ISO

ISO

Between the first two models, Iso is a huge difference. The second one was a supercar with an engine Chevrolet V8 ("Chevrolet"), while the first - a small monocab Isetta ("Izetta") with engine capacity of 236 cm3, which developed the speed of 64 km / h She started this company in the 40s. With the release of motorcycles, and then in 1953-55 years. machine manufactured the Isetta. In fact, it was increased in size scooter with a weak engine of the motorcycle type. Produced a model in Milan, just three years, although the license to manufacture the company bought a BMW (BMW) of Germany, Velam ("Belam") from France and Trojan ("Trojan") from the UK. The latest car Isetta was released in 1964


Even if Renzo Rivolta, and has not set a standard logo of the company, made by hand Iso inscription referring to the origin of the Milanese was present in each of his car
Beginning in 1962 the company began offering Iso large and fast cars, the chassis which created previously worked at Ferrari ("Ferrari") Bidzarini Giotto (Giotto Bizzarini), the company has supplied engines Chevrolet, a body developed the Italian "studio". Machines successfully combine European body and chassis with American engines and transmissions. In the 60's. went through the same British firm Gordon-Keeble ("Gordon-Qiblah") and the French Vacel Vega ("Fasel Vega").


Heraldic griffin on Grifo - a very high-speed two-seat supercar with a 7-liter engine
Iso assembly plant located in Milan, but as the hand-built body Bertone ("Burton") and Ghia ("Gia"), sales were limited. Inspiration for Iso Rivolta was Renzo (Renzo Rivolta). His ambitious plans for a four-seater car Rivolta (1962) soon added two-seat Grifo ("Grifo", 1963), 4-seater and 4-door Fidia ("Phidias," 1967), and finally , Lele ("Lele", 1969) with a 2-door body 2 2. They all had the same platform, but each different look.


A large and beautifully executed Grifo 1970 - one of the most attractive cars Iso
Around the same time Giotto Bidzarini Iso left the company and began to Leghorn to build their own machines, which were similar to his previous coupe by Grifo. After the death of Renzo Rivolta company headed by his son Piero (Pierro). For some time the company prospered, but in the early 70s. failure followed failure. The main mistake was the financing of the project Formula 1 Iso-Marlboro, first unsuccessful venture of Frank Williams (Frank Williams). Then came the energy crisis of 1973-74.
Also during this period lose one's attraction to potential buyers of the old style car, a Grifo did not change over 10 years. Sales declined. As a result, the company in 1975, ceased to exist. But in 1988 it was revived with the project Grifo 90.
ISO Rivolta ("Iso Rivolta ') 1962-1970
As with all Iso 60-70s., Rivolta was a solid steel platform with the rear suspension, de Dion. The engine and automatic transmission delivered the American Chevrolet, a manual gearbox - the German ZF (ZF).
Steel 2-door 4-seater coupe body created by Giorgetto Giugiaro (Giorgetto Guigiaro) - it was one of his first experiments for the Turin Bertone ("Ber-tone"), which he manufactured the same. There were two versions of the car: "IR300" and "IR340", the numbers in the designation of which approximately corresponded to the engine.
The body design is somewhat reminiscent of the machine Gordon-Keeble, that was predictable, because this car Bertone created around the same time, though the body Rivolta had only two more lurid lights and outdoor decorations.
As in all subsequent vehicles Iso, this model has been rapid, with a small transmission gear ratios and other character than that of its rivals Ferrari, Maserati ("Maserati") and, later, Lamborghini ("Lamborghini"). In just eight years produced 797 cars Rivolta.


After the tiny Isetta, Rivolta was a model for the company Iso first "big" car. This four-seater coupe was shown at the London Motor Show 1966

Characteristics (IR300, 1962)
Engine: V8, the overhead
Bore and Stroke: 101,6 x82, 55 mm
Displacement: 5359 cm3
Maximum Power: 300 hp
Transmission: 5-speed manual or automatic
Chassis: Based on a steel carrier
Suspension: the helical springs - front independent, rear de Dion
Brakes: disc
Body: 2-door 4-seater sedan
Maximum speed: 225 km / h
ISO Grifo ("Iso Grifo") 1963-1975
While the first model Rivolta often criticized for staid appearance, the second version of this car - sedan Grifo - proved to be amazingly attractive.


