| Hofstetter Turbo | |
| Manufacturer: | Hofstetter |
| Aka: | Hofstetter Cortada |
| Production: | 1984 |
| Model Years: | 1986-1991 (18 produced) |
| Designer: | Mario R Hofstetter |
| Layout: | Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout |
| Doors: | Gull-wing |
The Hofstetter Turbo is a Brazilian sports car created in the 1980s by Mario Richard Hofstetter. In 1980, Hofstetter started to draw a prototype of the car. The idea was to produce a domestically built sports car, since the Brazilian government had strict policies on importing foreign cars at the time. In 1982, he started to put the mid-engined car together with some other workers, and began the Hofstetter company in 1984. Hofstetter was only able to sell 18 cars between 1986–1991.
The Turbo featured a fiberglass body with gull-wing doors that were reportedly inspired by the Alfa Romeo Carabo concept car.[1] The interior was upholstered in leather and featured an early digital dash.[2] Early models of the Turbo were powered by a 1.8 L Inline-four engine from the Volkswagen Passat which was then equipped with a Garrett turbocharger and coupled to a 4-speed manual gearbox. These engines reportedly produced at 5,000 rpm, and would accelerate the car from in 9.3 seconds and reach a top speed of . Later models used a 2.0 L inline-four engine out of a Volkswagen Santana that was also turbocharged with a Garrett turbo. This engine reportedly produced and increased the top speed to .[3]