1969 Dogo SS-2000 Prototype

The Dogo SS-2000 was an Argentine prototype built in 1969 by racing driver and mechanic Clemar Bucci. At a time when wedge-shaped concept cars were exploding across Europe, Bucci created Argentina’s own low, sharp, futuristic coupe from his workshop in Munro, Buenos Aires.

The car was presented in 1970 at the Exposición del Confort Humano, or Human Comfort Exhibition. It was designed and built in just five months with help from Bucci’s brother, Rolando Bucci, and a small team of collaborators.

Visually, the Dogo SS-2000 looked far more exotic than its small-workshop origins suggest. It had a wedge-shaped body, clean rectilinear lines, smooth panels, and dramatic gull-wing doors. The proportions were extremely low, with a height of just 1,040 mm, giving it the stance of a true concept car rather than a normal coupe.

The body was made from reinforced plastic and mounted to a box-shaped single-center beam frame. That helped keep the car very light, with a curb weight of only 700 kg. Under the skin, the Dogo used a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine from a Peugeot 504, tuned to a claimed 160 horsepower. It also used a four-speed synchronized gearbox from a Porsche 911 and four-wheel disc brakes.

That mix of parts gave the Dogo a serious performance foundation. Bucci’s team claimed the car could reach 228 km/h, or about 142 mph, helped by its low weight and sleek shape. Whether or not that figure was fully proven, it showed the ambition behind the project. This was not just a styling mockup. It was built to be a real performance prototype.

What makes the Dogo SS-2000 so interesting is where it came from. Most wedge-era concept cars are associated with Italian design houses or major manufacturers. The Dogo came from Argentina, built by a racer-mechanic with a small team and a clear vision. It had the same futuristic energy as the era’s great wedge concepts, but with a far more independent story.

Today, the Dogo SS-2000 is preserved in the Bucci Museum in Zenón Pereyra, Santa Fe Province. It remains one of Argentina’s most fascinating automotive prototypes: a lightweight, rear-engined, gull-wing coupe that proved radical design was not limited to Europe’s famous studios.