Iso Rivolta

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Until 1953 the company Iso Rivolta was called Isothermos. Renzo Rivolta, heir of an important family of industrialists of Milan, Italy, changed his production portfolio from refrigeration units to mopeds and motorbikes (Isomotos) after World War II. 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 and was built in (France, Spain, Great Britain) and Brazil. 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 (Ferrari 250 GTO, 1960), the designer Giorgetto Giugiaro (VW Golf I, 1974) and the chassis-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 (small-block) motor 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. Tjis concept was maintained for almost all production cars of Iso (1971 Ford 351 Cleveland engines replaced the GM small block). The most well-known Gran Turismo of Iso Rivolta berlinetta-bodied Iso Grifo (from 1964).

1967 Iso Rivolta IR 300 CT Coupe

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), the Grifo 7 litri (with the GM V8 7-litre marine engine) and the 2 + 2 Coupé Lele (1970), intended as the successor of 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.



ISO S.p.A.
Rivolta | Grifo | Fidia | Lele | Varedo | Grifo 90 | Grifo 96


Bertone Designs
Abarth: 1952 Abarth 1500 Coupé | 1958 Abarth 1000 GT Coupé | 1965 Abarth OT 1000 Spider

Alfa Romeo: 1953 Alfa Romeo BAT-5 | 1954 Alfa Romeo 1900 Sport Spider | 1954 Alfa Romeo 2000 Sportiva | 1954 Alfa Romeo BAT-7 | 1954 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint | 1955 Alfa Romeo BAT-9 | 1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale | 1962 Alfa Romeo 2600 Sprint | 1962 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint | 1962 Alfa Romeo GTA | 1962 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint Speciale | 1964 Alfa Romeo Canguro | 1967 Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Junior | 1967 Alfa Romeo Montreal | 1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo | 1976 Alfa Romeo Navajo | 1978 Alfa Romeo Alfetta | 1980 Alfa Romeo Alfetta 2000 | 1983 Alfa Romeo Delfino | 2003 Alfa Romeo GT
ASA: 1962 ASA Coupé
Bertone: 1970 Bertone Berlinetta | 1992 Bertone Blitz | 2003 Bertone Birusa
Ferrari: 1962 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso | 1974 Ferrari 208/308 GT4 | 1976 Ferrari Rainbow
Fiat: 1967 Fiat Dino Coupé | 1968 Fiat 850Sport Spider | 1978 Fiat Ritmo/Strada | Fiat X1/9
ISO: 1962 Iso Rivolta | 1965 Iso Grifo | 1969 Iso Lele
Lamborghini: 1967 Lamborghini Marzal | 1967 Lamborghini Miura | 1968 Lamborghini Espada | 1970 Lamborghini Urraco | 1971 Lamborghini Countach | 1974 Lamborghini Bravo | 1980 Lamborghini Athon | 1988 Lamborghini Genesis | 1990 Lamborghini Diablo
Lambretta: 1968 Lambretta Luna line: Lui, Vega & Cometa | 1969 Lambretta GP/DL Scooter
Lancia: 1970 Lancia Stratos Zero | 1972 Lancia Stratos | 1978 Lancia Sibilo
Maserati: 1972 Maserati Khamsin | 1974 Maserati Quattroporte II