1967 BIZZARRINI 5300 GT Strada

Bizzarrini is an Italian automotive brand founded by the legendary engineer Giotto Bizzarrini, whose influence on high-performance sports cars is undeniable.
Before establishing his own company, Bizzarrini played a crucial role in the development of the Ferrari 250 GTO, one of the most iconic race cars in history - as well as in the creation of the first Lamborghini V12 engine.
His expertise in engineering and aerodynamics led him to create his own brand in the 1960s, focusing on cutting-edge design and performance.

One of the brand’s most remarkable creations was the Bizzarrini 5300GT Strada, a car that perfectly embodied the fusion of race-bred technology with road-going usability.
Introduced in 1965, the 5300GT Strada was directly derived from the Iso Grifo A3/C, a project that Bizzarrini originally developed for Iso Rivolta. However, after parting ways with Iso, Bizzarrini continued the development of the car under his own name.

The 5300GT Strada featured a lightweight aluminum body (and later a Vetroresina one) with aggressive aerodynamics, a low-slung profile, and a front-mid-engine layout, ensuring excellent weight distribution. Under the hood, it was powered by a 5.3-liter Chevrolet V8 engine, producing around 365 horsepower, which allowed the car to reach speeds of over 280 km/h (174 mph)—an impressive feat for its time. This American V8 powerplant provided both high performance and reliability, making the 5300GT Strada a formidable contender against Ferrari and Lamborghini models of the era.

Despite its advanced engineering and striking design, Bizzarrini struggled financially, and production remained limited, with only around 133 units of the 5300GT built (including 86 examples in aluminium). 

Our car, chassis IA3-0309, was first registered in Maryland, USA, on May 8, 1968, to its original owner, James Peters, who purchased the car for $35,000—more than double the price of a standard Ferrari GT at the time.

In April 1990, the Bizzarrini was acquired by Hervé Ogliastro, who entrusted Salvatore Diomante—a key figure in the original Bizzarrini factory—with a comprehensive restoration. By 1997, the car had been meticulously restored and was showcased at the prestigious Bagatelle Concours d’Élégance. Ogliastro remained its custodian for 27 years, eventually selling the car in 2017.

The car’s authenticity has been verified on multiple occasions by Bizzarrini specialist Jack Koobs de Hartog.
In his March 2017 report, he confirmed its identity, stating: “After a three-hour inspection, I am convinced that, without doubt, IA30309 is the correct chassis number of this car.”* Copies of his reports, along with service invoices dating from 1991 to 2004, are included in the car’s history file.