Last updated on September 18, 2024
Our subject car, which recently was featured on the auction site Bring A Trailer, is a fairly early 1967 model finished in a tasteful silver with a blue interior. It is equipped with a Chevrolet 327 cubic inch V8 and BorgWarner four-speed transmission. Most people outside of the car collector community are unaware of Iso Rivolta and its flagship Iso Grifo. This is unfortunate as this is one of the best GT cars ever produced and possibly the most beautiful.
When the time comes to do something remarkable, building the right team is the best way to ensure success. When Renzo Rivolta decided to expand his microcar and scooter company, he built the best team in Italy and possibly the world. To help with the effort, he joined Nuccio Bertone, of Bertone design. Styling was by sportscar artist Giorgetto Giugiaro. The Iso chassis was designed by Giotto Bizzarrini fresh off of creating the Ferrari 250 GTO. This was the dream team for building the ultimate Italian GT car, except the tiny company didn’t have the resources to develop its own engine. Enter General Motors and the Corvette engine created under the direction of the legendary Zora Arkus-Duntov.
For a large number of men of a certain age, the shape of a series I Iso Grifo became part of our design language through a three-inch-long blue Matchbox model. Matchbox built orders of magnitude more Grifos than Iso which managed just 413 cars between 1965 and 1974.
The rear of the Grifo was designed to be functional in its role as a GT car. A large rear window disguises the large trunk that can accommodate luggage for a weekend or a golf bag.
Inside, the Grifo is comfortable in a business-like way. The driving position puts the driver low but in a good position to hustle the car over long distances. The gauges are logically laid out in front of the driver and important switchgear falls readily to hand. Let the passenger deal with the radio.
The Chevrolet Corvette sourced 327 cubic inch engine is rated at 350 horsepower. This is enough power to propel the 2,200-pound Grigo to over 170 miles per hour.
Resources:
