| The motor company Iso Rivolta (Iso Motors
since 1973) was initially named Isothermos and used to manufacture
refrigeration units. The company was
originally founded in Genoa in 1939 (but transferred to Bresso
in 1942) by Renzo Rivolta, an engineer.
After the Second World War, the company reopened its doors,
completely changing its activity in 1948 it began to build motorcycles,
scooters and
motocarries (three wheeled transport scooters/motorcycles).
Among the most famous are the Furetto (1948), 'Isoscooter (1950),'
Isocarro (1951),
'Isomoto (1954) and' Isosport (1953). The last Iso motorcycle
was presented as the Iso 500 in 1961.
In 1953 Renzo Rivolta, heir of an important family of industrialists
of Bresso, a small town on the outskirts of Milan (Italy), changed
his
production portfolio to mopeds and motorbikes instead (Isomotos).
The company Iso Autoveicoli S.p.a. was founded in 1953.
Isomotos were known as expensive, but durable and well-built.
In the mid-1950s, he started to develop a miniature car for
two persons and front
entrance, initially with only three wheels, later, for reasons
of stability, with four wheels (the two on the rear very close
together): the Isetta Bubble Car.
Starting in 1954, Isetta was licensed to automobile manufacturers
in several countries: France (by VELAM), Spain, Great Britain
and Brazil (by Romi). The
most successful, however, was the German Isetta built by BMW.
The BMW-Isetta fulfilled the dream of mobility in post-war Germany
and about 130.000 were
sold until 1962.
Together with the engineer Giotto Bizzarrini, the designer
Giorgetto Giugiaro and the body-experts of Bertone, Renzo Rivolta
began developing the
Iso Rivolta IR 300 (presented on the Torino Show of 1962), an
elegant 2 + 2 Coupé with well-balanced technical components
and outstanding driving
performance: the 5.4 L V8 Chevrolet Small-Block engine came
from General Motors in Detroit, the transmission, too, axles
(de Dion) and braking system
(4 disc brakes!) came from the large Jaguars of the time. This
concept was maintained for almost all production cars of Iso.
Starting in 1971, Ford 351
Cleveland engines replaced the GM small block. The most well-known
Gran Turismo of Iso Rivolta was without doubt the Iso Grifo
with berlinetta body
by Bertone, first presented as a very sporty, low-slung prototype
(Grifo A3C) in 1964. After Bizzarrini split out of the project,
this prototype
formed the basis for his own Bizzarini 5300 GT. The Grifo Prototype
was further refined by Iso, receiving a reworked, less aggressive
and more
luxurious body in the process, and went into production in 1965.
The Grifo was powered by Chevrolet´s 327 V-8 (5.4 L) in
either 300 or 350 hp form. In
1966 a convertible version of the Grifo was shown that didn't
manage to go into production. Starting in 1968 the Grifo could
also be had with
Chevrolet's 427 ci big-block V-8; this version was known as
the Grifo 7 litri and was easily recognized by the broad air
inlet on the hood.
Later-day Grifos, the Series II, featured concealed headlights
and a slightly modfied front area.
After the sudden death of Renzo Rivolta, his son Piero became
the director of Iso Rivolta in 1966 (aged only 25 then). Under
his leadership, Iso built
the limousine Fidia, "the fastest four seats on wheels"
(Advertisement, 1967) with body by Ghia, the Grifo 7 litri (with
the GM V8 7 L marine
engine) and the 2 + 2 fastback Coupé Lele (1969) with
body designed by Bertone, intended as the successor to the IR
300. Iso Rivolta went bankrupt
in 1974, only 1.700 Iso Gran Turismos had been built in those
ten years.
Today, Piero Rivolta and his wife Lele live in Sarasota, Florida.
His son Renzo is leading Rivolta Marine, his daughter, Marietta,
is in the<
management of Zagato Centrostile, Milan, Italy, she is married
to Andrea Zagato.
This car is 1968 ISO Rivolta Automatic, silver with braun leather
interior, European version, 113.000 km from new, long term ownership.
Will be expected soon !
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