Cizeta
Encyclopedia
Cizeta Automobili srl of Modena
, Italy
was a car manufacturer set up in the late 1980s by Claudio Zampolli (an Italian Ferrari
dealer) and the record producer Giorgio Moroder
.
The name "Cizeta" comes from the Italian pronunciation of co-founder Claudio Zampolli's initials (C.Z.). Moroder became involved into the project when he took his Lamborghini Countach
for a service at Zampolli's garage. Their only product, the Cizeta-Moroder V16T
, featured a technically advanced sixteen cylinder engine made up of two coupled V8s sharing a single block
. Styled by Marcello Gandini
, the body was strikingly similar to the later Lamborghini Diablo
's as Gandini first proposed the design to the then Chrysler
-owned Lamborghini, which altered the concept significantly. Gandini then brought the original Diablo design to Cizeta. The prototype was the only car to carry the "Cizeta-Moroder" badge, as Giorgio Moroder pulled out of the Cizeta project in 1990. The prototype remains with Giorgio Moroder to this day.
No production Cizeta was ever badged "Cizeta-Moroder" but merely "Cizeta V16T". Only 8 cars were built before the shutdown of the firm in 1994. Subsequently, 2 more cars were completed (one more coupe, and one spyder) in 1999 and 2003.
Mr. Zampolli moved to the USA
after the company went bankrupt in Italy and has set up a new company in California
, called Cizeta Automobili USA. He currently services exotic cars as well as continues to build (on demand) the Cizeta V16T.
The V16T is illegal to drive or to even own in the United States. One was seized by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement on December 7, 2009.
Modena
Modena is a city and comune on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
was a car manufacturer set up in the late 1980s by Claudio Zampolli (an Italian Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
dealer) and the record producer Giorgio Moroder
Giorgio Moroder
Hansjörg "Giorgio" Moroder is an Italian record producer, songwriter and performer based in Los Angeles. When in Munich in the 1970s, he started his own record label called Oasis Records, which several years later became a subdivision of Casablanca Records...
.
The name "Cizeta" comes from the Italian pronunciation of co-founder Claudio Zampolli's initials (C.Z.). Moroder became involved into the project when he took his Lamborghini Countach
Lamborghini Countach
The Lamborghini Countach is a mid-engined supercar that was produced by Italian automaker Lamborghini from 1974 to 1990. Its design both pioneered and popularized the wedge-shaped, sharply angled look popular in many high performance sports cars...
for a service at Zampolli's garage. Their only product, the Cizeta-Moroder V16T
Cizeta-Moroder V16T
The Cizeta-Moroder V16T, now known as just the Cizeta V16T, is an Italian sports car created by automotive engineer Claudio Zampolli in a joint venture with music composer Giorgio Moroder and designed by the famed Marcello Gandini. It was the only product of the Cizeta company...
, featured a technically advanced sixteen cylinder engine made up of two coupled V8s sharing a single block
Cylinder block
A cylinder block is an integrated structure comprising the cylinder of a reciprocating engine and often some or all of their associated surrounding structures...
. Styled by Marcello Gandini
Marcello Gandini
Marcello Gandini is an Italian car designer, widely known for his work with the automotive design house Gruppo Bertone, notably his design of the Lamborghini Countach. Together with Giorgetto Giugiaro and Leonardo Fioravanti, Gandini forms a noted triumvirate of Italian car designers, all born in...
, the body was strikingly similar to the later Lamborghini Diablo
Lamborghini Diablo
The Lamborghini Diablo is a high-performance mid-engined sports car that was built by Italian automaker Lamborghini between 1990 and 2001. It was the first Lamborghini capable of attaining a top speed in excess of . After the end of its production run in 2001, the Diablo was replaced by the...
's as Gandini first proposed the design to the then Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
-owned Lamborghini, which altered the concept significantly. Gandini then brought the original Diablo design to Cizeta. The prototype was the only car to carry the "Cizeta-Moroder" badge, as Giorgio Moroder pulled out of the Cizeta project in 1990. The prototype remains with Giorgio Moroder to this day.
No production Cizeta was ever badged "Cizeta-Moroder" but merely "Cizeta V16T". Only 8 cars were built before the shutdown of the firm in 1994. Subsequently, 2 more cars were completed (one more coupe, and one spyder) in 1999 and 2003.
Mr. Zampolli moved to the USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
after the company went bankrupt in Italy and has set up a new company in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, called Cizeta Automobili USA. He currently services exotic cars as well as continues to build (on demand) the Cizeta V16T.
The V16T is illegal to drive or to even own in the United States. One was seized by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement on December 7, 2009.