At the beginning of the 1950s, Argentina was doing well economically, and the standard of living there was then equivalent to that of France. However, from 1951, President Perón drastically limited imports of manufactured products, particularly automobiles, the goal being to create a local industry. This does not suit the brothers Eligio and Nilson Bongiovanni, Chevrolet dealers since 1948. They adapt by starting to repair ambulances and war machines, but the automobile is always on their mind.
At the time, the VW Beetle was beginning to enjoy impressive success, so the two Argentinians were thinking about a car that would take technical elements from it. They created a company, ITA, in 1958, to produce it. For the bodywork, as steel is a very rare commodity, they are choosing a new material, which many manufacturers will love (like Chevrolet with the Corvette or Alpine with the Berlinette): fiberglass. Relatively easy to work with because it does not require heavy installations, it also has an excellent weight/strength ratio.
The Argentines asked the engineer Emil Rufilius to design it. He developed a specific bodywork, equipped with a double wall at the rear to limit engine noise, and a tubular chassis. Tests were carried out in 1959 with a 1.2 liter VW flat-four, but it was seriously lacking in power with its meager 33 hp. The Bongiovanni take a trip to Germany and, surprise, return with an agreement signed with… Porsche. The German brand will supply them with one hundred 1.6 liter 356 engines. Porsche sends an engineer to Argentina to examine the prototype, and allows Zunder to use its name in its communication. Seat will have less ease with the Ibiza with an engine also designed by Porsche…
The car, called Zunder 1500, was presented on September 20, 1960, in the presence of a Porsche representative, and sales, supported with strong advertising, began. Slowly, because customers are put off by fiberglass. It seems that a Zunder dealer, tired of the remarks on the alleged fragility of this material, took out his revolver and fired into the doors, on which the bullets bounced: Musk before his time! Let us add that the appearance of the car, which we will modestly describe as strange, has certainly disconcerted many customers… But, they ultimately understand the qualities of the Zunder, which takes its 880 kg to 140 km/ h thanks to its 58 hp: a great performance then in Argentina. In addition, its bodywork does not rust, which the ad boasts by stating that “the Zunder stays new forever”.
A 1600 coupe, very similar to the Karmann-Ghia, was even studied, also using fiberglass. The commercial success of the sedan was rather encouraging, but the Bongiovanni did not have the finances strong enough to purchase enough engines and then develop a network ensuring sales and after-sales.
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However, they are struggling to find investors, some of whom even agree to finance a thousand engines. This would enable profitable sales levels! But the political opposition is strong and this cannot be done. The brothers stopped costs in 1963 after having produced around 200 units of what was, well before the Panamera, the first sedan with a Porsche engine, recognized and validated by the German brand!
