Iso Automotoveicoli S.p.A. of Bresso, a suburb of Milan, introduced the Iso Rivolta in 1962. Company chairman Renzo Rivolta and former Ferrari engineer Giotto Bizzarrini envisioned it as a Gran Turismo car designed for long-distance journeys. For motor racing, however, the car was homologated not as a GT but as a Touring Car. The contemporary styling was by Giorgetto Giugiaro for Bertone and the steel platform chassis was designed by Bizzarrini. Power was from a 327 cubic-inch V8 Chevrolet Corvette engine offering 300 horsepower and backed by a four-speed manual transmission. The suspension was comprised of an uneven front linkage setup connected to a sturdy sway bar, aided by a rear suspension comprised of twin trailing arms combined with De Dion rear axle and Watt's linkage. Coils, shocks, and disc brakes were found on all four corners.

When the Iso Rivolta was introduced in 1963, the engine offered 300 horsepower, thus the IR 300 name. The performance was exceptional for the four-passenger grand touring car, with 60 mph reached in about 8 seconds. For buyers seeking more power, a 340 SAE horsepower option was available, again backed by a four-speed gearbox from the Corvette.

A total of 797 (as many as 799) Rivola GT300s were built before production ceased in 1970.

The 1965 Iso Rivolta

The 1965 Iso Rivolta two-door coupe with seating for four and was priced at approximately $8,600 (USD) and was powered by a 327 cubic-inch (35359cc) Corvette V8 engine with overhead valves, a cast-iron block and head, 10.5:1 compression, five main bearings, hydraulic valve lifters, and a Carter four-barrel carburetor. It developed 300 (SAE) horsepower at 5,000 RPM and 360 (SAE) lb-ft of torque at 3,200 RPM. With a higher compression ratio of 11.0:1 and a Holley four-barrel carburetor, output increased to 340 (SAE) at 6,200 RPM and 360 lb-ft (SAE) at 4,000 RPM. The transmission was a four-speed manual Borg-Warner T-10. A five-speed ZF manual or a three-speed PowerGlide automatic was optional. A limited-slip differential, Borrani-triple-laced wire wheels with knock-off hubs, and air conditioning were also on the options list. Power windows were standard.

The Iso Rivolta rested atop a 106.3-inch wheelbase and was 187.4 inches in length, 56.1 inches tall, and 69 inches wide. Disc brakes with servo assist were at all four corners and the suspension was comprised of wishbones, coil springs, and anti-roll bars at the front.

Company History

Iso was founded in the 1930s under the name Isothermos. They were a leader in the production of refrigeration units. After the war, Renzo Rivolta had taken reigns and, in 1953, re-founded the company as Iso AutoVeicoli to produce motorcars. The first product was a little 'bubble-car' known as the Isetta. They later licensed the design to BMW which profited both companies.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe by Bertone
Chassis number: 410416
Engine number: 699 F010850

The motor company, Iso Rivolta, was initially named Isothermos and manufactured refrigeration units. The company was founded in Genoa, Italy, in 1939 by Renzo Rivolta, an engineer. After WWII the company changed its focus to motorcycles, scooters, and three-wheel transports. In 1953 they changed the focus to mopeds and motorbikes, founding Iso Autoveicoli S.P.A. The Iso Rivolta IR 300 was presented at the Turino Auto Show of 1962. Together with engineer, Giotto Bizzarrini, designer, Giorgetto Giugiaro, and coachbuilder Bertone, these beautiful automobiles were created with power from a Chevrolet 5.4-liter V8, deDion axles, and 4-wheel disc brakes.

Coupe by Bertone
Chassis number: 097

According to the Scheda Caratteristica ('build sheet'), serial number 097 was delivered in the livery of Rosso paint with Pelle Nera interior.

The Iso name comes from the company's pre-war history as a manufacturer of Italian refrigerators called 'Isothermos'. Renzo Rivolta, an industrialist heir, and his son Piero established a facility to build cars. Designed by former Ferrari engineer Giotto Bizzarrini with chassis/body construction by Bertone, the first car was presented at the Torino Auto Show in 1962. It was viewed as a high-end Gran-Turismo car in the grandest sense.

The 327 cubic inch Chevrolet engine is backed with a Borg Warner four-speed and the power is conveyed with a de Dion rear end like that used in the Jaguar XKE.

