EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN: This Exotic Italian Sports Car Pairs a Free-Breathing V-8 with a Manual.

Between Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Pagani, and countless others, Italy has a rich history of producing jaw-dropping sports cars. Now there’s another name to add to the list: Automobili Mignatta, a new startup that is based out of Valfenera d’Asti in Piedmont, around 25 miles outside of Turin. The company’s first car, the Rina, was revealed this week and pairs classically beautiful bodywork with the equally classic combination of a naturally aspirated V-8 engine and a manual transmission.

The Rina’s monocoque is made from carbon fiber, as is the handcrafted barchetta-style body, which draws inspiration from Italian sports cars of the 1960s. The curvature of the fenders, oval-shaped headlights, and lack of a windshield call to mind classics like the Shelby Cobra or Maserati 450S. The Rina has an athletic stance and perfect proportions, and small visors sprout up in front of each occupant to divert the air flowing over the long hood.

Beneath the bodywork lies a 5.0-liter V-8 that remains free from both turbochargers and superchargers. The naturally aspirated unit is hooked up to a six-speed manual transmission that delivers power to the rear wheels only.

If an Italian startup can stick a naturally aspirated V-8 and a manual transmission into an exotic sports car, surely Ford or GM could do the same for a no-frills pickup…

…if Washington would just get out of the way.