Latest news with #IsoRivolta
Forbes
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Forbes
Historic Sports Car Impounded At Concorso D'Eleganza In Italy
This rare 1964 Iso Rivolta Grifo A3 Stradale was confiscated by police after the Concorso d'Eleganza ... More at the Hotel Villa d'Este in Italy on Sunday. Photo: BMW Classic. Cernobbio, Italy: An American entrant has had his rare, classic Italian sports car impounded by Italian police after the world's premier historic car event, the Concorso d'Eleganza at the Hotel Villa d'Este. Provincial Police confiscated the 1964 Iso Rivolta Grifo A3 Stradale, entered in the Concorso by Thomas Shannon, after allegedly stopping its American driver on the streets of Cernobbio without an International Driving Permit. The Grifo, one of just 13 in the world and valued at more than $1 million, was also allegedly driven without proof of Italian insurance or a visible number plate. The Concorso d'Eleganza is a celebration of historic car culture on the grounds of one of the world's most prestigious hotels on the shores of Lake Como, and involves parades at both the Hotel Villa d'Este and Villa Erba, which are separated by less than a mile along one narrow street. The Iso Rivolta Grifo was confiscated for allegedly driving on Italian streets without proof of ... More insurance, a number plate. The driver, a US license holder, also did not have an International Driving permit. Photo: BMW Group Classic. Provincial police impounded the Shannon car pending payment of fines of €866 (US$981) and €408 ($463). Shannon's Iso Rivolta Grifo A3 Stradale was the street-going version of the Grifo racing car, which won its class in the 1965 Le Mans 24 Hour race. Built with Italian design and chassis engineering partnered with a 327 cubic inch Chevrolet Corvette V8, the Grifo could hit 60mph in five seconds and run on to a 190mph top speed. It isn't the first time the Italian provincial police have targeted a Concorso d'Eleganza competitor either, with a 1967 Fiat Dino being grabbed during the 2024 edition of the event.
The Drive
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
This Extremely Rare Italian Muscle Car Got Its V8 from a Pontiac G8
Built from 1962 to 1970, the Iso Rivolta aimed to blend Italian styling with muscle car power. Very few were sold, which makes the model an unlikely candidate for the restomod treatment. However, a 1967 example powered by a Pontiac G8-sourced V8 is listed on Bring a Trailer with a gorgeous set of photos, inspiring us to talk about this cool-looking car. Depending on where you stand on the purist spectrum, this 6.0-liter coupe is either the next logical step in the Rivolta's evolution or a bridge too far. Bring a Trailer claims that 797 units of the Rivolta were built, so shouldn't such a rare car be kept in its original condition? This argues 'hell no!' Stock, it was powered by a 327-cubic-inch (5.3-liter) Chevy V8. It's now fitted with a 6.0-liter V8 plucked out of a G8 and bolted to a Tremec 6060 six-speed manual transmission. This wasn't a simple, out-with-the-old-and-in-with-the-new engine swap. The sale includes over $400,000 in receipts detailing every repair and modification made during the build. The engine notably features a cold-air intake system and a pair of particularly neat Iso Rivolta-branded valve covers. Bring a Trailer Numerous other parts have been repaired, replaced, or updated. Poke around the engine bay and you'll spot an aluminum radiator. Crawl under it and you'll see Heidts Superide II independent front coilovers and a custom Jaguar-style de Dion rear end with adjustable shocks. The auction description adds that the floor pans and the transmission tunnel were replaced in 2015, and that the underbody modifications required to install the updated suspension parts were performed at that time as well. Additional sound-deadening material and a modern air conditioning system that's surprisingly well integrated should make this Rivolta more comfortable to cruise around in than a stock one. Grigio Silverstone from the Ferrari palette and Paloma Cork leather upholstery add a finishing touch to the look. I like that nothing about this Rivolta screams 'engine swap!' There are no additional vents or gaping air intakes. The bumpers and the factory 15-inch wheels are still on the car, and all of the trim pieces look like they're accounted for. The dashboard still features the original-style analog gauges, too. It's elegant, and a tremendous amount of time and money went into this build, but does that make it right? On one hand, at least it's still powered by a General Motors-sourced engine. It's not too far-fetched to imagine that Iso could have borrowed the G8's V8 if it still made cars in the late 2000s, and it'd be kind of weird to see Ford's Coyote V8 between the fenders. On the other hand, the modifications will be difficult to reverse. The market will ultimately decide whether this is an absolutely epic restomod or a very expensive way to ruin a rare car. Bidding currently stands at $45,000 with about eight days left in the auction. For context, Bring a Trailer sold this exact car for $210,000 in February 2024, and a 1966 Rivolta IR 300 with its stock V8 engine and a four-speed manual transmission went for $111,000 in May 2024. Maybe the next owner will put some more miles on it. If that's out of your price range, you can still take a little ride with this test-drive video recorded about a year ago. Take a listen: Got tips? Send 'em to tips@
