• A rare example of Iso’s barnstorming 168-mph Grifo 7-Litri
• Fresh from an exhaustive €130,000 restoration completed in 2022
• Powered by Chevrolet’s legendary 435-horsepower “L71” V-8
• Finished in Giallo over a Pelle Nera interior
• Accompanied by the original factory build sheet

All automotive manufacturers developed their model range over time, but few reinventions were quite as striking as that presided over by Renzo Rivolta. In just a few short decades, the gifted Italian engineer turned his hand from scooters and bubble cars that mobilised the masses to glamorous supercars aimed squarely at the emerging jet set.

Though not initially a commercial success, the sale of Isetta to Munich powerhouse BMW did fund the creation of an attractive Bertone-styled coupé, in the process launching Iso Rivolta as a bona fide manufacturer. The firm was put firmly on the map three years later, when, in 1965, the sportier Girfo was unveiled to the world.

The attractive Giorgetto Giugiaro-styled and Giotto Bizzarrini-designed coupe was an instant success, buoyed by the accessible power and welcome reliability that came with American V-8 power. But while the 300 horsepower 5.4-litre Chevrolet small-block offered useful performance, it wasn’t until 1968 that the model broke through to the rarefied air of the true supercar, with the arrival of the 300 km/h 7-Litri.

Following the credo that there is no replacement for displacement, the revised model was powered by Chevrolet’s legendary “L71” Tri-Power 427-cubic-inch V-8—a 435-horsepower beast of an engine that also powered the top-of-the-range Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray. A number of mechanical and styling improvements were made to accommodate the new engine, the most eye-catching of which was a “penthouse” bonnet bulge that provided the necessary clearance.

Chassis 7L 920240 is one of these special examples. Built on 21 April 1969 and finished in Giallo over a Pelle Nera interior, the car was immediately despatched to Germany, where it was first registered on 9 May. Thought to have remained in Germany throughout its life, the car passed through the hands of several owners before eventually being taken off the road in October 1984 prior to being sold as a restoration project to Ralf Niederstadt. He never completed the car and, faced with declining health, sold the 7-Litri to the consigning owner on 25 September 2018.

A full restoration was immediately commissioned, with invoices on file amounting to more than €130,000-worth of work carried out by specialists including Gebr. Wadas GmbH, TG Classics, and Total Performance. An additional £2,173 was spent refurbishing five Borrani wire wheels by Turrini Wheels Ltd of Peterborough, United Kingdom. The restoration work was completed in 2022 and in September of that year the car received TÜV approval. The car is accompanied by an inspection report issued on 13 October 2022, by which time the Iso is said to have covered just 500 kilometres since restoration.

Restored to an exacting standard and at great expense, this stunning Iso Grifo 7-Litri presents beautifully in its eye-catching colour combination of Giallo over Nera, and with trademark “penthouse” styling.

Please note this vehicle is now offered with a German Fahrzeugbrief.

Veuillez noter que ce véhicule est désormais proposé avec un titre de transport allemand (Fahrzeugbrief).

To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/pa23.