1968 Bizzarrini: A Notable Classic Up for Auction

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【Summary】RM Sotheby's is auctioning a 1968 Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada Alloy, a masterpiece of Italian car design from the 1960s. The car was created by engineer Giotto Bizzarrini, who had previously worked for Ferrari. The Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada Alloy is a sports car with a front-mid-mounted Chevrolet V-8 engine. It was built by Bizzarrini's own company and was known for its scintillating performance and handling.

FutureCar Staff Aug 17, 2023 9:55 AM PT

1968 Bizzarrini: A Notable Classic Up for Auction

The 1960s was a remarkable era for car design, particularly in Italy. It was a time and place that stood out in automotive history. During this period, Italy had a growing number of car manufacturers, ranging from small garage-sized operations to large companies like FIAT. There were more automakers with names ending in "i" than ever before, leading to the term "Etceterrini" for anything that wasn't Maserati, Ferrari, or Lamborghini.

In 1963, Lamborghini's factory was established, thanks to the impressive V-12 engine designed by Giotto Bizzarrini. Bizzarrini, who had previously been fired by Enzo Ferrari, was a freelancer and had already played a major role in creating Ferrari's iconic 250 GTO. The successful industrialist Renzo Rivolta hired Bizzarrini to create the original Rivolta GT, as well as two remarkable cars that emerged in the 1960s: the Iso Grifo A3/L and A3/C. These cars, designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, showcased the pinnacle of automotive design.

Iso produced the Grifo, a luxury GT that had a successful run from 1965 to 1974, powered by Chevrolet and Ford V-8 engines. The brilliance of Iso was its ability to use reliable and affordable American V-8 engines instead of developing a unique engine for the brand. Bizzarrini's own company, founded in 1964, built the A3/C for Iso, which was a pure sports car designed to dominate the track. It achieved great success, including winning the GT class at Le Mans in 1964 and 1965.

The Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada featured a lightweight semi-monocoque aluminum body, a front-mid-mounted Chevrolet 327 ci V-8 engine, and impressive performance and handling. Bizzarrini and Iso eventually parted ways, leading Bizzarrini to produce the Grifo A3/C under his own name as the Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada and 5300 GT America. Approximately 115 examples of both models were produced between 1965 and early 1969.

Despite pricing the car lower than its Italian counterparts, Bizzarrini's company faced financial difficulties and declared bankruptcy in 1969. The story of Giotto Bizzarrini is fascinating and has been extensively covered in the book "Bizzarrini: A technician devoted to motor-racing" by Winston Goodfellow. One of the last alloy-bodied examples, the 1968 Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada Alloy, chassis No. IA3 0323, is set to be auctioned at the RM Sotheby's sale during Monterey Car Week. It has been sympathetically restored and is expected to fetch up to $1 million.

For more photos of this 1968 Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada Alloy, click here.