From 1963 thru 1967, a total of 799 units were constructed. Designed as a 2+2 passenger configuration, these cars were the pinnacle of luxury and many Europeans purchased them instead of a similar model from Ferrari. Low-volume production coupled with both high-quality construction and expensive press-tool dies predicated an expensive vehicle that was destined not to survive in the competitive international automotive market of the 1960s.

Coupe by Bertone
Chassis number: IR360303

This Iso Rivolta IR 300 has recently arrived in the United States from Europe, where it was given a comprehensive restoration. It is finished in bright red and the interior has been left in its original state, fitted with black pleated leather seating surfaces. The dashboard is equipped with a full set of gauges including a full-size speedometer in kilos, plus a tachometer, both emblazoned with the Iso Rivolta name. It rides on Borrani knock-off chrome wire wheels with fresh rubber. There is an all-synchro Borg-Warner 4-speed transmission, a 327 cubic-inch Chevrolet small-block V8, and four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe by Bertone
Chassis number: 350176
Engine number: 309*F06073P

Renzo Rivolta made his fortune selling refrigerators, motorbikes and the iconic Isetta (a three-wheeled bubble car) to the Italian consumer. Like many before him, he tried his hand at building Grand Touring cars. Rivolta's chief engineer was Giotto Bizzarrini, designer of the Ferrari GTO. He designed the Rivolta and Grifo and later the Lamborghini V-12 engine. The Rivolta is powered by a 327 cubic-inch 300-horsepower Corvette V8 and shifted by a Borg-Warner 4-speed manual transmission. The steel-bodied 4-passenger Rivolta was styled by Bertone and was actually his interpretation of an English automobile called the Gordon Keeble. Painted Azzuro Metallizzato over a sumptuous brown leather interior, this is one of only 792 produced.

In 1962 Renzo Rivolta made his first GT car, the Iso Rivolta GT. With a chassis designed by Giotto Bizzarrini and styling by Giorgetto Giugiaro of Bertone, the Rivolta GT was a comfortable four-seater that handled like a sports car. It was a gran turismo in the original sense of the term, designed for long and memorable journeys. For motor racing, the car was homologated not as a GT but as a touring car.

This Iso Rivolta GT IR 300 was produced at a plant in Bresso, Italy, and is powered by a Chevrolet Corvette 327 cubic-inch, 300 hp engine mated to a four-speed Borg Warner transmission. It has disc brakes on all four wheels, with the rear being in-board. It was built for the U.S. market in January 1963 but sold as a 1965 model.

Purchased in 2014 and largely complete with most of its original parts and trim, but inoperable and in dire need of extensive work, the owner commissioned a four-year body-off restoration with the goal of restoring the car to its original glory.

Coupe by Bertone

The Iso Rivolta represents the marriage of Italian styling and chassis design with a powerful American V8 engine. The chassis was designed by Giotto Bizzarrini, and Bertone designed the body. This Iso Rivolta Bertone Coupe was built in late 1964 and shipped to Michelmore Motors, an Iso dealer in Reseda, California. The current owner's father was the first owner. After just one year of ownership and with 9,000 miles on the odometer, he sold the car to a TWA pilot who lived in Manhattan Beach. In 1985, having driven the car just 26,000 miles, the pilot placed it on blocks in a garage where it sat for over 30 years. The current owner acquired the car in 2016, and a full restoration of the car began. Of the 799 Rivoltas built between 1963 and 1970, it is estimated that approximately 250 have survived.

This car was the original brainchild of Renzo Rivolta, who owned a large Italian manufacturing company. This beautiful car is the marriage of an Italian body, chassis and interior with a high-powered American V8 engine and four-speed transmission. The chassis was designed by the famous Giorgio Bizzarrini, and Bertone designed the body. Chevrolet provided the Corvette 327 cubic-inch V8 and transmission. The end result was this magnificent, beautiful grand touring car.

This car has an incredibly lightweight pan-style chassis which provides a very rigid body structure and combined with the lightweight Bertone body, the complete weight of the car is less than 2800 pounds! This car is equipped with independent twin front wishbone suspension and DeDion-type rear suspension. The Corvette engine provided outstanding performance with 0-60 in 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 145 mph.