Grifo, which in Italian means a griffin - the name of a mythical creature. Grifo combined graceful Italian style and the powerful American V8 engine
Design once again belonged to Bertone, but this time the machine was lower, wider, and was a two-seater coupe with a wheelbase shorter by 0.2 m compared with the Rivolta. Components and assemblies remained the same.


Chassis design Bidzarini with independent front suspension and rear suspension, de Dion, a young Giugiaro body, churned Bertone, - the car managed Grifo as well as look
Except for the front end, Grifo has changed over the years. Offered more and more powerful engines and a 5-speed gearbox. All the machines have developed a very high speed, and the rare 7 - and 7.4-liter specimens exceeded the speed 273 km / h The characteristics of the car they were competing with Ferrari VI2 Daytona ("Daytona").


In most of the Grifo installed 5.4-liter Chevrolet Corvette
The first Grifo received four lights in the usual opening in the front wall, but later changed the look of vehicles and headlights were retractable.
Models such as Grifo can be criticized for heterogeneous components and the use of the imperfect American V8 engines with a sucker rod operated valves, but the chassis of the machine bears comparison with its exotic Italian competitors. The car was sporty and despite the heavy engine load on the wheels turned out to be.
Welded steel platform differed very rigid suspension and carried on the traditional triangular wishbone front and de Dion with guide bars and wishbone Watt (Watt) at the rear. This rear suspension is allowed to reduce the amount of unsprung mass due to installed on the crankcase main gear disc brakes. Still, Grifo did not use such a demand, as its competitors. For 10 years, was sold just 504 cars.

In 1971, the Grifo was sleeker but less attractive front of the body

Characteristics (1963)

Engine: V8, the overhead

Bore and Stroke: 101,6 x82, 55 mm

Displacement: 5359 cm3

Maximum Power: 365 hp

Transmission: 4-speed manual or automatic

Chassis: Based on a steel carrier

Suspension: the helical springs - front independent, rear de Dion

Brakes: disc

Body: 2-seater coupe

Maximum speed: 259 km / h

ISO Fidia ("Of Phidias") 1967-1975

Put up for sale model Rivolta and Grifo, Piero Rivolta decided to expand the program and on the same chassis set up a car "S4", soon renamed the Fidia.

On previous models the car featured four-door sedan body of Ghia ("Gia") and increased by 0.15 m compared with Rivolta wheelbase. Advertised as "the fastest four seats in the world", the model Fidia had an unusual view from the side, four square headlights and a spacious lounge with air conditioning.

Compared with Rivolta, Fidia car was bigger and more luxurious, better equipped. In relation to the Grifo was probably an express train, not supercar. Despite the fact that this car offered with a variety of engines and transmissions, demand she did not use. For seven years the company has sold a total of 192 car. At the end of production in a few instances of Fidia installed 5.8-liter Ford V8 engine instead of the Chevrolet.

Created by Ghia sedan with Fidia homely appearance was a 4-door luxury car

Characteristics (1967)

Engine: V8, the overhead

Bore and Stroke: 101,6 x82, 55 mm

Displacement: 5359 cm3

Maximum Power: 300 hp

Transmission: 4-speed manual or automatic

Chassis: Based on a steel carrier

Suspension: the helical springs - front independent, rear de Dion

Brakes: disc

Body: 4-seater sedan

Maximum speed: 214 km / h

ISO Lele ("Iso Lele") 1969-1975

The fourth and last version based on the established Bidzarini chassis Iso Lele has become a model with a 2-door body 2 from the two Bertone. In fact, it replaced a car Rivolta, and had the same wheelbase.

Perhaps as a reminder of a famous relative, Iso Lele Coupe carried the logo next to the Grifo model

Compared with Fidia, this car was a true sports coupe. Outwardly, she looked very strange, sharp edges of differing body, front overhang, is partially closed above the headlights and the front desk of the descending line of waist.

