At the car show in Frankfurt in 1973 je Italdesign in cooperation with the coachbuilder Karmann in Audience revealed Ace of Spades (Ace of Spades), an extremely angular concept that he designed Giorgetto Giugiaro.
It's a study sports coupe, based on the chassis and mechanics of the first Audi 80, but stylistically it is related to previous concepts Alfa Romeo Cayman in maserati boomerang of the same Italian design studio. The goal? To bring cult car into series production, which did not happen and remained only a concept that inspired later products. Let's see what it looks like.
A unique vehicle
Ace of Spades, which they designed Giorgetto Giugiaro in Italdesign, was the first of three concepts that the Italian company and Karmann designed for three different car manufacturers. As expected, the model was built based on the model mentioned above Audi 80, i.e. with a longitudinal engine and front-wheel drive - with a front axle MacPherson and a rigid axle at the rear - but with a triangular line, shortened at the rear and extended at the front: this solution gave it an extremely elegant appearance, which was typical for coupés of the time.
In typical Audi manners they decided on round ones dual headlights, which were combined with horizontal ones red rectangular rear lights. There is also a special air intake on the front cover of the engine, which ensures that the engine absorbs as much fresh air as possible and thus increases efficiency during operation.
Design interior
At the car show in Frankfurt in 1973 attracted attention inside, which she had in general innovative lines with a horizontal cylindrical center console with digital screens and leather upholstery that also extended to the side pockets. Despite discreet success After a few months of presentations, Audi decided to suspends the Asso di Picche development project and invests in cars that would deliver higher profit and higher sales numbers. For example Audi 100 C2. However, it was in the model Audi quattro from 1980 certain borrowings can still be identified.
In addition, the management of the group Volkswagen knew they were VW Scirocco and later Porsche 924 already very advanced. Another sports car? At first, there was no chance, especially since the group's finances were not in the best shape at the time.
Society Italdesign in Giugiaro are the design Asso-di-Picche kept in a drawer. Its elements were reused, for example in Hyundai Pony Coupé Concept from 1974, the first VW Scirocco from the same year and Lotus Esprit from 1976.
October 2023 is a company Italdesign on the 50th anniversary of this special prototype presented a new digital and electrical concept with slightly more modern forms, but in accordance with the original project, named Asso di Picche In Movimento.
