Giotto Bizzarrini, one of the world's most talented automotive engineers, was instrumental in the development of the immortal Ferrari 250 GTO, the pioneering mid-engined ATS 2500 GT, the Ferrari 250 "Breadvan", the legendary Lamborghini V12 engine and also the ISO Grifo, from which the Bizzarrini 5300 GT and Bizzarrini A3/C models were developed.
The Bizzarrini name is attributed to a number of models including the 5300 GT Stradale, the Le Mans class-winning Bizzarrini, the 1900 GT Europa, the mid-engined P538 and its descendant the Manta.
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The return of the Bizzarrini marque is rich with possibility and Pegasus intends to honour the brand’s heritage while also engaging with a new generation. Tradition and technology will align to write new chapters in the ongoing Bizzarrini story.
The most enduring and iconic Bizzarrini of all, the 5300 GT was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro with refinements by Piero Drogo of Carrozzeria Sports Cars. Powered by the Chevrolet small block V8, the aluminium-bodied car was light, agile and hugely competitive. The road going Strada was the connoisseur’s choice, encapsulating the very best of Italian design and engineering.
The 5300 GT was initially developed for the track, an evolution of the Iso A3C that used the know-how Giotto Bizzarrini had garnered during his time at Alfa Romeo and Ferrari. It was the latter’s cars that he intended to challenge with the 5300 GT Strada. Chassis 0222 is justly famed for its performance in the 1965 Le Mans 24 Hour Race, where it took the over 5-litre class win at Le Mans, finishing ninth overall at an average speed of 169km/h.
Just three examples of the open topped 5300 GT were built, starting with the silver prototype with its fully opening roof and faired-in headlights and followed by two cars with a Targa-style central spine. Built by Stile Italia and Sibona e Basano, all three cars survive today, two owned by the collector owned by Mark Sassak. They offer a tantalising alternative to the convertible super sports cars of the era.
A unique car, the prototype 5300 GT America 2+2 was shown at the Salone di Torino in November 1968. Featuring amended bodywork to incorporate rear seats, the GT America 2+2 was, as its name suggests, a grand tourer designed for the American market without compromising any of the qualities of the 5300 GT Strada.
Dating from late 1965, the P538 (sometimes referred to as the P538S) was a V8 and V12 powered racing car, five of which were built in total (two with Chevy V8s and three with the Bizzarrini-designed Lamborghini V12). The open fibreglass bodywork was designed by Giugiaro and is starkly minimal, representing true beauty through pure function.
Dating from late 1965, the P538 (sometimes referred to as the P538S) was a V8 and V12 powered racing car, five of which were built in total (two with Chevy V8s and three with the Bizzarrini-designed Lamborghini V12). The open fibreglass bodywork was designed by Giugiaro and is starkly minimal, representing true beauty through pure function.
The P538 had a limited European racing career due to rule changes and company finances, but it also spawned Bizzarrini’s first mid-engine road car. Commissioned by a member of the Italian Royal Family, Prince Amedeo, the Duke of Aosta, the car was built in 1968 using the P538 as a base, with a Chevy V8 and a manual gearbox. The resulting one-off, the Duca d’Aosta, is one of the rarest Bizzarrini designs.
The 1967 1900 GT Europa was Bizzarrini’s attempt to build an entry-level sports car, using a modest 2-litre Opel engine and a light, fibreglass body. The fluid bodywork is clearly related to the more powerful 5300 GT models, with the same signature grille shape and faired-in headlights. A total of twelve 1900 GT Europas are believed to have been made.
Built on the chassis of a 5300 GT (rumoured to have been on the original Le Mans competition cars), the Bizzarrini Manta was designed and built by Giorgetto Giugiaro’s new independent venture, Italdesign. Shown at the 1968 Turin Motor Show, the Manta eschewed flowing curves for a more rigorous, geometric approach. With a central driving position flanked by two passenger seats, this timeless design was also truly innovative.
The Sciabola originated in Giotto Bizzarrini’s involvement with the American Motors Corporations’ AMC AMX/3 mid-engine sports car. The AMX/3 used an evolution of the 5300 GT chassis, with suspension designed by Bizzarrini and a frame by Giugiaro’s Italdesign and bodywork by AMC’s own studio. Production was based in Italy, at Autofficina Salvatore Diomante, founded by the erstwhile Bizzarrini factory manager. AMC left the project after just six cars were built, and the remaining parts were incorporated into several other projects. The Sciabola was a re-badged AMX/3, highlighting Bizzarrini’s diverse engineering prowess.
In 1993, a one-off supercar bearing the Bizzarrini name was built in California. Using a Ferrari Testarossa as a base and the Bizzarrini 5300 GT Spyder as inspiration, the BZ 2001 was commissioned from Giotto Bizzarrini by the American car designer Barry Watkins. A limited series production run was planned but only the prototype car, featuring carbon fibre bodywork and bespoke running gear, was built.
The centre mid-engined Bizzarrini GTS 4.4V was first shown at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. Also known as the Ghepardo, the coupé featured an Alpina-developed V8 engine.
