The Vallelunga was based on a roadster designed by Carozzeria Fissore and named after the Autodromo di Vallelunga first shown as a concept car at the Turin Motor Show in 1964. De Tomaso had hoped to sell the design of the concept to another company, perhaps Ford, but when there were no takers had the car produced by Ghia.

The Vallelunga features a Ford Kent Inline 4 Cylinder, which, in the factory competition cars, was enlarged to 1600cc and develops 135HP. The specification also includes a Hewland 4-Speed Transmission mounted in a VW case that was turned around for mid engine placement. This is part of this car's unique specification as one of 5 factory built competition race cars.

The Front suspension features and unequal length upper and lower A arm, coil springs, tube shocks and anti-roll bar. The rear has independent suspension, single upper arm, reversed lower A-arm, coil springs, tube shocks and anti-roll bar.
The front brakes are 9.9 inch disc and the rear brakes are 9.6 inch.

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Unfortunately the chassis wasn't torsionally sound for engines with higher torque, a problem made worse since some welding in the backbone, fabricated in Italy, was faulty, and drive train vibrations were a constant problem for those cars. Only 53 production cars were built (58 including aluminum body prototypes and race cars) before it was replaced by the De Tomaso Mangusta. The Mangusta used the concept of the Vallelunga chassis, significantly re-engineered to take a Ford 302 engine , all packaged with a body by Giorgetto Giugiaro.



Production 1964–1968

​Assembly Ghia
Successor De Tomaso Mangusta
Class Sports car
Body style Coupe (53 produced)
Spider (one-off)
Layout RMR layout
Engine Ford 1592 cc straight-4
Transmission 4/5-speed manual
Wheelbase 2,310 mm 
Curb weight 726 kg