Giotto Bizzarrini had done his time working for other top Italian car firms including Alfa Romeo and Ferrari. Born in 1926, the son of a wealthy land owner, he fell in love with cars at an early age. So it was natural that after he graduated with a degree in engineering from the University of Pisa, he would seek out a career in the manufacture of his mechanical love.
His work at Ferrarri, where he was a developer, designer and chief engineer, included major contributions to two of that company's most famous vehicles: the 250 GT SWB and the 250 GTO. But even with this success, disputes with owner Enzo Ferrarri led to his being fired in 1961.
Bizzarrini was never at a loss for work, being recruited and hired by a number of top Italian automobile firms but by 1964 he decided he could best ensure his vision of a true sports car by starting his own company and building it. Bizzarrini S.p.A. was born.
Through 1969 the company turned out over 140 quality sports cars from a factory in Livorno, Italy. Among them was this 1968 5300 Spyder S.I. Powered by a 350 horse power Chevy V 8, just like the one in the Corvette, and with styling by Style Italia (the S.I. in the name), and was based on the earlier Strada model.
The Strada itself was basically a street legal version of the successful Grifo A3C racing car on which Bizzarrini had worked. Only three of these 5300 Strada models were turned into the amazingly quick Spyder S.I. versions. This is one.
Around the world this car turned heads. It graced the cover of Road and Track in 1969. This particular model is a former Best in Class winner at the famed Pebble Beach Concourse de Elegance.
Because of the heavy competition for such a small market and a lack of funding, Bizzarrini shuttered the manufacturing plant in 1969 but continued to do engineering work for other auto manufacturers. What he left behind was a short lived car marque based on speed and beauty.
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