Giocattolo: A Piece of Aussie Motoring History

So what is a Giocattolo? In Italian it stands for toy, but if you take a look at Australian motoring history, it’s a legendary car. The Giocattolo was conceived by Paul Halstead and Barry Lock, and unfortunately, it’s one of the great "what-ifs." Based on the Alfa Romeo Sprint, the Giocattolo was designed to be an Aussie super car. Initially, it was powered by a souped-up Alfa V6, but because of design problems—along with the fact that Alfa couldn’t guarantee supply—it was ditched in favor of a Holden V8 designed by the legendary Tom Walkinshaw. The body featured flared wheel arches and a huge wing, and the luxurious interior was appointed with all the creature comforts a driver could want. Sadly, only 15 Giocattolos were built, 14 of which still exist. The only casualty was chassis number 007, which was destroyed in a 2001 racing accident that, tragically, also claimed the life of its driver. Make sure to check out this clip of a Giocattolo ripping down the highway—it makes me wonder what other gorgeous machines the company could’ve produced…