1967 OSI 20M TS

2,300cc V6 Engine
Solex 32 DDIST 2-Barrel Carburetor
108bhp at 5,000rpm
4-Speed Transmission
MacPherson Struts Front, Live Axle Rear
Disc Brakes Front, Drum Brakes Rear

*Rare limited-production, hand built European coupe
*1 of less than 200 examples believed to be in existence
*Very solid bodywork and largely undisturbed
*Styled by one of Italy's best

THE OSI 20M TS

In 1960, coach builder Ghia, sought contracts to put some of its designs into limited volume production, and formed a parallel company to carry out the work. The brainchild of Luigi Segre, owner of Ghia, and Arrigo Olivetti, owner of automotive component manufacturer Fergat, Officine Stampaggi Industriali – shortened to OSI – set up modern production facilities in Turin, adjacent to Ghia's operations. Its first commissions were for the Innocenti 950 Spider, and the station wagon variant of the Fiat 1300/1500 sedan, the Familiare.

In January 1965, Ford's European subsidiary, headquartered in Cologne, Germany, commissioned OSI to build a successor to its flagship Taunus Coupe. The new luxury coupe was to seat four in comfort and use the fourth-generation Taunus 20M executive car chassis and as many of its components as possible. It would be sold and serviced by Ford dealerships.

The new OSI 20M TS was first shown in concept form on the Ford stand at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1966. Principal credit for the styling went to Sergio Sartorelli, whose hand shaped the Volkswagen Type 34 "razor edge" Karmann Ghia and the Fiat 2300 S Coupe. At the time, Sartorelli was director of OSI's new central styling department.

Designer Tom Tjaarda, who worked with Ghia at the time, believed that designer Sergio Corgiolla may have contributed to the lines of the OSI, which might have been influenced by a sketch by American designer Virgil Exner Jr. In an interview Paul Hardiman in the November 2002 issue of Classic & Sports Car magazine, Tjaarda recalled that Exner would often send sketches to Luigi Segre, the head of Ghia. "I think that the 20M coupe was one of Exner's designs," he said. "I remember very well these sketches in general but not the 20M coupe specifically, but they were only rather general concept drawings and both Corggiola and Sartorelli deserve much credit for their development and refinement of these cars."

The 20M TS was offered with the Ford Cologne pushrod V6 engine, in either 2.0 or 2.3 liter form. Mechanically, it was virtually identical to the volume production car, with MacPherson strut front suspension, a live rear axle, front disc brakes and rear drums. It shared the sedan's 106.5-inch wheelbase. The luxurious interior was hand-tailored, with leather bucket seats and complete instrumentation.

The OTI 20M TS remained in the catalog only through 1967. Approximately 2,000 of these hand-built coupes are believed to have been produced, with sales limited to the German market. It was succeeded by the Capri coupe in 1969. Marque experts agree that only about 200 examples still exist, only a handful of which are on this side of the Atlantic.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

The earliest known history of this car currently is that the original owner purchased the car in Europe and imported it to the West Coast, and we understand that it was originally blue with a tan interior. In general terms, the integral condition of the car appears to be largely undisturbed, however, a previous owner did repaint the car in sea foam green and likely at the same time he also changed the center section of the grill. The bodywork is reported to be very solid, which is rare in these cars.

In 2008, the car appeared in an online auction and was purchased by its current owner, an enthusiast from the Pacific Northwest. At that time, it appeared very similar to how it appears today, with the current Jaguar wire wheels fitted. The original front seats are available if the new owner would like to acquire them. The rear seat appears to be original along with the carpets and side door panels. The engine compartment also appears to be largely original.

The well proven Ford 2.3 Liter V6 engine provides very good power and revs well. This would be an excellent choice for a rolling restoration, as it could be enjoyed as is or returned to original specifications. OSI are very rare on this side of the Atlantic, and this would be a great car for Cars and Coffee events or for weekend drives.