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For those of you wondering about the "Lambo-like" car in GT4, here's a background on the supercar alternative that very few know about from the early 1990s:
THE CAR
* The Cizeta Moroder V16T was announced at the Los Angeles Motor Show in December 1988, including a display of many design sketches and a scale mock-up of the car. The first display of the actual car to the public was at the Geneva Auto Show in March 1991. The V16T began full production later that year.
* The Moroder V16T was developed in secret, with only the actual designers and constructors knowing of it's existance until it was unveiled to the press.
* The Moroder V16T is constructed of a steel space-frame chassis. Zampolli and Moroder elected against the use of Kevlar. A single 72mm tube running down the center of the frame contains all fluid and electrical lines. The car also has a flat bottom. The body is made of aluminium.
* Claudio Zampolli chose a V16 over a V12 merely because he wanted to be more exotic then the supercar norm of Ferrari and Lamborghini. As a small time manufacturer he wished to stand out.
* The interior features a carbon fiber dash (the only carbon fiber on the car), as well as lots of use of leather. The sound deadening material in the rear bulkhead is claimed to allow the driver to have a normal conversation up to 110mph.
* The dash features only a speedometer and tachometer. Water tempurature and oil tempurature are viewable only with warning lights. "People don't like to look at gauges" (Zampolli).
* The engine is a 90 degree 6.0L 64-valve V16 featuring DOHC from dual steel crankshafts running through the center, made by Mobilor of France. The block is machined from a single block of aluminium using special Swiss-made equipment. A ZF 5-speed gearbox is attached to the V16. The engine sits transversely and slanted 10 degrees forward to help the center of gravity as well as better mating with the transaxle. The V16 develops 540hp @ 8000rpms and 400lb/ft @ 6000rpms.
* The first few Moroder V16Ts used Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection systems. Later cars used a custom built injection system from Bologna made by ex-Weber-Marelli employees.
* The Moroder V16T sits on 17" two-piece OZ 5-spoke rims with a single center locking nut. The tires are 245/40ZR17 and 335/35ZR17 Pirelli P-Zeros.
* Brakes are 12" Brembo vented and slotted discs with 4-pot calipers.
* Suspension is unequal length double wishbones with the front set angled downward to prevent against diving under braking. Koni dampers and coil springs are used. An anti-roll bar is on both the front and back, with the front being adjustable.
* The V16T does not offer ABS or traction control, but does have a power ZF rack and pinion steering. A/C is optional.
* 0 - 60 in 4.5s. Top speed of 200mph. Price (brand new) was $800,000.
* 174.9in long, 81in wide, 105.9in wheelbase, weight of 3748lbs.
THE COMPANY
* The name of the comany, Cizeta Automobili, is from the initials of the car's creator and company co-founder, Claudio Zampolli. The initials CZ are pronounced "Chey-Zeta". The company logo is yellow and blue, the colors of Modena, and the dog's head are to symbolize the Tiberiun She-Wolf who rescued the twins Remus and Romulus, founders of Rome. The engine covers are even painted yellow and blue.
* The car's name came from co-founder Giorgio Moroder, a famous Italian composer and artist who helped fund the project. Moroder had very little to do with the actual construction and sale of the car or the company himself, but did get his name on the car.
* Cizeta Automobili's offices were located in Modena, a few blocks away from the manufacturing plant for Maserati. The body panels however are made in Turin and shipped to Modena.
* Mr. Claudio Zampolli started out as a Lamborghini test and development engineer who worked on the Miura and Countach. Wanting to work on his own he moved to Los Angeles to form an exotic car dealership in the 1970s. It was during this time that he began to develop the Moroder V16T.
* Chief engineer and head of engine development was Oliviero Pedrazzi of Lamborghini. Master fabricators were Archille Benveni and Lanose Bronzatti, also of Lamborghini. Chief designer was Marcello Gandini, who had designed the Countach and Diablo (hence it's similarity to the Diablo). The car was slightly redesigned during it's production, with later cars having vertical slats in the side intakes as opposed to horizontal slats seen on the early cars.
