Rare 1990 Laforza Luxury Italian SUV (w/ startup)
A rare white 1990 Laforza, one of around 1,200 Laforzas built, arriving at and leaving Peninsula Cars & Coffee at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School, organized by the Palos Verdes Concours d'Elegance. The Laforza was the American-market version of the Rayton-Fissore Magnum, which was designed by Tom Tjaarda and originally built for law enforcement and military use. It was assembled by Pininfarina and featured the Magnum's leather interior with revised exterior styling. The luxury SUV was powered by a 5.0-liter Ford V8 engine mated to a four-speed automatic overdrive transmission and had a starting price (MSRP) of $43,850.00.
Most people probably wouldn't give this truck a second glance; it looks like one of those generic unbranded vehicles used in the background of old video games, and there's nothing that appears particularly interesting about it other than the fact that, well, it's a Laforza. This was the first Laforza I had seen in well over a decade (and the first one I caught on video), and the SUV had always been shrouded in mystery to me. But special thanks to this owner for not only bringing out his rare vehicle, but also taking time to chat with me and enlighten me. I assume he was a bit surprised that I recognized and was so fascinated by what many may not have paid any attention to.
If you thought "Koenigsegg" was hard to pronounce, you should thank the folks at Rayton-Fissore for simply calling their U.S. models "Laforza" - and not even caring to include a model name. Given the company never lived to produce a second model, I guess a model name really wasn't necessary after all. Contrary to popular belief, the Laforza was not a "Ferrari SUV". At the time, the list of Italian cars sold in the U.S. consisted almost entirely of exotic supercars, so people saw the Pininfarina badging and simply assumed it was related to Ferrari. Some owners even plastered their vehicles with Prancing Horse logos. But despite the disappointing truth, the Laforza was still unique in being the first Italian luxury SUV, conceived well before most people really started caring about luxury SUVs.
Vintage off-roaders are now becoming increasingly popular, with many enthusiasts paying huge sums for well-maintained examples or building highly capable restomods to maximize the experience of old-school cool. Despite offering military-grade off-road performance with '90s Italian luxury, the LaForza is now only worth as much as some new golf carts. Its tall and boxy design would look right at home next to an old Range Rover or G-Wagen, and while it remains a little-known, seldom-seen specimen, those who recognize it will certainly be excited upon seeing one.
Would you add a Laforza to your garage? Leave a comment on YouTube and let me know!