In 1961, IKA was looking for a car that could break into the Argentinian market, a car that could combine American reliability with European elegance. They had the idea of delivering two 1965 Rambler American to Pininfarina for a complete redesign. The new design largely maintained the general shape of the original Rambler but with a completely new interior and a redesign grill and rear.. The car was presented on November 30, 1966 at the Autódromo Juan y Oscar Gálvez, and was marketed as the quintessential Argentinian car. The Torino proved wildly popular throughout the 1960s and the 1970s, continued to be produced even after the bankruptcy of IKA, which was sold to Renault in 1975. Renault continued the production until the early 1980's. In 1978 the local automobile market began to slow down considerably and this also coincided with the relaxation of trade restrictions and the introduction of foreign made cars to the Argentine market. The Torino was unable to compete with the newer cheaper more reliable foreign models. Renault decided to shut down the Torino production line on December 1981.
Engines
All engines were manufactured in Argentina.
Racing
The IKA Torino's most notable international success was in the 84-hour Nürburgring race of 1969, with a Torino finishing in fourth place. The factory shipped three cars to Germany and after the three and a half days of racing, the No. 3 Torino driven by Eduardo Copello, Alberto Rodriguez Larreta, and Oscar Mauricio Franco, had covered the most laps of all - 334, but lost the top position because they accumulated various penalties during the race. The IKA Torino became "the pride and joy of Argentine car enthusiasts" when their country's team "showed that it could run with the best of Europe on Europe’s toughest circuit." The No. 3 car is displayed in the Juan Manuel Fangio Museum located in Balcarce, Buenos Aires Province, the birthplace of Argentina's Juan Manuel Fangio who dominated the first decade of Formula One racing. The IKA Torino won the Turismo Carretera, a popular touring car racing series in Argentina in 1967 with Eduardo Copello, 1969 with Gastón Perkins, 1970 and 1971 with Rubén Luis di Palma. The Torino is still being raced, albeit in silhouette form with Jeep Cherokee engines, in the Argentinian Turismo Carretera, TC4000, and Turismo Zonal categories.
Legacy
By the late 1970s the Torino was the only non-Renault product manufactured by the French company. It could also be considered the last front-engine, rear wheel drive Renault, a rarity in itself. Many Argentines think of the Torino as the national car. It has become popular with the tuning industry. Parts are still available and there are fan clubs.
