The Bizzarrini 5300GT Revival Corsa Will Make You Yearn For The 1960s

The historic Bizzarrini brand has been revived in the UK and is poised to release a perfect recreation of the 5300 GT sports racing car from 1965. The first prototype of the model is now hitting the streets for endurance testing.

Designed and built by Giotto Bizzarrini in 1965, the 5300GT was a racing version of the Iso Grifo A3/C. The 5300 GT Revival Corsa perfectly replicates chassis 0222, which won the 5-liter class at the 1965 LeMans 24 hour race and placed ninth overall.

Power comes courtesy of a Chevrolet-sourced 327 cubic-inch V8, which produces 400 horsepower thanks to four twin-choke Weber DCOE carburetors. The engine is set back as far as possible for excellent weight distribution, with 25 percent of the weight on each corner of the car, and a total weight of just 1,250 kg (2,755 pounds).

The revival features a full carbon fiber bodyshell as standard because the engineers believe it’s what Giotto would have done if he had access to the material in period. Chassis 0222 featured a fiberglass body, which is available if owners wish to conform to 1965 regulations.

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Giotto Bizzarrini was a genius designer and vehicle builder, who got his start in automotive design at Alfa Romeo before moving to Ferrari in 1957. There he played a huge role in the development of the iconic Ferrari 250 GTO, but he and four other top engineers were rewarded with a pink slip in an event known as the ‘Night of the Long Knives’, or ‘The Palace Revolt’. The 5300GT was designed to settle the score with Enzo Ferrari.

Original blueprints were used to recreate the 5300 GT, but modern techniques such as 3D scanning were also employed. Safety has also been increased due to redesigned fuel tanks and a six-point roll bar, all conforming to FIA Appendix K historic racing regulations.

Once engineers are satisfied with the prototype, 24 examples of the 5300 GT Revival Corsa will be built for customers. Deliveries of customer cars are already scheduled with the first handover set to take place in May 2022. Price is not available, but we can assume that this isn’t going to be cheap.