1992 was
an important year for Franco Sbarro. That year he inaugurated
the Espace Sbarro in Grandson (Switzerland), his first design
school. The company was so large that Franco Sbarro decided
not to take part in the Geneva Motor Show, as he didn't have
time to create a new model. And yet, there was a new Sbarro at
Geneva in March 1992: the Astro.
With its plunging front
end and lenticular headlamps at the base of the windshield,
the Astro has a unique style (photo by Dingo for Option Auto
magazine).
Therapy
The story of this car deserves
to be told. In 1991, Frank Verkauser, an ophthalmologist
living in Zurich, contacted Franco Sbarro with the intention
of ordering the car of his dreams. At first, Sbarro refused,
preoccupied with his school project, but agreed to meet Mr.
Verkauser. And this meeting was decisive: the Swiss craftsman
came face to face with a sick man. A man suffering from
cancer, exhausted by treatments and chemotherapy, looking for
a project to hold on to: building a unique car whose
specifications boil down to a Ferrari mid-engine, aggressive
lines and cutting-edge electronics. Franco Sbarro, a generous
man with a big heart, managed to clear some space in his diary
and created the unique Sbarro, released in 1992 and presented
in March at the Geneva Motor Show.
Franco Sbarro at the
wheel of the Astro (photo by Dingo for Option Auto magazine)
A personal style
On the outside, the car's plunging lines and
slender front end contrast with the massive stern, topped by
an imposing spoiler. The heaviness of the rear end, especially
in profile, becomes even more noticeable when you learn that
the rear wheels are an impressive 19 inches in diameter,
unheard of at the time. The reason for these somewhat
tormented lines is that Franck Vankauser wanted three seats,
two at the front and a transverse one at the rear, and room
for his luggage, hence the presence of two trunks, one at the
front and one at the rear. Side air intakes bring fresh air to
the engine. Two lens-beam headlamps are unusually positioned
just below the windshield.
Not always visible in
photographs, a line carved into the side of the Astro
accentuates the car's forward plunge.
High-tech interior
The interior is surprisingly
bright, thanks mainly to the sunroof and light-colored leather
upholstery. You'll notice that, unlike some tuners, Sbarro has
left the top of the dashboard dark, to avoid annoying
reflections in the windscreen. A keen electronics enthusiast,
the client had a TSO satellite navigation system installed,
incorporating a Sony screen (which can also be used to watch a
film played back on the VCR) and a retractable keyboard. The
equipment is completed by the aforementioned VCR, a telephone,
a hi-fi system with CD changer... In short, a top-of-the-range
model not common at the time.
Luxurious interior, with
state-of-the-art high-tech equipment (photo by Dingo for
Option Auto magazine)
Engine by Ferrari
Compared to this electronic
debauchery, the powertrain seems insignificant. It's a V8 from
a Ferrari 308 GTS, developing 275 hp. Curiously, this engine
is fitted with carburetors rather than the electronic fuel
injection available from Ferrari. The rest of the Astro is
classic for a sports car: rear-wheel drive, 5-speed manual
gearbox, disc brakes (no ABS).
A massive rear end that
hides the Ferrari mid-engine
Although the Astro is now
owned by Franco Sbarro, its owner has logged many kilometers
behind the wheel, proving that Sbarro is a reliable company,
even on a one-off model. It may not be the most surprising, or
the best-known, of the cars built by Sbarro, but this one
tells a good story. Which is sometimes far more important than
the best technical specifications.
In brief
1- The Astro was built to help its
sponsor overcome a serious illness.
2- Unique model, homologated and
registered in Switzerland
In brief
1- The Astro was built to help its sponsor overcome a serious illness.
2- Unique model, homologated and registered in Switzerland
3- Ferrari engine