkswagen transaxle gearbox, and Triumph suspension components. They also used lots of other components from regular production cars. The result was a very dynamic, fast, and lightweight car which won many races in Italy. The success of Vallelunga inspired Alejandro De Tomaso to invest more in car production. That is how the history of this company started.