EBM Tazio

The EBM Tazio was a mid-engined sports car developed by Eric Booth Motors, a South African manufacturer founded by former racing driver Eric Booth in Cape Town in 1994. The company initially produced racing cars before developing road-going sports cars during the second half of the 1990s. After three prototypes, the Tazio was introduced in 1999. It used a stainless-steel chassis with a fibreglass body and was developed in both Coupé and Roadster/Barchetta configurations. Contemporary specifications quoted a weight of approximately 1,000 kg. The early prototypes were fitted with 4.0-litre BMW V8 engines. For later cars, EBM also used a 5.7-litre Chevrolet V8, quoted at approximately 400–420 hp. A maximum speed of 331 km/h was claimed, although there is no documented independent test confirming that figure. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h was claimed to take less than five seconds. The Coupé featured a low two-seat body with a large windscreen, roof-mounted air intake, deep side intakes and four circular rear lamps. The surviving example pictured here uses front headlamp units from the Fiat Coupé, incorporated into the front wings. The car carries “Disegno di Pininfarina” badges on the body, and some descriptions of the Tazio attribute its design or development to Pininfarina. No primary documentation confirming Pininfarina’s involvement has yet been identified, and the design attribution therefore remains unverified. Production remained extremely limited. According to published sources, EBM Sportscars of Milton Keynes sold three EBM cars in the United Kingdom between 1999 and 2000. This figure should not automatically be interpreted as the total production of the Tazio, since the available information also records three prototypes and both Coupé and Roadster versions. The Coupé shown here was registered in the United Kingdom as X677 ONH. According to information displayed with the car, it has covered approximately 6,300 miles. The same source states that the project ended after its financial backers withdrew. Eric Booth Motors ceased production around 2000.