Ex-Zagato design chief Ercole Spada has styled some highly coveted postwar classics: the 1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato, the 1962 Alfa Romeo 2600 SZ, and the 1963 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ. These cars—lightweight frames covered by aerodynamic bodies—represented the genesis of Spada’s design philosophy. Spada hopes to revive that attitude through SpadaConcept, a studio he cofounded with his son, Paolo.

The Spada Vetture Sport (SVS) Codatronca TS is the company’s first model. The Italian term coda tronca means "truncated tail," while TS stands for turismo sportivo, referring to the touring car’s sporting nature. A Corvette-sourced 7-liter LS7 V-8 engine—supercharged to develop 622 hp and 493 ft lbs of torque—propels the Codatronca’s 3,000-pound tubular aluminum frame and fiberglass body to 60 mph in just 3.3 seconds. Spada claims that in sixth gear at 7,000 rpm, the Codatronca TS will achieve a top speed of more than 211 mph.

The suspension is adjustable to either street or track use, while the competition bucket seats keep occupants firmly in place. An onboard data recorder stores up to 80 hours of track telemetry, and a digital readout on the tail displays the car’s lateral g-forces. This rear-facing LED screen "could easily incorporate other data," says Spada, such as the vehicle’s triple-digit speeds.

Spada insists that the €280,000 (approximately $432,000) Codatronca is not just a fanciful dream car. "There is a moral obligation on our part to create hand-built niche vehicles," says Paolo, who plans to construct 20 cars per year.

Spada Vetture Sport, www.spadavetturesport.com