We haven't been stingy with affection for the classic Volkswagen Golf on these pages. Taken out of context - no divided Germany, no fuel crisis - it's a remarkable automotive design, though it may have been driven by necessity more than we care to admit today. Capable of relatively high-speed travel in full comfort with all of the features required in a car and nothing more, it's a high water mark in the automotive design world.
Well, it owes some of its excess to none other than the Fiat 128. After all, it was chief engineer Dante Giacosa and his team at Fiat that brought the world the East-West layout of the engine and transmission found in nearly every FWD car today. It is even claimed that the team at Volkswagen disassembled a 128 while developing the original Golf platform.
We would like to think that the marketing department at the fledgling Automobili Lamborghini had a hand in selecting the color combination for this Islero S, but we aren't really sure if they had a marketing department at this point, having sold only a couple hundred cars. Either way, it sends a message to Modena in no uncertain terms; Sr. Lamborghini was displeased with Ferrari road cars and was out to sell more competent alternatives.
Interestingly, the Islero is no wild departure from the 350GT that got Lamborghini's feet off the ground. No longer produced by Touring like the 400GT and 350GT before it, the Islero was constructed by Carrozzeria Marazzi following the bankruptcy of Touring. The resulting Lamborghini was a 350GT underneath, featuring its ZF 5-speed manual transmission, assisted Girling disc brakes, and Pirelli tires. Unequal front double wishbones and double wishbones in the rear with anti-squat design comprised the suspension, which attached to a rigid chassis, designed by Gianpaolo Dallara to utilize square tubing. Power was up on the S model - differentiated by its hood scoop, among other subtle cues - to a healthy 350hp, good for 161mph on the open road.
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Year: 1969 Model: Lamborghini Islero S Engine: 3.9L V12 Transmission: 5-speed manual Mileage: N/A Price: $425,000 Location: Lynnwood, WA
1969 Lamborghini Islero V12 GT "S" Series finished in Red over Tan leather interior.
Chassis number 6531, this Islero is 1 of ONLY 100 "S" Series produced worldwide and the 54th unit built.
This "S" variant Islero features a higher horsepower MATCHING NUMBERS V12 motor that increased horsepower to 350, larger disc brakes, reversed rear suspension, updated dashboard/interior, power windows, updated brightwork and trim pieces on the hood/fenders, and updated round side marker lights. Recipient of a no expense spared extensive cosmetic and mechanical restoration completed by Lamborghini specialist Gary Bobileff of San Diego in the OEM specifications. The car has covered less than 400 km (249 miles) since the mechanical rebuild, and is beautiful overall condition. Coming to us with 37,270 miles (59,981 kilometers showing on the odometer). The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering 2018 "Best of Show" Participant. Displayed for the 50th anniversary of the Lamborghini Espada and Islero. Promotional material included with sale. 2018 Quail "Best of Show" Participant. Five speed manual transmission. Four-wheel independent suspension. Coil springs. Anti-roll bars. Four wheel hydraulic disc brakes. Beautiful tan leather interior, woodgrain interior trim including steering wheel and power windows. Prominently displaying the original Marazzi production sequence tag of 25179 in the engine bay as well as the chassis plate & VIN tag on the dashboard. Included with the car is an original sales brochure, owner's manual, and restoration records. Service records available upon request.
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We won't attempt an assessment of the condition of this machine other than to say that the seat leather looks to be in great shape, and that the restoration work shows very well in photographs. These sorts of transactions require a bit more diligence and inspection, so we'll leave that up to prospective buyers.
It's said that Ferruccio Lamborghini himself drove an Islero during their time - a high compliment in our books. We are happy to go by the recommendation of a man who successfully challenged Enzo Ferrari at his own game. In the case of the Islero, we would say that he defeated Ferrari - never before have we been so taken aback by the long and low design of a GT. We're sort of surprised that Mario Marazzi, the designer, didn't go on to have a successful design career. Put another way, this Islero S is a great opportunity to support an unsung hero of the automotive design world!
If you missed your opportunity to buy a Countach, there still may be hope for finding a Diablo. That's especially true if you prefer the earlier iterations of the two models. Whereas the first iteration of the Countach, the P400, demands top money in the Countach world, it's the later Diablos, now under Audi engineering direction, that Diablo collectors seem to snatch up. Even late Countach's are priced at multiples of an early Diablo.
As far as we're concerned, these early cars are alright. You get the 485hp V12, a descendent of the original Bizzarrini design. AWD had not been offered on the car yet, so a simple mid engine, RWD layout exists. Chrysler involvement seems to be limited to funding, and - unfortunately - styling. The Diablo is an attractive car in every possible sense, but when you see what Gandini had intended for the car, it's just a bit disappointing. Chrysler really watered down the styling of the P132 that Gandini originally proposed. The plus side of this is that the design has aged better, although we prefer the more daring of the two designs.
The Italians break the 200mph mark with this amazing V12 Monster back in 1991. It was no surprise then, that the Diablo was the fastest production car in the world for the 1991 model year. Finished in pearl white on cocoa brown interior this car is a gorgeous piece of automotive history. Iconic body lines show nicely in this well preserved example. No major dents or scratches to note paint has minor stress cracking on the rear spoiler. Headlights pop up evenly and function perfectly. All gaps between panels are perfect and car has never been wrecked. Original 17 inch wheels wrapped in pirelli tires all around factory suspension drives very smooth. Brembo brakes all around to stop you safely for high speed driving.
Interior is in excellent condition Seats are in great condition finished in a cocoa brown color these seats look fantastic. The leather wrapped dash in in excellent condition. Door shocks in good condition has an aftermarket alpine radio functions well has 6 CD Changer alpine as well located conveniently behind the passenger seat. Gated manual is one of the sexiest parts of this car in its convenient height for quick downshifts or upshifts. AC functions well and blows cold.
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The white exterior fits perfectly the car's current locale of Miami - not to mention the cocoa brown interior. Options were limited on Diablos, and this car lacks power steering based on the year (power steering wasn't added until 1993). Early cars also lacked ABS, although we aren't entirely sure whether this car is too early to feature ABS or not. In 1991, the optional rear spoiler probably had its appeal, and it's nice to have the option of running it, but we would remove it, were we to buy this car. Also, leather dashes can be tough to keep pristine, though this one doesn't look terrible. They're nice for five years or so, and then become a nuisance.
So, for manual Gallardo money, you can pick up an early Diablo. Not bad. The Gallardo will drive like a modern car, of course, and that is admittedly more in the spirit of Lamborghini's founder. But, we'll make an exception for a Diablo. Mid-engined V12 manual transmission cars are hard to come by, and few make them anymore. This could be a good opportunity to find yourself in the seat of one.
Considered by many to be one of the prettiest GT cars ever made, the Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada I wrote up in April is back up on eBay. With bidding at $200,000 but the reserve still on, there's a long way to go until this car hits market value. That market value is still substantially below what equivalent Ferraris and Lamborghinis cost these days though, so this could be one of the more reasonable classic Italian top tier GT cars you can buy. Of course, you have to win the auction first....
The below post appeared on our site originally on April 2, 2014:
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The other day, I wrote up an Iso A3C; a neat and fairly rare race car from the mid 1960s that marked a period where Iso and ex-Ferrari designer Bizzarrini worked together to create the beautiful and fast race car; however, shortly after the Grifo-based A3C launched its race career, Bizzarrini and Renzo Rivolta parted ways. The result was that Bizzarrini continued to build road-going versions of the A3C, now dubbed the Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada, for a few years. While more plentiful than the A3C, they're certainly not a car you come by every day - which is why it's an extra-special treat to see one pop up on Ebay:
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Year: 1968 Model: 5300GT Strada Engine: 5.4 liter V8 Transmission: 5-speed manual Mileage: Not Listed Price: No Reserve Auction
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Bizzarrini 5300 Strada, 1968
restored by Salvatore Diomante, the factory manager who never stop taking care of the Iso and Bizzarrini
350 CV, documented, alloy body
The cars who have won awards at Pebble Beach are Diomante restorations
0 km since restoration
Contact me if real interest
I have to say, it takes a large set of attachments to post such a car - likely worth close to seven figures - for sale as a no reserve auction on Ebay; my guess, though, is that if bidding doesn't go the way of the seller it will get ended early. Fully restored, this car appears to be lovely and is somewhat unusual in silver color, but there aren't many photos to document the current condition. Despite that, it's a rare car to see at all so it's certainly worth taking a look at. While probably out of the price range of anyone reading this, these cars are pretty well priced considering their history and especially when compared to similar vintage Ferraris. They're arguably as beautiful as some of their creator's other creations for the prancing horse!
