Rayton-Fissore Magnum

The Rayton-Fissore Magnum is an Italian-designed and built luxury off-roader, in small scale production between 1985 and 2003. The American V8 powered versions were marketed as Laforza.

The Magnum began life intended for military and police use, but the Tom Tjaarda designed car, fitted with Italian leather interior and a range of 4, 6 and 8-cylinder engines was marketed as a "luxury 4x4" competing with the Range Rover. European-market Magnums received a range of more fuel-efficient smaller engines, to reflect European market conditions, including turbodiesels.

The vehicle was refreshed in 1998 with a facelifted design to include more modern amenities, but still used the same basic body and drivetrain.

Rayton-Fissore

The origin of the Laforza is the Rayton-Fissore Magnum 4x4, presented in July 1984. This vehicle was based on the shortened and lowered chassis of a projected medium-weight military off-roader called the Iveco "40 PM 10" (this project ended up being adopted as the Iveco VM 90). While the original Magnum prototype used the same turbodiesel engine as does the Iveco Turbodaily, the 2,445 cc Sofim turbodiesel which ended up being installed in most of the Rayton-Fissore Magnums was projected from an early stage. The front and rear differentials, suspension, and brakes were carried over from the Iveco truck, which was based on the four-wheel drive version of the Iveco Daily.