1983 OSELLA FA 2000 IMSA GTP

1983 Osella FA IMSA 2000 GTP powered by the BMW M12 F2 engine producing 350 bhp

Osella is an Italian racing car manufacturer and former Formula One team. They participated in 132 Grands Prix between 1980 and 1990. They achieved two points finishes and scored five world championship points. Named after its founder Vincenzo "Enzo" Osella, the team began life by racing Abarth sports cars among local and national races in Italy since 1965.

In the early years, Osella primarily focused on producing Formula 3 cars, gaining recognition for their exceptional craftsmanship and performance. Their dedication to precision engineering and relentless pursuit of perfection led to numerous victories and championships in the competitive Formula 3 circuit.

Buoyed by their success, Osella decided to expand their horizons and venture into the realm of Formula 1. In 1980, they introduced their first Formula 1 car, the Osella FA1. Although facing stiff competition from well-established teams, Osella demonstrated resilience and determination, showcasing their ability to produce competitive racing machines.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Osella continued to compete in Formula 1, consistently pushing the boundaries of innovation and design. While success at the pinnacle of motorsport proved elusive, the team left an indelible mark on the sport, earning a reputation for their tenacity and unwavering spirit.

In 1983 driver Frank Werner from Chicago commissioned Enzo Osella, a single-seater, to race in the GTP class of the American IMSA Championship. The result was a closed racecar that would intimidate the best drivers as it was based on the very successful F2 Osella-BMW. The first and only one made in Volpiano, on which there is the BMW 4-cylinder from Osella-BMW that won the Formula 2 World Constructors' Championship in 1982 and 1983. This project showed the name “FA 2000 IMSA”.

This Osella prematurely ended her career on the track. In the mid-eighties our FA 2000 ends up in the hands of some drug traffickers who hid her in a container. The car's whereabouts were lost for about a decade, until a doctor in New York, a car enthusiast, found her in a very bad condition and shipped her to New York to bring her back to the splendid conditions of origin. Also, the Osella participated in numerous competitions and historical re-enactments in Italy in the last decade.

The first Gran Turismo Prototypes, powered by the superb 2.0L BMW 4 cylinder engine (reduced to 350 hp for endurance races). Mated to this fantastic piece of engineering you will find a 5 speed Hewland FGB 400/098 gearbox. This Osella puts all of its power down through a set of magnesium wheels running the classic Avon racing slicks. You will be happy to hear that she is stopped by a pair of Brembo 280x26 brakes as she is extremely fast in a straight line… She is a raw racecar with from her tubular chassis to her fiberglass GTP bodywork

Very rare on the market, these kinds of cars are able to mix exclusivity and passion, such as this splendid one-off of 1983, which also represents the only "closed" race car manufactured by Osella. She comes with all of the correct documentation including Osella Certificate of Origin and Construction Certificate, CSAI Technical Passport, FIA Chips n.1922, etc. We also have a large amount of photos of her history, respray and restoration after she was recovered from the drug traffickers.

All in all, this Osella FA 2000 Imsa is a true racecar. She's a true beauty that's sure to bring joy and excitement to anyone lucky enough to drive her on the best race tracks on a track day or historic races for her class. Don't miss your chance to own a piece of automotive history that's been taken to the next level.