PB & Spaghetti Sandwich: 1989 LaForza
Few things are as American as the luxury SUV — where else would manufacturers be able to sell a car that looks like it can off-road but really is purchased because it accommodates wide bottoms and gives an authoritative view of the road ahead. Never mind that they change directions about as well as a hovercraft, or that folks behind you can’t tell what kind of car you are tailgating, or that you need to stop every 30 minutes for fuel — because style and comfort trumps all. And the only thing better than an expensive luxury SUV is an ITALIAN luxury SUV offered for the price of a rusty Hyundai. Find this 1989 LaForza offered for $4,000 in SF Bay Area, CA via craigslist. Tip from Kaibeezy.
The LaForza chassis started out in Italy as an Iveco built military vehicle (civilian version called the Rayton-Fissore Magnum 4×4) with
a Tom Tjaarda (Ferrari 365, DeTomaso Pantera, etc) designed body and
was then shipped to Hayward, CA for fitting of either a Ford 5.0 (or later GM’s
6.0 Vortec) V8.
What you got for $80k in 1989 was a Ford 5.0 V8 rated at 185 horsepower and mated to all four wheels via a proper transfer case system. On the inside the driver was treated with supple leather covering most surfaces and faux woodgrain — the entire setup looks like an 80s hot rod….which it sorta was.
See another American powered Italian for cheap? tips@dailyturismo.com
Wonder how it compares to a same year Range Rover?
I speculate that it comes up short in every imaginable category.
Talk about an answer to a question no one asked!
The body has all the charm of a caravan of the same era.
I was going to say it looks like the bastard child of an early 90s chrystler minivan and s-10 based blazer
How this thing isn't minivan based, I'll never know.