DeTomaso Returns… With A Crossover?

Let’s get something perfectly clear: if you’re spending good money to bring back a legendary Italian sports car brand like DeTomaso without aiming to capture the essence of the photograph above, you’re doing it wrong. Period. If, on the other hand, you’re bringing back the DeTomaso name in order to sell

a premium large crossover, dubbed SLC (sport luxury car) that would be a rival to cars such as the BMW 5-series GT and Lexus RX-450h,

you need to go rethink your entire perspective on life. Or at least find a new business. Tragically, this is exactly what former Fiat marketing executive Gian Mario Rossignolo is doing. DeTomaso. Crossover. DeTomaso. RX450h. DeTomaso. Luxury CUV. Haven’t lost your mind yet? Hit the jump for more claw-your-eyes-out details.

This, apparently, is an initial image of the DeTomaso “SLC,” which will debut at the Geneva Auto Show. It’s been styled by Pininfarina… can you tell? Or does it look like a grey blob of mainstream dull? Check the the first picture in the post before answering.

It seems Mr Rossignolo bought the DeTomaso name from a bankruptcy court back in 2009, and is using it to brand a line of three aluminum vehicles, which will be built at a former Pininfarina plant, using “an innovative construction technology called Univis” which can produce a vehicle using only 30 dies. Passionate, right? Evocative. Truly, inspirational stuff.

According to Automotive News [sub],

The four-wheel-drive SLC is set to go into production next year using two gasoline engines, a 550-hp V-8 and a 300-hp V-6, and a 250-hp V-6 diesel unit. It will not be sold as the SLC, but the final name has not been decided.

Eventually Rossignolo hopes to build 3,000 CUVs, 3,000 Sedans and 2,000 Coupes per year. Interestingly, he planned to buy Bertone’s coachbuilding facilities to produce the line of vehicles, but his former employer Fiat beat him to it. We’ll reserve full judgment until we see the car in its entirety, but from here, an AWD luxury CUV by DeTomaso sounds about as appealing as digital calculator watch from IWC.