Vignale

Vignale
FormerlyCarrozzeria Alfredo Vignale & C.
Company typePrivate (1948–69)
Subsidiary (1969–73)
IndustryAutomotive
Founded1948 in Turin
FounderAlfredo Vignale
Defunct1973; 51 years ago (1973)
FateCompany defunct; brand taken over by Ford in 1973
Headquarters
Italy
ServicesAutomotive design, coachbuilding
OwnerFord (1973–present)
ParentDe Tomaso
(1969–73)

Vignale is the luxury car sub-brand of Ford Motor Company used in automobiles sold in Europe.[1] The former company Carrozzeria Alfredo Vignale was an Italian automobile coachbuilder established in 1948 at Via Cigliano, Turin,[2] by Alfredo Vignale (1913–69).[3] After its founder's death in 1969, Carrozzeria Vignale was acquired by De Tomaso (founded by Argentine businessman and race driver Alejandro de Tomaso). The studio ceased operation in 1973, but ownership of the name was taken over by Ford Motor Company (which had majority ownership of De Tomaso).[4]

Since then, Ford has continued to use the name sporadically to the present day. Up to present days, Ford of Europe released Vignale versions of models Mondeo,[5] Edge,[6] Fiesta, Focus, and Kuga, among others.[7]

  1. ^ Ford Vignale: The history behind Vignale, Ford's new luxury division on Auto Express, 28 Mar 2016
  2. ^ "ABOUT CARROZZERIA Vignale". geocities.com. Archived from the original on 23 October 2009. Retrieved 12 November 2007.
  3. ^ "Alfredo Vignale". jensenmuseum.org. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  4. ^ Historia de la marca DE TOMASO on Motor Giga
  5. ^ Vignale: Ford recupera una marca con historia argentina on Motor1, 4 Sep 2013
  6. ^ El Ford Edge al detalle on Diario Motor
  7. ^ Fiat, Ford y De Tomaso: la marca Vignale vuelve a la Argentina on Motor1, 4 Jun 2019