| Manufacturer | Cizeta Automobili |
|---|---|
| Production | 1991–1995 |
| Class | Sports car |
| Body style(s) | 2-door coupe |
| Layout | RMR layout |
| Engine(s) | two 90° dohc flat-plane V8s in a single block, 5,995 cc (365.8 cu in) |
| Transmission(s) | 5-speed manual[1] |
| Wheelbase | 2,694 mm (106.1 in)[1] |
| Length | 4,445 mm (175.0 in)[1] |
| Width | 2,057 mm (81.0 in)[1] |
| Height | 1,115 mm (43.9 in)[1] |
| Curb weight | 1,700 kg (3,700 lb)[1] |
| Fuel capacity | 120 L (32 US gal; 26 imp gal)[1] |
| Designer | Marcello Gandini[2] |
The Cizeta-Moroder V16 T is an Italian sports car (built from 1991 to 1995) created by automotive engineer Claudio Zampolli in a joint venture with music composer Giorgio Moroder. It was the only product of the Cizeta company. It was developed by a group of ex-Lamborghini employees and initially introduced in 1988.
The Cizeta-Moroder name comes from the spelling in Italian of the initials of the designer Claudio Zampolli (Ci-Zeta) and Giorgio Moroder. The V16 T implies that its engine is a V16 unit mounted Transversely in the central rear position, just forward of the rear axle and behind the passenger seats. However, the engine was not a true V16. Rather, it was engineered from the ground up as two flat plane V8s sharing a single block, mounted transversely, with gearing between the two providing a single output from the center of the engine assembly to the longitudinal transmission.
The car was viewed from the beginning as an exclusive sports car, easily capable of topping over 200 mph (320 km/h), top speed was 205 mph (328 km/h) and requiring just 4 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h), while at the same time equipped with many luxury features.
The chassis was formed of an aluminium honeycomb structure, wrapped in a sleek body designed by the famed Marcello Gandini, who had previously designed the Lamborghini Countach and some aerodynamic Maseratis (and later the Lamborghini Diablo).
In 1991, the list price for a Cizeta-Moroder was an estimated €250,000 or US$300,000. This price tag made it unviable for most people who had such wealth to buy, due to being produced at the end of the speculator driven sports car price boom, or the fact that buyers rather typically buy established brand names (i.e. Ferrari, Lamborghini) and the subsequent worldwide recession, just like its contemporary and ultra-fast sports cars including the McLaren F1. Although predictions for production foresaw one car per week, only eight examples were actually built (from 1991 until the company's demise in 1995). Now the car is still in production (on demand), although again with a large price tag of $649,000, respectively $849,000 for the Spyder TTJ, exclusive of shipping, taxes and extras.
Trivia
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Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (March 2008) |
- Until the Bugatti Veyron entered production, the Cizeta-Moroder V16T was the only post-war[citation needed] production car with a 16 cylinder engine which is road legal in some countries.
- The prototype car was built as a complete roadgoing car. It was available to the press for loan - and received favourable reviews.
- The Sultan of Brunei is an owner of two V16Ts.
- The car is featured in the PS2 game 'Gran Turismo 4'.
- The 'Retron Parsec Turbo' from the Amiga game Super Cars appears to be based on the V16T's design.
Named after its oddball drivetrain, this sports car takes the Miura concept one step further by using a transverse V16 engine mated to a longitudinal gearbox that together forms the shape of a T.
Claudio Zampolli first envisioned Cizeta in the mid-eighties and had his fully functioning prototype ready in 1988. The final result looked like a Diablo in the rough, but that is because it was inspired by the work of Marcello Gandini for Lamborghini.
Upon receiving Gandini's design for their Countach replacement, Lamborghini took the concept and altered it heavily, including the removal of his signature notched rear-wheel arches. Frustrated with Lamborghini, Gandini then turned to Cizeta who offered to keep his original flavor.
Never before had the world seen a V16 engine mounted in a transverse layout. Such a setup was necessary due to the long length of the engine, but also made the car one of the widest ever produced.
Essentially, two flat-plane V8's were grafted such that the timing mechanisms shared the center space. Gearing between the two provided a single input for the longitudinally mounted transmission.
Designing and implementing a new engine was a huge feat, especially for an upcoming manufacturer. Most of the drivetrain components were specially outsourced and Cizeta then assembled the complete car around their own aluminum honeycomb tub.
When completed, the car sold for $400 000 USD which was a hard sell considering the company had no race history or company heritage to build upon. For these reasons only ten cars were completed and V16 was the only car Cizeta ever made.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "1988 Cizeta-Moroder V16T". carfolio.com. http://www.carfolio.com/specifications/models/car/?car=22825. Retrieved on 2008-03-31.
- ^ "1995 Cizeta-Moroder V16T". supercars.net. http://www.supercars.net/cars/390.html. Retrieved on 2008-03-31.
External links
- Official Cizeta Automobili website
- www.SuperCars.net - Brief history of the Cizeta-Moroder V16 T (with stats).
- www.ExoticCarSite.com - 2003 Cizeta Fenice TTJ Spyder car wallpaper pictures.
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