Lele sports coupe with a body 2 2 actually replaced the Iso Rivolta, but in large quantities and is not sold

The car turned out to be a successful fusion of Italian and American engineering schools. He effortlessly overclocked (at a speed of 161 km / h the engine worked with a speed of 3000 rev / min), had a high fluidity of movement and good handling.

Do not trust the label on the lid of the valve mechanism. All had large Iso American Motors V8 from General Motors. Then the company switched to engines Ford, and this car has Lele 5.7-liter Ford Cleevland ("Cleveland")

Before the closure of production in 1975 at the company were issued Iso 317 cars Lele, the latter specimens were engines of Ford V8 engines instead of the Chevrolet.

The strange appearance, large overhangs. Lele - not the best work of Bertone

Characteristics (1969)

Engine: V8, the overhead

Bore and Stroke: 101,6 x82, 55 mm

Displacement: 5359 cm3

Maximum Power: 300 hp

Transmission: 4-speed manual or automatic

Chassis: Based on a steel carrier

Suspension: the helical springs - front independent, rear de Dion

Brakes: disc

Body: Coupe 2 +2

Maximum speed: 212 km / h

ISO Grifo 90 ("Of Grifo 90") 1991

Unexpectedly to all, more than 10 years after the cessation of production of the last generation Iso Grifo and the Rivolta, brand revived again. In 1991 a whole new supercar Grifo 90, vaguely reminiscent of the old Grifo.

The prototype engine was Grifo 90 Chevrolet Corvette V8, had already seriously upgraded American company Callaway ("Kolleuey") and equipped with turbo-charged, as well as an enhanced six-speed transmission company ZF, which is also used in cars Corvette.

Grifo 90 was 0.31 drag coefficient, engine V8 (5,7 liters, 440 hp) from Callaway. Maximum speed - 290 km / h

The new sample with a tubular frame was designed by Piero Rivoltoy and former general manager Pietro Sala (Pierro Sala) in 1988 for the design is in two well-known Italian consultant: Gian Paolo Dallara (Gian Paolo Dallara) - frame and chassis, Marcello Gandini (Marcello Gandini) - 2-seater coupe body. It is interesting that they chose a layout with a front engine, although the machine was supposed to compete with cars like the Ferrari Testarossa ("Testarossa") and the Lamborghini Diablo ("Lamborghini Diablo") with the motor within the base.

The decision to create a car with front-wheel drive was intentional. I was a fresh memory of the founders of the previous and very successful Italian-American hybrid Grifo, they pressed and authority Rivolty Piero (son of company founder Renzo Rivolty, who died in 1966). Excellent handling and performance of these models with front-wheel drive, like the ZR-1 Corvette, Dodge Viper ("Dodge Viper"), or Panoz ("Panoz") proved that the supercar is not necessary to have a motor within the base.

Grifo received 90 fully independent suspension - the front of the double triangular wishbone and rear four-link, self-adjusting shock absorbers and huge tires Pirelli P Zero ("Zero Pirelli Pee"). It was also installed on production cars (their production would begin in 1993) Clutch Valeo ("Ba-Leo"), electronically controlled. Every year, it was planned to produce 200 cars at a price not more than 100 thousand GBP, which was significantly higher than the value apparent competitor "XZR-1." It was assumed that the maximum speed of 90 Grifo of 300 km / h and it moves away from the many Italian traditions, but the mass production of cars has not begun.

Body Grifo 90 created by designer Marcello Gandini, but at the request of Piero Rivolypy it was a number of changes

Characteristics (prototype 1991)

Engine: V8, the overhead

Bore and Stroke: 101,6 x88, 4 mm

Displacement: 5733 cm3

Maximum Power: 440 hp

Transmission: 6-speed manual

Chassis: tubular steel frame on the

Suspension: independent on the helical springs

Brakes: disc

Body: 2-seater aluminum coupe

Maximum speed: 299 km / h