First read my previous post, here's some more confirming info:
Claudio Zampolli started Cizeta in the mid-eighties and had his first prototype ready in 1988. He employed Marcello Gandini, who is famous for his work with Lamborghini which included both design of the Countach & Miura. Gandini decided to use a previous Lamborghini design for the Cizeta supercar after a mix-up with the Lamborghini design department. Upon recieving Gandini's design for a Countach replacement, Lamborghini took the work and altered it heavily, including the removal of the famous notched rear-wheel arches. Frustrated with Lamborghini, Gandini sold the design to Cizeta who offered to stay with the orginal design theme.
Cizeta strived to get much needed attention during the car's 1988 release. They did this by offering a car with a never before seen drivetrain which was a clever marketing scheme to propel sales. What made the Cizeta so special was the engine and its placement. This car takes Muira theme one step futher! Never before had the world seen a V16 engine mounted in a transverse layout. Such a setup was neccessary due to the long length of the engine.
Essentially, two V8's were grafted such that the timing mechanisms shared the center space. The power is taken from inbetween the V8s and run into the longitudinally mounted transmission. This makes the engine and transmission from a T, hence the designation V16 T.
Designing and implementing a new engine was a huge feat, especially for an upcoming manufacturer. Most of the components were machined by companies that specialize in limited production pieces, such as componentry for f1 cars. Cizeta then assembled all these components, including interior, to make a complete car in thier own workshop.
Exclusivity paid a large role for the V16T. This was a car that was made perhaps within too small a market. Only the very wealthiest people, such as the Sultan of Brunei, had enough money and interest to buy such an expensive car. On top of this, Cizeta had no race history or company heritage to build upon. For these reasons only 10 cars were ever ordered from the factory, the Sultan owns two of them.
I'll feel like the man when my gf goes "What is that, a Lamborghini?" and I regurgitate all that information, mwahaha.
Oh well.
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dont think i listed any french cars?