I have an interesting connection to this car. Well, it's not a very good one, and I didn't even realize it until this morning. I've written up a few Bizzarinis over the past few weeks, in all cases the closed coupe 5300 GT Strada (and the A3C that it was based upon). But Bizzarini also built an open cockpit sports racer to compete with Ferrari and go racing at Le Mans. Initially offered with the 5.3 V8, as with the Strada the engine helped name the P538; P for posteriore placed engine and 5.3 8 cylinder rounding it out. So what's my connection? As a child, I got to meet an aquaintence of my father and grandfather, Mike Gammino - he was the one who allowed me so close to his 512BB. But earlier in life, Mr. Gammino was more famous for racing rare Ferraris, including a 250GTO. Obviously impressed with the Iso A3C he raced at Sebring in 1965, he was also the first person in the United States to order a Bizzarini P538. While I never got to see his example, it's rare to find them at all - and this example looks like one of the best:
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Year: 1965 Model: P538 Engine: 5.3 liter V8 Transmission: 5-speed manual Mileage: 10,000 mi Price: $1,200,000 Buy It Now
During the 1950s, Giotto Bizzarrini worked as chief engineer at Ferrari on such projects as the Ferrari 250 GTO. In 1961, he left Ferrari and by 1963, he had formed his own company, Bizzarrini. In the mid-1950s, Bizzarrini wanted to include a mid-engined racing car to his lineup to help achieve the success that his GT racers were unable to provide. The GT cars had been able to secure class wins, but Bizzarrini wanted an overall victory.
Design, development and testing of the P538 began in mid-1965 and it took six months for the first chassis to be constructed. The chassis was a traditional tubular construction with triangle shaped tubes. Disc brakes were placed in the front and rear. The suspension was comprised of double wishbones and the engine was a Chevrolet V8 engine mounted at a 90-degree angle. It had a 5.3-liter displacement size and could produce around 365 horsepower. A five-speed ZF manual gearbox was matted to the engine and drove the rear wheels. The body was lightweight, but strong, comprised of aluminum and fiberglass.
The name of the vehicle, P538, was derived from the Chevrolet Corvette engine '5.3-liter V8'.
The car, with V8 power, was ready by the time for 1966 LeMans 24 hours race, but there had not been any time to do proper testing. It took only seven laps for the team to find a problem with the car and it returned to the pits. There had been a vibration in the wheel. The vehicle was hoisted up on jacks and in the process, ruptured a water hose within one of the triangular tubes and sidelined the car from the race.
The car was brought back to LeMans a year later, though it was not allowed to race, for reasons unknown. The prototype racer was now obsolete.
The roadster body was later removed and replaced with a coupe configuration. This had been done in an effort to sell the vehicle as a racer. Bizzarrini felt the coupe configuration would allow it to qualify for more competition than the prior body. The Duke of Aosta was interested in purchasing the car, but he did not fit. Not wanting to turn away a customer, Bizzarrini created a unique coupe body. The car was called the 'Duca d'Aosta' Coupe. The Duke kept the car for only a short time before selling it to collector in 1972. The collector kept it in his care for nearly 30 years. It was sold at auction in Geneva in 1999. In recent years, it was shown at the 2006 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. It was shown at the Blackhawk Exhibition at Pebble Beach in 2005.
The car offered here is Chassis # P538*B*04 Commissioned by Frenchman Jacques Lavost and started construction of the car in early 1970s at Salvatore Diomante’s shop with Giotto Bizzarrini and his wife helping in the production using the same components used on the 1965 Built cars. The car was completed in 1978 and has certification from ASI. This car has different front air-intake, side intakes in doors and not rear wings, 2 triangular-section headrests and with matching roll-bars.
Ownerships history:
2000 – still owned by Lavost.
2003 Davide di Bernardi (Scuderia GAMS), Como, Italy
For more information call Mort at 949-335-7474 ext 1.
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Condition is absolute top of the charts for this car. While it was not a successful race car, the P538 was advanced for the time - remember, Ferrari was just playing around with moving the engine behind the driver. This was quite an impressive car in its day, very light and aerodynamic with plenty of power on tap. It's also one of the prettiest sports racers ever produced. This combination, along with the rarity of the breed, makes it one of the more expensive cars from the 1960s you could buy. But in a world of multi-million dollar Ferrari racers, it's not unreasonably priced and likely much cheaper to run than those cars. While it's not an easy market to crack in to, it would certainly be appreciated no matter the event it arrived at - from Goodwood Revival right to Pebble Beach. It takes a special car to pull that off, and this is a very special car.
