The 1960s were the golden age of coachbuilt Italian sports cars, and even American automakers were booking flights to commission one-of-a-kind supercars. Superbly styled automobiles with US V-8 power (or tiny Italian four cylinders) were produced by manufacturers like Abarth, Autobianchi, Cisitalia, Cizeta, De Tomaso, Ghia, Italia, OSCA, Moretti, and Siata.
Some of those small companies went out of business, of course. But the story doesn’t end in the Woodstock era. Have you ever heard of the Qvale Mangusta?
Probably not. That’s because the obscure Qvale only built 248 of them between 1999 and 2002. But it’s a lovely car designed by the celebrated Marcello Gandini. An exceptionally well-preserved 2000 example of this convertible with a unique three-position targa top is recently offered on eBay at a $29,500 Buy-It-Now price.
Qvale Mangusta = Exotic Performance
This Qvale runs strong and comes with many creature comforts from the era—power windows/locks, AC, airbags, and a CD player. The black leather (on the front seats and the occasional rears) is in fine condition, as is the silver finish. The factory alloy wheels are in place, and a complete set of books and manuals comes with the car. The odometer shows 46,000 kilometers.
The front-drive power is from a 32-valve 4.6-liter Ford V-8, producing 320 horsepower and 314 pound-feet of torque. The period SVT Mustang Cobra is the source, so there’s a vague Carroll Shelby connection.
Both a five-speed manual and a four-speed GM-sourced automatic were available. The 2000 Mangusta on eBay has the manual with a lovely wooden shift knob. A driver can remove the targa top, leaving the rear section in place or moving it behind the seats for a full convertible effect.
The Mangusta was fast—zero to 60 took just 5.3 seconds, and it could reach 160 mph. No, it’s not a Sunbeam Tiger or a Cobra, but it still has a fascinating history. The story has a lot of twists and turns, which can be tricky to follow.
Famous Names, Famous Style
Alejandro de Tomaso was a legendary Argentinian racer who emigrated to Italy and began building low-volume sports cars under his name in 1959. His company unveiled the de Tomaso Biguá at the 1996 Geneva Motor Show. But when de Tomaso’s health declined, his family approached Kjell Qvale (pronounced “shell kah-vah-lee”), the North American representative of the original de Tomaso Mangusta in the 1960s. He had also owned the British automaker Jensen.
Qvale paid $30 million for the final development of the car. His reward was getting his name on it. Qvale used a small factory in the storied Italian auto city of Modena to produce the new Mangusta.
Proven Mechanicals With Bespoke Styling
Qvale finally introduced the Mangusta at the Los Angeles Motor Show in 2000. The US price was $78,900. Eighteen-inch alloy wheels were the only option.
The problem for Qvale is that the Mustang—the car’s technical basis—sold at a much more affordable $28,000. Unfortunately, sales weren’t great, so the company cut the price by almost $10,000 in 2001—the last year of production.
Nonetheless, the 2000 Qvale Mangusta recently on eBay is a rare, exotic sports car with proven Ford mechanicals. The Mustang also lent its fuel system, steering column, gauges, and switches. That’s a powerful combo of Italian styling and readily available American go-fast parts.
At some point, it might behoove the new owner of this Qvale to buy a shabby Mustang Cobra on eBay and use it as a parts car. Beware of dents and dings, though, because the body panels will be very hard to find.