* The Moroder V16T was actually Gandini's 2nd design for the car. The 1st was considered "too bland and conservative".
* Zampolli planned for building 12 cars a year, but had the capacity to build as many as 225 a year.
* Due to market recession, the company went out of business around 1995.
THE CHASSIS
* 9 total Cizeta Moroder V16Ts were built. Chassis #1 was black and right-hand drive, sold to a man in Singapore. At least one other chassis was also black and right-hand drive, and formerly owned by the Sultan of Brunei. This car now resides in the Marconi Automotive Museum in California. The other Sultan of Brunei car is unknown (yes, he owned 2). A few other early cars were sold to Japan and other Far East countries. There is confirmed to be at least 1 white and 1 red car.
* 2 other unfinished chassis were left in storage in Detroit. It is assumed that at least one of these unfinished chassies was found and used to create the Cizeta Fenice TTJ Spider which debuted at the 2003 Concorse Italiano in Monterey. The Fenice was designed by Marcello Gandini as well and features an improved V16 engine producing 560hp and 469lb/ft, allowing it to reach 209mph. It is apparently the only one in existance, and it is yellow.
PICTURES
Cizeta Automobili
A few Moroder V16Ts under construction in Modena
4 seperate Moroder V16Ts visible on the "assembly line"
More assembly
The V16 being hand-built
Early Moroder V16T
Possibly the Moroder V16T in California
One of the first cars built on the right, possibly the above car on the left
The Moroder V16T at the Marconi Automotive Museum, California
More then likely the earlier red car again, now also in a museum apparently
Moroder V16T interior
Another interior (Red was also used on at least one car's interior as well)
The V16
The Fenice TTJ Spyder
The Fenice TTJ Spyder again
Mr. Zampolli with the Fenice TTJ Spyder
Hope this helps everyone.
THE CAR
* The Cizeta Moroder V16T was announced at the Los Angeles Motor Show in December 1988, including a display of many design sketches and a scale mock-up of the car. The first display of the actual car to the public was at the Geneva Auto Show in March 1991. The V16T began full production later that year.
* The Moroder V16T was developed in secret, with only the actual designers and constructors knowing of it's existance until it was unveiled to the press.
* The Moroder V16T is constructed of a steel space-frame chassis. Zampolli and Moroder elected against the use of Kevlar. A single 72mm tube running down the center of the frame contains all fluid and electrical lines. The car also has a flat bottom. The body is made of aluminium.
* Claudio Zampolli chose a V16 over a V12 merely because he wanted to be more exotic then the supercar norm of Ferrari and Lamborghini. As a small time manufacturer he wished to stand out.
* The interior features a carbon fiber dash (the only carbon fiber on the car), as well as lots of use of leather. The sound deadening material in the rear bulkhead is claimed to allow the driver to have a normal conversation up to 110mph.
* The dash features only a speedometer and tachometer. Water tempurature and oil tempurature are viewable only with warning lights. "People don't like to look at gauges" (Zampolli).
* The engine is a 90 degree 6.0L 64-valve V16 featuring DOHC from dual steel crankshafts running through the center, made by Mobilor of France. The block is machined from a single block of aluminium using special Swiss-made equipment. A ZF 5-speed gearbox is attached to the V16. The engine sits transversely and slanted 10 degrees forward to help the center of gravity as well as better mating with the transaxle. The V16 develops 540hp @ 8000rpms and 400lb/ft @ 6000rpms.
* The first few Moroder V16Ts used Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection systems. Later cars used a custom built injection system from Bologna made by ex-Weber-Marelli employees.
* The Moroder V16T sits on 17" two-piece OZ 5-spoke rims with a single center locking nut. The tires are 245/40ZR17 and 335/35ZR17 Pirelli P-Zeros.
