1965 Bizzarrini Iso Grifo A3/C

Bizzarrini's resume included working for the legendary Ferrari and Lamborghini marques, and when he began producing cars bearing his own name, these two marques became his top competitors.

The first car to wear his name was the 5300, created in collaboration with Giugiaro at Bertone and Renzo Rivolta, who was working on creating the Iso Rivolta 300 at the time. The Rivolta 300 had a Corvette V8 powerplant and a welded steel monocoque chassis. The suspension was independent with double wishbones in the front and a DeDion rear axle. The Chevrolet V8 engine was a foreign piece of technology in an Italian sportscar, but it offered numerous benefits such as plenty of power (around 365 bhp), proven reliability, and low cost of production. The engine was placed as far back in the engine bay as possible, resulting in limited interior room, but maximum performance. Another drawback to being so close to the engine was the noise and the heat produced by the engine. But, as in many other sports cars, interior space played 'second fiddle' to performance.

The result was spectacular, with performance and reliability coupled together in a small and stylish package. It was very aerodynamic, had a great suspension, and the powerplant kept it competitive.

Bizzarrini wanted to take the cars racing but Iso, at first, disagreed. By 1963, Bizzarrini had convinced Rivolta to finance a racing program resulting in the development of a sportier version of the Iso Rivolta. The result was the Iso Grifo which laid the groundwork for the soon-to-come 5300GT. Homologation requirements meant the Iso Grifo was entered in the prototype category, pitting the car against fierce competition such as the dominant Ford GT40 with its seven-liter engine, and Shelby's Cobra. The team scored a 14th-place finish at LeMans and a 19th at the Nurburgring 1000Km in 1964. 1965 began on a sour note, as a car was destroyed at Sebring and another at Daytona. The team switched to older cars, leaving them at even more of a disadvantage. At LeMans, the true potential of the cars shined, as they scored a class victory. This victory was made possible by the Ford GT40's retiring from the race prematurely.

At the 1963 Torino Motor Show, the competition Grifo A3/C and Grio A3/L 2+2 were displayed. These cars shared similarities but very different bodies styled by Giugiaro at Bertone. The cars were given positive reviews at the show resulting in both being put into production. The chassis was built by Bizzarrini, while Iso provided the engine and various other mechanical components. The 2+2 A3/L models were assembled by Bertone, and Drogo manufactured the competition bodies.

Only twenty-five examples of the Grifos were produced before Renzo Rivolta's death. The relationship between Bizzarrini and Iso soon fell apart, ending with Bizzarrini suing Iso to get the necessary parts to finish 50 cars. The first set of cars carried the Iso badge, while the cars that came after chassis number 0024 were dubbed the Bizzarrini 5300 GTs. As such, both the Iso Grifo AC3/C and the Bizzarrini 5300 GT were very similar in many respects. Their designs were slightly different, as Carrozzeria BBM was tasked with creating the bodies for the Bizzarrini's which introduced small subtleties such as different door handles and minor changes to the light and signals in the front and rear.

by Dan Vaughan

Competition Berlinetta by Catarsi
Chassis number: IA3*0222

This competition Berlinetta is the most successful of the Iso Grifo Bizzarrini-built A/3C works race car in existence. It has a light fiberglass body by the yacht-builder Cantieri Nautici Catarsi and was the first A3/C with independent rear suspension and inboard disc brakes. With its potent 5.4-liter Chevy engine, driven by Regis Fraissinet and Jean de Mortemart, it finished 1st in class and 9th overall at the 24 Hours of LeMans in 1965, achieving a top speed on the Mulsanne Straight of 186 mph - a speed matched only by the 7-liter Ford GT40s.

The 'front mid-engine' A3/C was the brainchild of Giotto Bizzarrini, designer and builder of the famed Ferrari 250 GTO. He built this car while working as a test driver and engineer for Iso. Occupied with the production of its GT, Iso was not interested in funding the creation of a race car, but Bizzarrini was determined to create a high-performance sports car based on the Iso GT platform and campaign it on the international stage. As the legend goes, lacking the funds for even a transporter, Bizzarrini drove the A3/C himself to Le Mans and then back to his workshop in Livorno, Italy, after the 24-hour race.

It went on to participate in the World Sports Car Championship race at the Reims 12 Hours and the Nurburgring and later tackled the Mt. Dore Hill climb, where it was driven by Maurice Tritingnant in his last ever race. Later owners included American actor Remington Olmsted, the Maranello Rosso Collection, and Gregor Fisken. The current caretaker acquired the car in 2012.