ISO

Iso Rivolta was an automobile and motorbike manufacturer in Italy, predominantly active from the late 1940s through the early 1970s. They are known for the iconic Isetta 'bubble car' of the 1950s, and for a number of powerful performance cars in the 60s and early 70s Iso Rivolta was initially named Iso Thermos and manufactured refrigeration units before World War II. The company was originally founded in Genoa in 1939, but was transferred to Bresso in 1942 by Renzo Rivolta, an engineer and the heir of industrialists. The business was renamed as Iso Autoveicoli S.p.A. in 1953 to reflect the production of motorized transport. Together with engineer Giotto Bizzarrini, designer Giorgetto Giugiaro and chassis builder Bertone, Renzo Rivolta began developing the Iso Rivolta IR 300, which was first presented at the Torino Show of 1962. It was an elegant 2 + 2 Coupé with well-balanced technical components and outstanding driving performance. The 5.4 L V8 Chevrolet Small-Block engine and the transmission came from General Motors in Detroit, and the de Dion suspension and four-wheel disc braking system came from the large Jaguars of the time. This concept was maintained for almost all production cars of Iso Rivolta. Starting in 1971, Ford 351 Cleveland engines replaced the GM small block Iso Rivolta in Bresso was already well known for producing the well built and fast IR300; a sleek looking 2+2 Coupe with a Chevrolet Corvette power train. After leaving Ferrari, in 1961 Giotto Bizzarrini set up “Prototipi Bizzarrini” in Livorno,Tuscany where he designed and consulted for marques like ATS, Lamborghini and Iso Rivolta. In 1963 he designed the Iso Grifo A3/L (L for Lusso {Italian for Luxury}) for Renzo Rivolta, who was looking for a follow-up to his Iso Rivolta GT. The body was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Bertone, while Bizzarrini was in charge of the mechanical part of the car. Bizzarrini figured there would also be a demand for a race version of the Grifo and came up with the A3/C (C for Corsa) with a dramatic modified alloy body. He later dubbed it his “Improved GTO", as he had been the designer for the 250 GTO when he had worked for Ferrari. The engine was moved back about 40 centimeters (16 in), making the A3/C one of the first front-mid-engined cars ever built. To adjust the timing, a piece of the dash needed to be removed. Both cars were built simultaneously. That same year Bertone showed the Grifo A3/L prototype at the Turin Auto Show, while Iso Rivolta showed off the (partly unfinished) competition version; the Iso Grifo A3/C. Both were overwhelmingly successful. Although design changes had to be made to the prototype, Iso concentrated on getting the Grifo A3/L ready for production. The car got a light facelift that made it less aggressive but turned it into a very elegant Gran Turismo (GT) supercar. This “street” Iso Grifo GL received the fast, modified but reliable Chevrolet Corvette’s 327 V8 (5.4 L) engine, either in 300 or 350 hp—coupled to a Borg-Warner 4-speed gearbox. These engines were ordered in the United States, but were completely taken apart and blueprinted before they were put in; as they did with the Iso Rivolta GT. With over 400 horsepower (300 kW) and a weight of less than 2,200 pounds (1,000 kg), the vehicle was able to reach speeds of 275 km/h (171 mph). While Renzo Rivolta focused on the A3/L; Giotto tried to promote the A3/C—making for some tension between the two. This meant that the Grifo GL was being produced at Bresso and the A3/C at Piero Drogo’s Sports Cars of Modena under Giotto’s strict supervision. In 1964 the prototype Grifo A3/C raced at Le Mans (Edgar Berney/Pierre Noblet), running well until brake problems required a two hour pit stop. The car then resumed the race, finally finishing in 14th place; an encouraging result for a brand-new car. Only 22 examples of the Bizzarrini Grifo A3/C were constructed before a disagreement between Renzo and Bizzarrini ended the cooperation. Finally in 1965 Giotto Bizzarrini and Renzo Rivolta split ways, which resulted in separate production of the street Grifo GL and the competition Bizzarrini A3/C. Giotto refined his A3/C and this eventually turned out to be his line of Bizzarrini 5300 Stradas and Corsas. From here on the “Grifo” name was lost in connection to Bizzarrini. In total, 330 Series I and 83 Series II cars were built for a total of 413 cars, 90 of which were 7-litre versions. The rarest are the Series II 5-speeds (23 built) and the Series II Targa (4 built). Due to their rarity today, Grifos are desirable collectibles. A former employee of Iso, Roberto Negri, runs a small company in Clusone, Italy, specializing in maintaining and restoring Grifos. Bizzarrini continued to build both Bizzarrini Stradas and Corsas and had the alloy bodies (put together with more than 10,000 rivets) built by BBM of Modena. In 1966 he introduced a scaled-down version, the Bizzarrini 1900 “Europa,” first shown in 1967. Most of these cars got a tuned-up version of the Opel 1900 engine, some got Alfa Romeo engines. Only about 17 Europas were ever built, making it one of the rarest of his creations. Even rarer is the Barchetta version, the P538, with only three ever produced. A total of around 155 Bizzarrini Stradas and Corsas were built before Bizzarrini closed down in 1969 due to bankruptcy; all remaining parts and cars were sold off. The Iso Fidia, initially Iso Rivolta S4, a four-door sedan was produced from 1967 to 1975. The Fidia, first presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1967, was the only four-door model from Iso. Production only got underway some time after the initial presentation of the car, and its European press launch which took place in Athens, came more than a year later, in February 1969. The car was marketed as a unique combination of comfort and sporting performance. In total, there were 192 Fidias built After the sudden death of Renzo Rivolta in Milan in 1966, his son Piero, at the age of only 25 became the director of Iso Rivolta. Under Piero's leadership, Iso built the Fidia. The body was designed at Ghia by Marcello Gandini. The Lele was named after Piero's wife. At the start of 1973 the Rivolta family sold the business to an Italian American financier named Dr Ivo Pera who promised to bring American management to ISO. The Grifo developed 390hp (290kW) in its production form and could reach 110km/h (68mph) in first gear. Renzo Rivolta also showed a one-off Grifo A3/L Spyder at the Geneva auto show. The production of Iso Grifo GL started in 1965. In October 1966 the very first Grifo (car #97) with Targa Top was shown at Turin. This was one of 13 Series I Targas ever built; later, four series II Targas were built.