Just last week, I looked at an extremely rare Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada that popped up on Ebay. Pictures weren't great, but as I said in that post it's not a car you see every day. Yet here we are, less than a week later, with another one of these Italian-American combinations! It's not that I was particularly wrong, just consider us very lucky to be able to see these very special cars come up for sale - even if you need to be a millionaire to consider one:
Year: 1968 Model: 5300 GT Strada Engine: 5.4 liter V8 Transmission: 5-speed manual Mileage: 25,000 mi Price: No Reserve Auction
Bizzarrini 5300 Strada
Alloy Body , V8 Corvette 400 CV
Fully restored, for real collectors
Please call me if real interest, 011 33 613 916 500
We take care of shipping
Giotto Bizzarrini was born in Livorno, Italy in 1926. His father was a rich landowner who came from a family with strong roots in Tuscany and the city of Livorno. His grandfather, also named Giotto Bizzarrini, was a biologist who had worked with Guglielmo Marconi on his inventions, especially the radio, following which one of the Livorno Library sections was named The Bizzarrini Library.
1959 GT Boano
Bizzarrini graduated as an engineer in the University of Pisa in 1953. He taught briefly before joining Alfa Romeo in 1954. He worked for Alfa Romeo from 1954 to 1957. He began working for Ferrari in 1957, eventually becoming controller of experimental, Sports and GT car development. He worked at Ferrari as a developer, designer, skilled test driver, and chief engineer for five years. His developments there included the Ferrari 250 TR, the Ferrari 250 GT SWB (Short Wheelbase Berlinetta or Berlinetta Passo Corto), and the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO.
Bizzarrini was fired by Ferrari during the "palace revolt" of 1961. He became part of Automobili Turismo e Sport (ATS)), a company started by the ex-Ferrari engineers to build a Formula 1 single seater and a GT sport car, the A.T.S. Serenissima.
One of ATS's financial backers, Count Giovanni Volpi, owner of Scuderia Serenissima, hired Bizzarrini to upgrade a Ferrari 250 GT SWB, with chassis number #2819GT to GTO specifications. This resulted in the Ferrari 250 GT SWB Drogo also known as the "Breadvan".
Bizzarrini's engineering company, Societa Autostar, was commissioned to design a V-12 engine for a GT car to be built by another dissatisfied Ferrari customer, Ferruccio Lamborghini. Lamborghini considered the resulting engine to be too highly strung, and ordered that it be detuned.
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As with the last advertisement, information and pictures aren't great, and this one is also being offered at no reserve; my guess is that the sellers are just looking to post an ad to get attention and pull potential buyers in that way. I just have a hard time believing that there are that many people who are actively attempting to buy million-dollar cars off Ebay, but perhaps that's also a function of my lack of a million dollars. Still, this car is just beautiful; the French blue is a nice if unorthodox color for this car and it really stands out. While we're not likely to see another Bizzarrini next week, it's nice to be able to bask in the glow of two in a short period of time - so enjoy!
The other day, I wrote up an Iso A3C; a neat and fairly rare race car from the mid 1960s that marked a period where Iso and ex-Ferrari designer Bizzarrini worked together to create the beautiful and fast race car; however, shortly after the Grifo-based A3C launched its race career, Bizzarrini and Renzo Rivolta parted ways. The result was that Bizzarrini continued to build road-going versions of the A3C, now dubbed the Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada, for a few years. While more plentiful than the A3C, they're certainly not a car you come by every day - which is why it's an extra-special treat to see one pop up on Ebay:
Click to view listing
Year: 1968 Model: 5300GT Strada Engine: 5.4 liter V8 Transmission: 5-speed manual Mileage: Not Listed Price: No Reserve Auction
Bizzarrini 5300 Strada, 1968
restored by Salvatore Diomante, the factory manager who never stop taking care of the Iso and Bizzarrini
350 CV, documented, alloy body
The cars who have won awards at Pebble Beach are Diomante restorations
0 km since restoration
Contact me if real interest
Click to view listing
I have to say, it takes a large set of attachments to post such a car - likely worth close to seven figures - for sale as a no reserve auction on Ebay; my guess, though, is that if bidding doesn't go the way of the seller it will get ended early. Fully restored, this car appears to be lovely and is somewhat unusual in silver color, but there aren't many photos to document the current condition. Despite that, it's a rare car to see at all so it's certainly worth taking a look at. While probably out of the price range of anyone reading this, these cars are pretty well priced considering their history and especially when compared to similar vintage Ferraris. They're arguably as beautiful as some of their creator's other creations for the prancing horse!
