Innocenti De Tomaso
The Innocenti De Tomaso was an automobile produced by Nuova Innocenti from 1976 to 1992.The 4-cylinder version was produced between 1976 and 1982, the 3-cylinder version Turbo was produced between 1983 and 1989.
Innocenti, under the ownership of the British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC) developed rebodied versions of the Mini, the Innocenti Mini 90L and 120L, which were released in 1974. However, within a year of the car's launch, BLMC went bankrupt and Innocenti was sold to the Italian sports car maker De Tomaso in 1975.
Following the sale to De Tomaso, an uprated version of the Mini 120L was launched in 1976, producing a useful 71 bhp (74 bhp from 1978 onwards); known simply as the Innocenti De Tomaso, this version featured moulded plastic bumpers (in place of the original chrome items), with integral front foglamps and a go-faster air intake mounted on the bonnet.
In 1982, the car was renamed the 3C as the company replaced the Mini underpinnings with chassis and straight-3 cylinder engines sourced from the Daihatsu Charade. The base model was now called the Innocenti 990, while the Innocenti De Tomaso now received a turbocharged version of the 993 cc powerplant, with a diesel variant also available.