Bizzarrini continues brand revival with V12 Giotto supercar

Iconic Italian sports car brand Bizzarrini has previewed its Giotto supercar, its first completely new model since its revival three years ago.

The car has been designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, who contributed to the design of the original Bizzarrini 5300 GT, and has worked alongside his son Fabrizio on the Giotto.

The striking supercar takes cues from the company’s vehicles of the 1960s with its aggressive stance and curvaceous lines, and looks comfortable among the array of recently announced exclusive supercars such as the Pagani Huayra Codalunga, De Tomaso P900, and Praga Bohema.

Like the original Bizzarrinis, the Giotto has dual bonnet vents, horizontal nostril air intakes, and large wraparound windows.

As befitting a modern supercar, however, the Giotto has carbon-fibre composite body construction and ultra-slimline LED headlights.

Bizzarrini hasn’t given any indication on pricing or availability for the Giotto, but has said that full specification will be released later this year and that testing will begin in 2024. It also says it will be “incredibly rare”.

The brand has said that it will “look to its heritage for powertrain options,” powering the new model with an “exclusive” naturally aspirated rear-mid-mounted V12 engine mated with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.

The development of the powertrain will be under the supervision of Bizzarrini chief technical officer Chris Porritt, who has an engineering background with makers such as Aston Martin, Tesla and Rimac.

“We have a very clear vision for the Giotto, defined ultimately by how it makes a driver feel,” said Mr Porritt.

“We now very deliberately and authentically recreate Giotto’s vision, choosing not to chase acceleration times or lap records, but to develop a car that appeals to those experienced drivers seeking purity, authenticity and rarity.”

The Giotto is named after the brand’s founder, Giotto Bizzarrini, who initially made his mark as the controller of experimental, Sports and GT car development at Ferrari, and who played a key role in the development of the historic Ferrari 250 GTO and the Lamborghini V12 engine.

The boutique Italian sports car marque began its revival in 2020 after it was acquired by London-based Pegasus Brands, bringing a wealth of global automotive experience to renew the historic brand.

The brand’s revival began with the Bizzarrini 5300 GT Revival Corsa 24/65, a handcrafted V8 sports car limited to 24 units that was based on the 5300 GT that won the 1965 Le Mans 24-Hour race.

“With the Giotto, we honour the past but we focus wholly on the future. Designed for purpose, and incorporating active aerodynamic technologies, we have created something that is both recognisably Bizzarrini and totally relevant for an entirely new era,” said designer Giorgetto Giugiaro.

“To have the opportunity to design an entirely new car from Bizzarrini is a privilege. Our two names are united in nearly six decades of history and a series of now iconic designs.”

The Bizzarrini CEO Ian Fenton has said that the Giotto will be the ‘centrepiece’ for the brand’s future as an exclusive supercar manufacturer.

The Giotto is the beginning of a ten-year strategy that involves several new models, including revival editions and a focus on developing powertrain performance.