Iso Rivolta IR GT 300

Make	Iso Rivolta
Class	Sports Car
Main type	Coupe
Production	from 1962 to 1970
Replaced by	Iso Rivolta Lele
Produced	800
Length	4760 m m
Length	1752 mm
Height	1425 mm
Step	2700 mm
Mass	1590 k g
Project	Giotto Bizzarrini
Design	Giorgetto Giugiaro for Bertone

The Iso Rivolta GT 300 is a 1962 developed luxury coupe of Iso Automotoveicoli SpA in Bresso, a suburb of Milan.

History

The Iso Rivolta 300 is a high-performance sports car produced by Iso Rivolta from 1962 to 1970 with 800 units built. At the time of launch, the model was named GT 300. Later the car was renamed IR 300, and some examples were equipped with a 340 hp engine. For this reason, the models equipped with this latter engine were called IR 340. However, cars with more powerful engines were also available. It was produced with only one type of body, two - door coupe. The intention of the entrepreneur Renzo Rivolta was to create, together with the former Ferrari engineer Giotto Bizzarrini, a Gran Turismo car in the original sense of the word. For racing, the Iso Rivolta 300 was not homologated as a "GT" (Gran Turismo), but as a touring car.

Renzo Rivolta, president of the almost homonymous car manufacturer, and his collaborator, the engineer Giotto Bizzarrini, formerly at Ferrari, conceived the car as a Gran Turismo in the original sense of the term. In competitions, however, the model was not approved as a Gran Turismo, but as a Turismo.Originally it was destined to compete with the Fiat 2300 Coupé, but the low sales volumes obtained convinced the car manufacturer to cautiously move the car, and its price, to a higher market segment. It was presented at the Turin Motor Show in 1962.Between 1962 and 1970 792 Bertone coupes were built, the name varied between GT Coupé, IR 300/340 or only Iso-Rivolta. According to the designers, the car should be characterized by a strong engine, a high-quality chassis and an elegant body.

The engine and transmission of the Iso Rivolta 300 are not self-designed, but large-scale production units from General Motors and BorgWarner. The V8 cylinder with 5.4 litre capacity corresponds to that of the Chevrolet Corvette. The four-speed gearbox is fully synchronized and is switched with a middle shift lever.

PERFORMANCE

• Engine capacity: 326.70 cu in, 5,354 cu cm
• Fuel consumption: 14.9 m/imp gal, 12.4 ml US gal, 19 1 x 100 km
• Max speed: 136.7 mph, 220 km/h
• Max power (SAE): 300 hp at 5,000 rpm
• Max torque (SAE): 360 1b ft, 49.7 kg m at 3,200 rpm
• Max number of engine rpm: 5,200
• Specific power: 56 hp/l
• Power-weight ratio: 11.2 lb/hp, 5.1 kg/hp
• Acceleration: standing 1/4 mile 13.5 sec, 0—50 mph (0—80 km/h) 6.2 sec
• Max speeds: 53.4 mph, 86 km/h in 1st gear; 70.8 mph, 114 km/h in 2nd gear; 90.7 mph, 146 km/h in 3rd gear; 136.7 mph, 220 km/h in 4th gear

The front wheels of the Iso Rivolta 300 are suspended on double arms of unequal length long wishbones with anti-roll bar. Rear, the car has a De-Dion axle with Watt linkage (for precise lateral guidance of the axle) and double trailing arms. Front and rear suspensions have coil springs and hydraulic telescopic bumpers. The steering (recirculating ball steering) is unusually indirect with five steering wheel turns from stop to stop (turning circle diameter approx. 12.5 m). With a caster of 7 ° 30 'on the other hand, the straight running of the Iso Rivolta 300 is very good even at speeds over 200 km / h.

The body, which is as simple as it is luxurious, was created by Bertone, a 270 cm wheelbase coupe that offers enough space for four to five people. The objective of the Iso Rivolta was to build a powerful car, of high build quality and with an elegant line. Expensive machinery for the specific moulds was produced, so expensive that the small production volumes foreseen for this model did not justify the huge expenses, and for several years these moulds were periodically sent to other companies, which had collaboration contracts with Iso Rivolta. where they could be used to produce sheet metal.

The interior is equipped with cowhide for an extra charge. The arrangement of the steering wheel, shifter, switches and pedals is considered exemplary, with the distance from brake to accelerator pedal was chosen so that can easily be switched back with " intermediate gas”. The seats are upholstered in leather, as is the wooden dashboard. The gear lever, with syringe control for reverse gear engagement, is borrowed from that of the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. Electric windows were supplied as standard, while air conditioning and metallic paint were available as options.