It’s easy to feel a little jaded when it comes to supercars. There’s a new one every five minutes and by and large, they all look quite similar. In the case of the Bizzarrini Giotto, however, we find an exception, given it’s a celebration of a legendary designer – of both cars and engines – who gave the world, among other things, the Ferrari 250 GTO and the Lamborghini V12 engine.
It's fitting then that the Giotto is planned to be powered by a naturally-aspirated V12 engine of its own, albeit one sat behind the driver rather than in front, as in the legendary Bizzarrini 5300 GT. The Giotto will also be carbon-bodied, with a composite structure and feature an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. Beyond that, technical details are scarce, so let’s just enjoy the design for now, shall we?
Penned appropriately by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the Giotto is overflowing with references and nods to its ancestor the 5300 GT and of course, typical tropes of Bizzarrini that went beyond his own cars. Key among them are the ‘nostrils’, seen most famously on the 250 Breadvan and 5300, that are reinterpreted here to house the lights and frame the badge. The triangular B-pillar and wraparound-look screen of the 5300 is also reimagined, though the Giotto gets a more aggressive forward stance thanks to its mid-engined layout.
All in, it's a heady mix of classical design cues with modern air management and detailing, with just that bit of extra substance over and above a supercar startup typical of today.
“To have the opportunity to design an entirely new car from Bizzarrini is a privilege,” Giugiaro said.
“Our two names are united in nearly six decades of history and a series of now iconic designs. 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 of this cherished Italian brand.”
The development brains behind the Giotto are significant too. Chris Porritt is Bizzarrini’s new Chief Technical Officer and comes with CV that includes Tesla, Rimac and Aston Martin.
“We have a very clear vision for the Giotto, defined ultimately by how it makes a driver feel,” Porritt said of the project.
“Bizzarrini is a brand built on genius and passion, established by a polymath with world-class talents as a designer, engineer and test driver. 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.”
Production numbers are as yet undisclosed, as are prices, though it’s said it will be ‘incredibly rare’. It won’t be ready soon either, with testing penciled in for no sooner than 12 month’s time.
For this year, Bizzarrini plans a slow release of technical details around the new supercar. The company is, for now, heavily involved in the creation and delivery of its 24-car series of 5300 GT Corsa Revivals but we look forward to seeing and hearing more about the Giotto soon.
Bizzarrini
Giotto