About ATS
ATS (Automobili Turismo e Sport) was an Italian automotive constructor and racing team that operated between 1963 and 1965, formed after the famous "Palace Revolution" at Ferrari.
The company was formed by Carlo Chiti and Giotto Bizzarrini, among others - intending for it to be a direct competitor to Ferrari both on the race track and on the street. Chiti and Bizzarrini built, with sponsorship from the Scuderia Serenissima's Count Giovanni Volpi, a road-going sports car and a Formula One car.
The sports car was the 2500 GT, a small coupé developed by Chiti and Bizzarrini with a bodywork built by Michelotti. The engine was a mid-mounted 2.5 L V8 engineered by Chiti, capable of achieving 245 hp (180 kW) and accelerating to 257 km/h (160 mph). Only 12 cars were reportedly built, and few exist today.
The F1 car was the Tipo 100, a 1.5 L V8 engine powering a chassis that was a virtual copy of the outdated Ferrari 156. Drivers Phil Hill and Giancarlo Baghetti, also fleeing from Ferrari during a period of political turmoil, were signed to driver the new car, but a dismal season forced to Chiti to close the door on the racing team. The ATS would later be used in the Derrington-Francis F1 project spearheaded by Stirling Moss' former mechanic, Alf Francis.
