BIZZI RASCAL

Bizzarrini, the connoisseur's Italian carmaker, is back. We blag a go in the 'new' 5300 GT Corsa

- JASON BARLOW

Giotto Bizzarrini doesn't just have arguably the finest name in automotive history, he's also responsible for some of the hands down coolest cars ever made. And engines. But unless you're a fully paid-up Italian car nerd, the chances are you've never heard of him.

He's still alive, a sprightly 96, having done the hard yards first at Alfa Romeo before joining Ferrari. He's widely acknowledged as one of the principal architects of the Le Mans-winning 250 Testa Rossa, conceived the 250 GT SWB, and oversaw the development of the fabled 250 GTO, before becoming embroiled in 1961's infamous ‘Palace Revolt'. When Enzo Ferrari fired his commercial director Girolami Gardini, Bizzarrini was one of five of the Old Man's key lieutenants to walk out in sympathy. There was stubborn pride on all sides in Maranello back then. You can just picture those jutting, indignant jawlines.

Giotto, an equally gifted engineer, designer, and test driver, was swiftly very busy. He worked on the ATS 2500 GT, the first mid-engined Italian supercar, alongside former Ferrari colleague Carlo Chiti, before founding Società Autostar in 1962. He designed the V12 that gave Lamborghini its inimitable mojo, and co-developed the captivating Iso Grifo for Renzo Rivolta. Further fallings-out led him finally to establish Bizzarrini in 1965, and to the car you see here, the 5300 GT Corsa, a race-bred evolution of the Grifo A3C. Kind of the greatest hits of Italian supercardom up to that point, with a body designed by a young Giorgetto Giugiaro. Doesn't get much better than that.