Porsche Tapiro. Italian design, German engineering and a tragic end.

The Porsche Tapiro was a concept car produced by Porsche in 1970. It was designed by Italdesign by Giorgetto Giugiaro and has a traditional 1970s wedge design somewhat reminiscent of the De Tomaso Mangusta. Italdesign is a design company based in Moncalieri, Italy. Founded by Giotto Bizzarrini and Giorgetto Giugiaro, Italdesign has designed several famous concept cars, such as the Lamborghini Countach and the Audi TT. The chassis was based on that of the Porsche 914/6 and features gull-wing doors.

The Tapiro was powered by a longitudinally mounted, air-cooled 2.4-litre flat-six engine producing 220 hp (164 kW) at 7,800 rpm and connected to a 5-speed manual transmission. With this engine, the Tapiro could reach an official top speed of 245 km/h (155 mph).

The Tapiro made its US debut at the 5th Annual Los Angeles Imported and Sports Car Show in 1971. It was subsequently sold to a Spanish industrialist who used it as a daily driver’s car. Following an unspecified incident the vehicle was engulfed in flames. The burnt hull was repurchased by Italdesign and is now on display in its Giugiaro Museum.

The Tapiro’s body design would later inspire the 1981 DeLorean DMC, which would become known as one of the most iconic cars of all time.