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The Iso Grifo Is the Italian Corvette You Know Nothing About

Photo credit: An Italian Garage / YouTube
Photo credit: An Italian Garage / YouTube

From Road & Track

Ferrari and Lamborghini weren't the only automakers making elegant gran turismos in the 1960s. Maserati, Lancia, and De Tomaso all spring to mind as notable examples, but Iso Autoveicoli totally flew under the radar. Best known for designing the famous Isetta bubble car, Iso also created a wonderful GT car in the form of the Grifo. In many ways, it was Italy's version of the Chevy Corvette.

At the very least, the Grifo and the Corvette both used various Chevy small- and big-block V8s over their lifetime. The Grifo was also a true front-engine two-seater like the Corvette, but everything else about it is thoroughly Italian. Iso's lead engineer, Giotto Bizarrini, was famous for conceiving the Ferrari 250 GTO and Lamborghini's first V12, while the Grifo was penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro while he was at Bertone.

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The Grifo is the first subject in a new video series from An Italian Garage called "The Iso Rivolta Chronicles." It provides a fascinating look at an often overlooked car. You can see it below, but make sure to turn on subtitles, unless you speak Italian.

From Road & Track

Ferrari and Lamborghini weren't the only automakers making elegant gran turismos in the 1960s. Maserati, Lancia, and De Tomaso all spring to mind as notable examples, but Iso Autoveicoli totally flew under the radar. Best known for designing the famous Isetta bubble car, Iso also created a wonderful GT car in the form of the Grifo. In many ways, it was Italy's version of the Chevy Corvette.

At the very least, the Grifo and the Corvette both used various Chevy small- and big-block V8s over their lifetime. The Grifo was also a true front-engine two-seater like the Corvette, but everything else about it is thoroughly Italian. Iso's lead engineer, Giotto Bizarrini, was famous for conceiving the Ferrari 250 GTO and Lamborghini's first V12, while the Grifo was penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro while he was at Bertone.

The Grifo is the first subject in a new video series from An Italian Garage called "The Iso Rivolta Chronicles." It provides a fascinating look at an often overlooked car. You can see it below, but make sure to turn on subtitles, unless you speak Italian.

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