Topic: Solved -PJ610- 1966 Bizzarrini 1500 Berlinetta

[Allemano]

Is the finished car equipped with pop-up lights?

[Paul Jaray]

Sorry, I forgot about the 24 hour rule...
I've removed my question and might ask it again tomorrow!

As you prefer. I did not answer, you can keep it or change it.

Is the finished car equipped with pop-up lights?

No. 

[Majeko]

Michelotti?

[Paul Jaray]

Michelotti?

No 

[Carnut]

I think it’s a Bizzarrini Europa, commonly referred to (but not officially known as) Bizzarrini GT Europa.
It was first shown at the Turin Show in 1966 with a 1.5 litre Fiat engine, although it was engineered to take the 1.9l Opel engine with which most of them were fitted (12 of the 17 made were so fitted with the other 5 having Fiat engines).

It was designed by Pietro Vanni, who re-worked and shrank Giugiaro’s Bizzarrini Strada; it’s a brave man who tinkers with a Giugiaro design, but it’s generally regarded as being reasonably successful.  It was said to be a great car and it’s sad it was never commercially successful, largely because GM didn’t take it up as hoped but went their own way and made the Opel GT instead.

[Otto Puzzell]

By George, I think he's got it! 

[Paul Jaray]

Yes! 
The car was initially presented as Bizzarrini 1500 Berlinetta and was later known as GT Europa (or 1900 GT Europa).
Now you can understand why some of your guesses were hard to answer...it did not achieve series-production in this configuration but " it become a production model, whithout significant change to the shape in the puzzle pic" 

[nicanary]

Well done, Norman! It had me baffled - I didn't bother to try a guess.

[Wendax]

I had excluded that one, because I just knew of the Opel engine. 

You learn something new everyday at AutoPuzzles!

[faksta]

I had excluded that one, because I just knew of the Opel engine. 

You learn something new everyday at AutoPuzzles!

Exactly the same thing for me - I recognized the Bizzarrini shape, but couldn't remember any car with Fiat engine except for Giotto Bizzarrini's little racer.

[Carnut]

Well it was the shape that convinced me, particularly the flow of the waistline, so I looked into the car's history and found that it was originally shown with a Fiat engine, so it tied in from there.  Until then I didn't know about the Fiat engine either!

[Paul Jaray]

The car was planned to be 1st shown in Geneve but it didn't make it and was later shown in Turin.
When the pic was taken, it was only known it was going to be a 1500 Berlinetta for the Geneva Salon.

[thorax]

Was Salvatore Diomante involved in this car too?

[Paul Jaray]

Was Salvatore Diomante involved in this car too?

I don't know...BTW is there a picture of this car? I mean a pic of the 1500 Berlinetta as shown in Turin.
...and what is the 1st car in your pic, Carnut?
The following one is the only one I found that should be it...and it's red:

[WayneB]

Congratulations Norman!

[Carnut]

Thanks Wayne!

I don't know anything about that first picture; I posted it because it showed the car from a similar angle to the puzzle picture so it was easier to compare them.  The site where I found it only captioned it as a Bizzarrini GT Europa but gave no details about where the photo was taken or how it was modified.

There are a lot of photos of Europas out there; I tried to find one which actually showed the car on display at the Turin Show 1966 but couldn't.

Is this puzzle now solved or is there another point on offer for something?!

[Paul Jaray]

Ok, I was wondering if there is a picture of a 1500 Berlinetta...I found several 1900 GT Europa, but only that red one should be a 1500.
Of course it's solved...I was hoping in that pic .
Adding and moving!

[Allemano]

Also related: http://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=9546.msg79916#msg79916

I saw a black car of this series on the recent TechnoClassica. Such a beauty!
They told it's powered by a 220 HP engine. I'm not sure if this is possible even with a radically tuned 1,9 l Opel engine..
Weight is only 650 kg (!)

[Carnut]

I can't find any pictures which state categorically they are the original 1500 Berlinetta.
I've looked through my books but the best I can find is as per the pictures below, which are from 1967 and purport to be a 1900 Europa but which may or may not be the original car.  The side vents are not the same as those on the car PJ said was probably the original Turin Show car.

One thing it does show however is that official name does after all seem to have been Bizzarrini GT Europa (at that stage anyway!):