Less than 800 of these cars were produced and the cost was over $10,000, which at the time made it one of the most expensive Italian sports cars. It is still considered one of the most beautiful sports cars ever produced.

by Dan Vaughan

Iso Rivolta, 1962-1970

The Iso Rivolta was a well-styled Italian grand tourer with brutal power backing its sophisticated air. Why, then, is the name Iso uttered so infrequently and with so much less reverence than, say, Ferrari? Taking a look at Iso's history reveals a past less pedigreed than the stories behind more legendary Italian marques.

Ferrari, Maserati, and Alfa Romeo all produced racing cars from their infancies. The pilots of those rapid machines were often elevated to heroic status as children reveled in the danger and glory of their achievements. The vehicles toward which Iso first turned were not quite so awe-inspiring.

Saying that Iso began as a motorcycle manufacturer would be an optimistic stretching of the truth. Iso's first vehicles were, in reality, mere mopeds and simple scooters. Iso stumbled onto an ingenious idea, though, when they teamed up with aeronautical engineer Ermenegildo Preti to create the Isetta. BMW, the company that made the Isetta famous, is too often credited with the vision behind the egg-shaped car. 'Isetta' is short for 'Little Iso,' and Iso was in charge of the development of the tiny 3-wheeler whose rights were later sold to BMW.

Through its licensing agreement with BMW, Iso was able to establish financial security and focus its efforts on crafting more exotic machinery. The question as to why a company that was successful at creating transportation devices in miniature decided to make the switch to designing world-class machinery had a simple answer: Renzo Rivolta, Iso's founder, just couldn't find the right car.

Ferraris and Maseratis were gorgeous, but lacked durability. Jaguars were the same way. Renzo wanted a vehicle that could tote passengers around with style and speed while offering the peace-of-mind afforded by real world reliability. The car that would bear his last name was Renzo Rivolta's vision of the perfect exotic.

The Iso Rivolta was developed with legendary ex-Ferrari engineer Giotto Bizzarrini at the project's head. Both he and Iso's boss looked to the U.S. for their creation's heart, which throbbed to the tune of 300hp. The 327c.i. V8 was lifted right out of the then-new Corvette Sting Ray. Its rugged and simple design ensured longevity and reliability, two key goals apparent in the Rivolta.

The Detroit V8 wasn't the only component of the vehicle not produced by Iso. The available transmissions were a 4-speed Borg-Warner and a 5-speed ZF. The differential was from a Jaguar. Dunlop supplied the disc brakes all around, while Borrani wire wheels were available to reside within the fenders. All this outsourcing, though not of a particularly thoroughbred nature, meant that all the Rivolta's parts were the right ones for the job.

Cementing the Rivolta's claims as a GT car were its comfortable interior and large, 25-gallon fuel tank. These features allowed for comfortable long distance cruising with four people on board. The Veglia gauges sunk into the wood dash imparted a distinctly Italian flair to the passenger compartment, while the burbling V8 and spacious accommodations mimicked the very best of another country's automobiles.

Suspended up front by a conventional independent layout with upper and lower control arms with coil springs, the Rivolta also featured a De Dion rear axle design. The De Dion axle was popular on GT cars of the era, and offered better handling and a smoother ride thanks to its lower unsprung weight than a conventional live axle.

Though pieces of the Rivolta were brought together from all over the world, the car was still Italian in spirit. Accordingly, the lines of its body were taken very seriously. The famed Giorgetto Giugiaro was in charge of sculpting the Rivolta. He did a superb job, and created a rakish body with a clear intent of speed while retaining traditional GT proportions. The look was crisp and modern. Funny given Iso's historical connection to BMW, the Rivolta bears a definite resemblance to the later BMW 3.0 CS from the forward rake of the nose to the Hoffmesister kink.

While Iso set out to make a good car while developing the Rivolta, they clearly didn't aim to create a pure one. That fact can be attributed to how slowly the Iso is gaining regard as a real classic. Though it may be a very highly-regarded car in the future, the Rivolta today continues to be a largely underappreciated and unknown vehicle. With prices low for a 1960's Italian GT, now is a great time to experience the vision of Renzo Rivolta and the car which it inspired.

Sources:

Donnelly, Jim. 'Red Blooded: Bowtie Power Motivates a 1965 Iso Rivolta GT.' Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car Feb 2007: 22-27. 'Iso Rivolta.' Motorbase (2008) 28 Feb 2009

by Evan Acuña