The Itala 61 is the largest model of the revived Itala brand and sits above the Itala 35 and the Itala 56, due in autumn 2026. It is a GAC Trumpchi GS8, the seven-seat SUV from China’s GAC Group, reworked by DR Automobiles, which owns the Itala name and plans to assemble the car at new Fabbrica Italia facilities in Macchia d’Isernia, Molise. The name comes from a six-cylinder car the original Turin company built in the 1920s.
The engine is GAC’s 2.0 TGDI turbo petrol with 231 PS (228 hp), driving all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic. The GS8 is also sold as a hybrid in China; Itala has announced the petrol version only.
Itala’s changes to the donor are in the styling and the trim: a different front and rear, different cabin materials, 22-inch wheels on Pirelli P Zero tyres and electrically folding third-row seats. The tailgate carries a built-in leather bag, a reference to the historic 61.
