This Longchamp (long field) was slightly ridiculed because of its American engine. On the other hand, others have also said, that It is the best part of this car. It gave the car plenty of pulling power, good acceleration and top-speed for a reasonable price. Of course, both factions were wrong, because it has even more advantages. E.g., four adults can be comfortably seated in this car, which is described as being a 2+2-coupé, and that, also for longer trips. Then also, the independent rear suspension is praised, the indirect steering however, is not mentioned.

The car came out at an inopportune time. We're talking about 1973, which was roughly the beginning of the oil-price crisis. Although the first one was noticed a bit less in the USA, indeed, the car had a bad start, since in the end, Ford did not want the car in its programme. Thus Alessandro deTomaso, like the other Northern-Italian manufacturers of sports cars, had to battle alone against the American registration authorities.

The crude oil shortage was of course, a disadvantage for a car with two fuel tanks in the rear. It was the great comeback of the engines which ran on regular petrol, a further obstacle in the search for sales success. To counter this, the company produced a design, which was unequalled for a sports-coupé. Instead of the wind-hugging, rounded shapes, here we're dealing with a form of its own, beading and edges wherever you look. Only the Northern-Italian design-artists could do something like this.

Still however, it does manage to exude charm, albeit somewhat brittle. A pleasantly small amount of chrome and very conservative from the outside. The interior however, which only few people get to see, is a festival of gauges and instruments. Five of them on the right side of the steering wheel, behind which are fortunately, only the speedometer and the rev-counter. For the rest of the car, the comfort which is expected in this price range is also provided.

Perhaps Ford wanted to avoid a comparison with their own vehicles. Apart from the design, this car demonstrated to the Americans just how a muscular car with a safe suspension should be built and in addition, how the space inside the car can be best utilised. Admittedly, as far as the price was concerned, nobody could touch them. 06/15