Cortile Italian Car Show 2026 — Proiettore Macchina: Bizzarrini

By Bernard Martin

1967 Bizzarrini P 538. Bizzarrini made this to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The car features a beautifully distinctive, curvy profile sitting extremely low to emphasize its competition pedigree. In the rear of the car is a 5.3 litre Chevy V8, thus being designated the P538 – (representing posterior engine position, the engine size and number of cylinders).

We are thrilled to announce that the 2026 Proiettore Macchina of the Cortile Italian Car Show will be Bizzarrini. As the Cortile has grown over the past years we have leaned into the unique relationship between racing and production car development. The 2026 Cortile will feature Bizzarrini as the Proiettore Macchina, highlighting the cars and engineering that defined Giotto Bizzarrini's career from Ferrari to Iso Rivolta to his own marque.

A Brief Backstory: Giotto Bizzarrini — engineer, rebel, visionary
Giotto Bizzarrini (1926–2023) is one of the iconic figures of post-war Italian automotive engineering. After graduating from the University of Pisa in 1953, where his design thesis was a complete redesign of a used Fiat Topolino., he joined Alfa Romeo’s Experimental Department working on the Alfa Romeo Giulietta chassis  and test driving. 

According to Bizzarini, "I became a test driver who coincidentally was also an engineer, with mathematical principles. I always needed to know why something fails, so I can invent a solution."

In 1957 he joined Ferrari, as a test driver. He was soon promoted to responsibility for the company’s sports and GT efforts. Over time Bizzarrini had key influence on projects such as the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, the 250 GT Berlinetta Short Wheelbase (SWB), and ultimately the legendary 250 GTO. On the GTO in particular, his contributions were pretty significant: he re-engineered the aerodynamics, lowered the center of gravity via revised engine placement, and refined the chassis balance, to reduce both drag and tendency to front lift at high speeds. 

But genius and ego do not always coexist peacefully.

The “Palace Revolt” and the Ferrari Exodus
In 1961 a dramatic rupture shook Ferrari’s engineering ranks. A reorganization and internal conflict — sometimes called the “Palace Revolt” — saw key engineers, including Bizzarrini and his colleague Carlo Chiti, leave Ferrari. The motivation: disagreement over direction, control, and recognition — a clash of talents and egos at the highest level.

After their departures, these ex-Ferrari engineers briefly founded Automobili Turismo e Sport (ATS), a bold, if ill-fated, attempt to rival Ferrari directly, fielding both an F1 car and a GT model. But ATS soon dissolved, and Bizzarrini moved on to new ventures including Società Prototipi Bizzarrini in 1964  and then in 1966 to Bizzarrini SpA.

That break with Ferrariis what makes his story such a magnet for collectors, historians, and car lovers alike. Without that event, several groundbreaking collector cars might not have been developed.

In 1964, Ferruccio Lamborghini, intent on building a car to rival Ferrari, turned to Giotto Bizzarrini to create a suitable engine. Bizzarrini designed an advanced 60° aluminum V12 with dual overhead cams and chain-driven camshafts, conceived as a pure racing engine capable of producing over 350 horsepower at high revs. His design, however, conflicted with Lamborghini’s vision for smooth, reliable power in grand touring cars, highlighting the tension between Bizzarrini’s racing instincts and Ferruccio’s focus on road-going refinement—a clash that became part of Lamborghini legend.

Iso Rivolta, Bizzarrini’s collaborations, and the lineage of design
After the Ferrari split, Bizzarrini engaged in a number of engineering and consulting roles. One of his most consequential collaborations was with Iso Rivolta, under Renzo Rivolta.

Iso, originally known for refrigerators, motorcycles, and microcars like the Isetta, was eager to enter the high-performance GT market. Bizzarrini was brought in to design the chassis and engineering underpinnings for the Iso Rivolta GT and later for the Iso Grifo in both A3L and A3C forms.

• The Iso Rivolta GT was powered by a Chevrolet Corvette V8, combining style, comfort, and strong performance.
• The Iso Grifo A3L, styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro, featured Bizzarrini’s engineering input in a sleek, potent GT coupé.
• In the A3C / Competizione versions, Bizzarrini pushed harder: moving the engine further back, lightening construction, and refining aerodynamics for endurance racing.

Over time, the partnership frayed. Bizzarrini had racing in his blood.  desired while Rivolta leaned toward Grand Touring and  production. The split ultimately led Bizzarrini to branch out on his own.
At the  Cortile 2026 we will especially welcome and invite owners of cars on which Bizzarrini left his mark — Ferrari 250s, Iso Rivoltas, Iso Grifos — to participate as part of the Bizzarrini spotlight.

Bizzarrini’s marque — from Strada GTs to purebred racers
Freed from the constraints of working for others, Bizzarrini founded his own firm in the mid-1960s. Between 1965 and 1969, he built a small but storied catalog of automobiles, combining race-bred dynamics with sleek styling.

5300 GT / Strada / America / SpyderHis most famous road-going model is the Bizzarrini 5300 GT, also known as the Strada or America. Styled by Giugiaro and powered by Chevrolet V8 engines, these cars featured a low-slung body, large displacement power, and precise dynamics. Limited spyder and targa versions were also produced.

The P538 — raceborne extremity
Perhaps the most dramatic exemplar of his work is the Bizzarrini P538.

• “P” for posteriore (rear engine), “53” for its 5.3-liter engine, and “8” for V8 configuration.
• Tubular-steel chassis, inboard disc brakes, independent suspension, and lightweight fiberglass bodywork made it a pure racing machine.
• Entered at Le Mans and other endurance events, the P538 showed blistering speed, even if mechanical misfortune often limited results.

We are proud to confirm that a Bizzarrini P538 will be featured at Cortile 2026, providing a visceral touchstone to Bizzarrini’s uncompromising engineering vision.

Invitation
At the 2026 Cortile Italian Car Show, the Proiettore Macchina celebration of Bizzarrini will:

• Trace the arc from Ferrari to Iso Rivolta to the Bizzarrini marque.
• Feature exemplar vehicles, especially the 5300 GT and the P538.
• Welcome owners of Ferraris, Iso Rivoltas, Grifos, and Bizzarrini’s own creations in recognition of his influence.

Join us as we honor the legacy of Giotto Bizzarrini — the engineer whose defiance and genius helped create some of the most celebrated Italian GTs and race cars of the 20th century.