Revived Italian automaker Bizzarrini recently showed off the last in its line of continuation 5300 GT Corsa sports cars. They were faithful recreations of the 1960s race car of the same name. We assumed that the company’s next project to reach completion would be the Giotto supercar that it previewed a couple of years ago, which promises to be a thoroughly modern vehicle. Instead, Bizzarrini has surprised us with a totally different machine. It has a few modern touches, but its heart still lies in the 1960s, and more specifically with a design idea that never saw the light of day.
Bizzarrini 5300 Aperta Lusso from the front three-quarter angleBizzarrini
The One That Got Away
The original Bizzarrini 5300 GT models featured styling from Italian car design legend Giorgetto Giugiaro, and by extension, so do the Revival continuation cars. All of them were coupes, but apparently Giugiaro penned a design for a targa-top version that Bizzarrini never got around to building before going out of business at the end of the 1960s. Today’s Bizzarrini has decided to finally bring that car to life with the 5300 Aperta Lusso.
Bizzarrini 5300 Aperta Lusso from the rear three-quarter angleBizzarrini
From the outside, you’d be hard-pressed to tell that this car wasn’t actually from the ’60s. It looks just like the 5300 GT coupe, except the middle roof section can come out, the B-pillar is more distinct thanks to the contrasting color, and the rear window is slightly reshaped. It’s impressively faithful to the original design, down to the delicate mirrors and door handles and crisp edges and creases. The only tip-offs are the LED fog lights and taillights. The main headlights are well disguised with their transparent covers.
Wide shot of the Bizzarrini 5300 Aperta Lusso dashboard and steering wheelBizzarrini
Inside, the Aperta Lusso starts to deviate further from its ’60s predecessors, though the design still feels appropriate. The top half of the dash is made from a single piece of wood with what appears to be metal inlaid pinstripes. It envelopes both the main dials in front of the driver, as well as ancillary ones at the top of the center stack and a selection of classic-looking toggle switches for lights and wipers. Bizzarrini wrapped most of the interior surfaces and seats in leather and fabric sourced from Italian fashion brand Zegna. Plus, the company fitted some modern amenities such as air conditioning, and a wireless phone charger.
Close-up of the Bizzarrini 5300 Aperta Lusso shifterBizzarrini
Every Bizzarrini Aperta Lusso is customized to its customer’s desires, and so this first example has a few unique touches. Apparently, the car is called La Dulce Vita and is meant to be a bit of an escape from modern life. It also features a Mediterranean coast-inspired called Azzura Gaia, named after the customer’s daughter. The coolest feature, though, is probably the custom shift knob, which is made of tortoiseshell and has gold inlays to make the Bizzarrini logo. Apparently, this is a nod to the customer’s favorite sunglasses.
Close-up of the Bizzarrini 5300 Aperta Lusso dashboardBizzarrini
The Classic Body Hides Some Modern Mechanical Updates
While the 5300 GT Corsa Revival cars were as faithful as possible to the original, Bizzarrini has made some updates to the Aperta Lusso. It features a semi-monocoque chassis with a carbon fiber body, which has some further steel reinforcements to account for the chunk of roof that can be removed.
Bizzarrini 5300 Aperta Lusso from the frontBizzarrini
The steering is a rack-and-pinion system, rather than recirculating ball-type, and has electro-hydraulic, speed-sensitive power assist. The engine, while still based on the classic Chevy small block V8, now has port fuel injection instead of carburetors. Bizzarrini claims the engine makes more than 400 horsepower, and that it can take the car to a top speed above 175 mph.
Bizzarrini 5300 Aperta Lusso from the sideBizzarrini
Behind the magnesium center-lock wheels are four-piston disc brakes up front, and two-piston inboard disc brakes at the back. The double-wishbone suspension all around features adjustable Koni shocks. The most traditional aspects of the car, besides the lightly updated engine, are the five-speed manual, and the relatively small tires that are 205-mm wide up front, and 255-mm wide at the rear.
Related
This Beautiful Black Retro Racer Is A Very Special Birthday Present
It’s the last of the production run.
Only A Few Will Be Built
Bizzarrini didn’t give any pricing for the Aperta Lusso, though it’s surely enormously expensive, and the price likely varies depending on what sort of customization each car receives. The company doesn’t need to find too many buyers, either, as it will only build 10 examples of the car. The first of the other cars will be arriving sometime next year.
Related
Bizzarrini Giotto Supercar Looks Set To Be An Italian Masterpiece With A 6.2-Liter V12
New images and information about the bespoke supercar have been released.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
Bizzarrini seems to have found a reasonably successful niche building recreations and variations of the classic car that got it off the ground. It’s also further evidence that wealthy car collectors are quite interested in classic cars, particularly if they’re factory fresh and even mildly updated. The other evidence comes from the many other restomods and continuation cars from coachbuilders, custom shops, and original manufacturers alike. As much as we like the Aperta Lusso, and are glad that the company is still finding customers, we do hope we’ll see an update on Bizzarrini’s entirely original Giotto supercar, as we last saw it nearly three years ago.
