Iso Grifo
The Iso Grifo is a limited production grand tourer manufactured by Italian automobile manufacturer Iso Autoveicoli S.p.A. between 1965 and 1974. Intended to compete with Grand Touring offerings from Ferrari and Maserati, it used a series of American power trains and components supplied by Chevrolet and Ford. Styling was done by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Bertone, while the mechanicals were the work of Giotto Bizzarrini.
| Iso Grifo | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Iso Autoveicoli S.p.A. |
| Production | 1965–1974 |
| Assembly | Italy: Bresso |
| Designer | Giorgetto Giugiaro at Bertone |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 2-door coupe |
| Layout | Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine |
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| Transmission |
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| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,500 mm (98.4 in) |
| Length | 4,430 mm (174.4 in) |
| Width | 1,770 mm (69.7 in) |
| Height | 1,200 mm (47.2 in) |
| Curb weight | 1,430–1,610 kg (3,150–3,550 lb) |
The first production GL models appeared in 1965 and were powered by American Chevrolet small-block 327 (5.4-litre) V8 engines fitted to American supplied Borg-Warner 4-speed manual transmissions. The 5.4-litre engine was rated at 300 hp (220 kW) in its standard form and allowed the car to attain a speed of 110 km/h (68 mph) in first gear.
In 1970, the Grifo Series II was introduced, with sleeker styling and hide-away headlights and powered by big-block Chevrolet 454 V8 (7.4-litre) engines. It was replaced in 1972 with the Grifo IR-8, which used a small-block Ford Boss 351 engine (5.8-litre) as its power-train. This was the last new Iso of any type, as the manufacturer went bankrupt; it shut down and ceased all operations permanently in 1974. The bankruptcy had a number of causes, perhaps the largest being the 1973 oil crisis, which significantly reduced demand for cars with large displacement engines.