* Brakes are 12" Brembo vented and slotted discs with 4-pot calipers.
* Suspension is unequal length double wishbones with the front set angled downward to prevent against diving under braking. Koni dampers and coil springs are used. An anti-roll bar is on both the front and back, with the front being adjustable.
* The V16T does not offer ABS or traction control, but does have a power ZF rack and pinion steering. A/C is optional.
* 0 - 60 in 4.5s. Top speed of 200mph. Price (brand new) was $800,000.
* 174.9in long, 81in wide, 105.9in wheelbase, weight of 3748lbs.
THE COMPANY
* The name of the comany, Cizeta Automobili, is from the initials of the car's creator and company co-founder, Claudio Zampolli. The initials CZ are pronounced "Chey-Zeta". The company logo is yellow and blue, the colors of Modena, and the dog's head are to symbolize the Tiberiun She-Wolf who rescued the twins Remus and Romulus, founders of Rome. The engine covers are even painted yellow and blue.
* The car's name came from co-founder Giorgio Moroder, a famous Italian composer and artist who helped fund the project. Moroder had very little to do with the actual construction and sale of the car or the company himself, but did get his name on the car.
* Cizeta Automobili's offices were located in Modena, a few blocks away from the manufacturing plant for Maserati. The body panels however are made in Turin and shipped to Modena.
* Mr. Claudio Zampolli started out as a Lamborghini test and development engineer who worked on the Miura and Countach. Wanting to work on his own he moved to Los Angeles to form an exotic car dealership in the 1970s. It was during this time that he began to develop the Moroder V16T.
* Chief engineer and head of engine development was Oliviero Pedrazzi of Lamborghini. Master fabricators were Archille Benveni and Lanose Bronzatti, also of Lamborghini. Chief designer was Marcello Gandini, who had designed the Countach and Diablo (hence it's similarity to the Diablo). The car was slightly redesigned during it's production, with later cars having vertical slats in the side intakes as opposed to horizontal slats seen on the early cars.
* The Moroder V16T was actually Gandini's 2nd design for the car. The 1st was considered "too bland and conservative".
* Zampolli planned for building 12 cars a year, but had the capacity to build as many as 225 a year.
* Due to market recession, the company went out of business around 1995.
THE CHASSIS
* 9 total Cizeta Moroder V16Ts were built. Chassis #1 was black and right-hand drive, sold to a man in Singapore. At least one other chassis was also black and right-hand drive, and formerly owned by the Sultan of Brunei. This car now resides in the Marconi Automotive Museum in California. The other Sultan of Brunei car is unknown (yes, he owned 2). A few other early cars were sold to Japan and other Far East countries. There is confirmed to be at least 1 white and 1 red car.
* 2 other unfinished chassis were left in storage in Detroit. It is assumed that at least one of these unfinished chassies was found and used to create the Cizeta Fenice TTJ Spider which debuted at the 2003 Concorse Italiano in Monterey. The Fenice was designed by Marcello Gandini as well and features an improved V16 engine producing 560hp and 469lb/ft, allowing it to reach 209mph. It is apparently the only one in existance, and it is yellow.
PICTURES
Cizeta Automobili
A few Moroder V16Ts under construction in Modena
4 seperate Moroder V16Ts visible on the "assembly line"
More assembly
The V16 being hand-built
Early Moroder V16T
Possibly the Moroder V16T in California
One of the first cars built on the right, possibly the above car on the left
The Moroder V16T at the Marconi Automotive Museum, California
More then likely the earlier red car again, now also in a museum apparently
Moroder V16T interior
Another interior (Red was also used on at least one car's interior as well)
The V16
The Fenice TTJ Spyder
The Fenice TTJ Spyder again
Mr. Zampolli with the Fenice TTJ Spyder
Hope this helps everyone.
wow it looks alot like a Lamborghini. For creating something different & to stand out, he failed in distinguishing from Lamborghini visually!
