Visit Gianfranco Galiffa's Galiffa Kart: where karting is a family affair

VISIT GIANFRANCO GALIFFA'S GALIFFA KART: WHERE KARTING IS A FAMILY AFFAIR

Jacopo Colombo

21 February 2025 • 20 min. read

The historic tuner, among the most successful in the history of karting, opened the doors of his company's headquarters to us. And once we got to the dyno...

Gianfranco Galiffa is a name that in karting needs no introduction. Founder and owner of Galiffa Kart, “Franco” (that's what his friends call him) has built a company that over the years has become an international reference in the preparation of kart engines, especially in the Shifter categories, winning more than 30 titles in competitions of all levels (national and international) and in all categories, both Shifter and Direct Drive. Gianfranco Galiffa is a down-to-earth man, who likes to stay out of the spotlight, and inclined to do deeds rather than words. His knowledge of engines, honed through years of experience and success, is a heritage he shares with only a few. That is why, when he accepted our request to visit his company, we did not hesitate for a moment: the plane ticket was already in our hands. So we went to Abruzzo, to the town of Sant'Egidio alla Vibrata, where Galiffa was born and founded his company. A place with a strong motorsport tradition, which he himself helped to grow, nurturing one of the most active karting communities in Italy. Over time, Galiffa Kart has become much more than just an engine preparation workshop. The experience gained has allowed the company to evolve to the point where it offers a complete service: from engine development to on-track assistance and the supply of self-built components and accessories. However, there is another aspect that makes this unique: Gianfranco has turned his company into a true family business. Not everyone knows about this evolution, and even fewer have had the privilege of seeing it up close. We did it, with Gianfranco himself as an exceptional cicerone. Make yourselves comfortable and read on.

Galiffa Kart headquarters. The vans in front of the entrance are the mobile workshops in which the company's technicians check and overhaul engines during kart competitions in which the tuner is involved.

The geolocation of Sant'Egidio alla Vibrata, Italy, where the company is based. In addition, Galiffa Kart is located just 3 kilometers (about a 5-minute drive) from the Val Vibrata International Circuit, a historic track that in 2024 returned to host a round (the last) of the FIA Karting European Championship, an event in which Galiffa Kart-prepared engines won the title in the KZ and KZ2 Masters categories.

Gianfranco Galiffa, owner of the Galiffa Kart company, started his business in 1994, when he decided to interrupt his racing career to devote himself entirely to the preparation of racing engines. Thus was born his motor tuning company, with the goal of developing increasingly high-performance powertrains for karting. Success did not take long to arrive: the first victories came after a few years, initially in national championships, first in Spain and then in Italy, until he also imposed himself in international competitions, winning European and world titles. Over time, Galiffa Kart has established itself as one of the reference realities in the preparation of TM Kart engines, with a particular focus on the Shifter categories, in which its engines have become a point of reference for high-level teams and drivers.