Have You Ever Heard of – The OSI 20 M TS?
March 26, 2021
When it comes to naming sports cars there have been some fantastic examples over the years, monikers that evoke a certain feeling or convey a concept that help define what the manufacturer is trying to express with the vehicle in question. Jensen’s ‘Interceptor’ and Lamborghini’s ‘Diablo’ are two that immediately spring to my mind as I’m writing this but in 1967, Italian coach builders Officine Stampaggi Industriali (OSI for short) decided on a different route when it came to the nomenclature for their Ford Taunus-derived coupe, deciding instead to go with the not-so-catchy title of ’20 M TS’. Boring labels aside, the car was nonetheless beautifully styled by acclaimed Italian car designer Sergio Sartorelli, who was renowned at the time for penning the Type 34 Karmann Ghia and would later go on to design the Fiat 126. The 20 M TS is a front-engined, rear-wheel-drive coupe powered by a Ford Cologne V6 motor that combines Italian design flare with German oily bits for a match made in petrol head heaven. Unfortunately, after less than eight years in the game, OSI was unable to stay afloat and would eventually be swallowed up by Fiat in 1968, quashing any hopes of further designs or vehicle production.
Officine Stampaggi Industriali, or ‘Industrial Stamping Workshops’ in English (another cracking epithet), was set up in 1960 as a part of Italian car design firm Carrozzeria Ghia by Luigi Segre, a former president at Ghia along with Arrigo Olivetti who had previously worked for Italian automotive parts company Fergat. The main function of OSI was to produce exclusive vehicle designs based upon other mass-produced models from Ford, Fiat and Alfa Romeo and their first foray into the industry was to create bodies for the Innocenti 950 Spider. OSI then went on to make their own car, the 20 M TS in 1967, choosing the German Ford Taunus M20 (I suppose the name makes sense at least) as the basis for the project. At the time Ford Europe was eager to keep up with their competition in the sports car market and so was keen to collaborate with OSI and maintain some sporting heritage – the Capri, although already in development, was not quite ready to go into production just yet. Parts were shipped from Ford in Germany to OSI in Turin where the vehicles were assembled using Sartorelli’s body design and then shipped back to Ford as complete vehicles to be sold, albeit ultimately slightly larger than the donor car.
The 20 M TS debuted at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show and subsequently went into production in 1967. Initially produced with the 2.0-litre Ford Cologne V6 engine, which developed a rather meagre 90bhp, later cars were fitted with the 2.3-litre version of the same motor which bumped the power output to 108bhp at 5100rpm and produced a peak torque figure of 134lb ft at 3000rpm, propelling the car to 60mph in around 10 seconds and on to a top speed of 113mph, but there were fewer of these beefier variants manufactured. The typically graceful Italian design of the bodywork would lead one to believe that it’s a complicated affair underneath, akin to the Ferraris or Maseratis of the time, but thanks to the Ford underpinnings it’s a relatively simple beast with a monocoque chassis, MacPherson strut front suspension and a live axle/leaf spring set up in the rear. It has disc brakes up front and drums at the back and a straightforward four-speed, manual gearbox. None of this particularly nudges the car into impressive performance territory by any stretch but it does translate to inexpensive reliability and those two characteristics are certainly not to be sniffed at.
The hand-tailored interior has aged well and remains understated and elegant. It’s not at all cramped inside and the car will chauffeur four adults comfortably without too much bickering about leg room. With leather bucket seats all round and a wooden dash, gear knob and steering wheel the OSI is a pleasant place to be and can proudly hold its head aloft when being compared to more expensive interiors of the era. It’s not hard to imagine a road trip to the South of France in this stylish Grand Tourer and the four-seater coupe was well received upon launch thanks to its handsome looks, positive handling, practicality and a reasonable price tag. A total of around 2200 units were produced and after initially selling well in Germany the car was subsequently introduced in Italy, among other markets, however Ford would shoot themselves in the foot somewhat by introducing the ever-popular Mustang shortly afterwards and sales of the OSI began to dwindle. Not only did the Mustang share similar design cues with the 20 M TS, it had the advantage of a much more diverse choice of engines as well as better performance figures. At the same time contracts for OSI were diminishing following the death of Segre and his connection with Ghia and unfortunately the fate of the company, along with the car, was sealed.
Owning one of these cars today automatically places the lucky proprietor in an exclusive club with less than 200 survivors thought to still exist and even fewer having the more desirable and powerful 2.3-litre engine. At the time of writing there is only one example listed for sale on Car and Classic – a tidy, low mileage 2.3 (https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1173353) but there is a healthy OSI enthusiast community out there that can help with information on parts availability, history and general support. A convertible version was built and presented at the Turin Motor Show in 1967 but unfortunately it never went into production, making it a truly one-off example. The styling of the car may be exotic but the running costs most definitely are not due to those Ford mechanicals and most parts are still readily available. Some argue that Ford should have optioned the car with a more competitive range of engines and although we would have loved to have seen a V8 version, the Cologne engines in either guise are simple motors and incredibly easy to work on and there is great after market support. Rust is an issue so rotten body panels and steel chassis can be problematic although a lot of cars will have seen some form of restoration work by this point.
The OSI 20 M TS is a practical, reliable and beautifully styled GT coupe with a rather interesting history that deserves a lot more appreciation. It’s rare to find an alluring 1960s sports car that is not only more exclusive but also more affordable than the majority of its counterparts. It may not have the same thrill factor with regards to performance but it’s still a bona fide, one-of-a-kind classic from the golden age of Italian coach building, minus the hefty price tag. A sheep in wolf’s clothing, to coin a phrase, and we can guarantee with a fair amount of certainty that it would be the only example at any event or car show it was to attend, all the while prompting a slew of head-scratching – but admiring – “what on earth is it?” looks.
The red car pictured here is currently available on Car & Classic
If you missed out, to be in with a chance of finding your own one of these sporty Italian saloons, here’s where to keep an eye out for a Maserati Quattroporte for sale.
