WHAT IS IT?
Long before the Prius, a “hybrid” car had a completely different meaning to car nuts. The basic idea was to combine the best characteristics of cars from different nations. For example, an Italian or English body with an American engine. Beauty and sophisticated design combined with the reliability, performance, low maintenance, and parts availability of something like a small-block Chevy. There were many such hybrids over the years like the DeTomaso Pantera, the Intermeccanica Italia, the Jensen Interceptor, and the Shelby Cobra to name a few. The Iso was a similar idea. The elegant body was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Bertone and they were originally built with a Chevrolet 327 cu in small-block V8 and usually with an American made 4-speed manual transmission.
The Iso Rivolta was made from 1963 to 1970 and just 964 were produced. They weren’t inexpensive in their day and have certainly gained considerable value among collectors during the past decade.
WHY THIS ONE HAS BEST ONE ON THE PLANET CHOPS
This car sold on Bring a Trailer on 5/13/2025 for an eye watering price of $275,000.
While the body and interior have been restored to near perfection and it appears stock, it’s really a restomod with substantial upgrades. An LS swap to a 6.0 Liter L76 (reportedly from a Pontiac G8) and a Tremec 6-speed manual are substantial upgrades from the original and have been beautifully integrated under the hood. A modern air conditioning system and upgraded brakes were also added. TBOOTP nominees are typically original, but we say that these modifications are in keeping with the spirit and intent of the Iso Rivolta’s hybrid design, mixing Italian style with the drivability and performance of an American V8… just even more so in this case. What do you think?
We say that these modifications are in keeping with the spirit and intent of the Iso Rivolta’s hybrid design…
italian coachwork to rival anything from Ferrari in the same era, and you can get a starter from any corner autoparts store in the the US for $39.99. It is a winning combo. The LS swap? I mean, sure… but why? The original small block chevy is reliable and stone simple. It might not be as “refined” as a LS, but that is the point. I dont see how the engine swap really gains you anything. And at nearly $300k? It had better be the best one on the planet for that price.
I’m ordinarily not a huge fan of the idea of modified cars on the site, but this one is SO well done. These cars rusted instantly, and until recently, they weren’t worth a great deal, so truly great ones are few and far between. Giugiaro’s understated design work was hugely underrated. I love this car.
I have a good friend who recently purchased a Rivolta to run events like the Copperstate 1000 in a trouble free, stylish manner. I can’t agree more with the other jurors here, Iso made the ultimate Anglo-European hybrids, and I’m a Sunbeam Tiger owner! This one, while very modified in the driveline, just shows how far you can go while keeping a stock outward appearance. My kind of modified, and a big vote here!