Looking for a special vehicle to add to your collection? How about the rarest version of one the most absurd supercars of the 1990s?
In January, RM Sotheby’s will auction off the one-and-only 1988 Cizeta-Moroder V16T. Not only is the car the first example of one of the era’s more outlandish vehicles, the Cizeta V16T, but it’s also the only example to bear the name of original investor Giorgio Moroder. Yes, the same Giorgio Moroder widely considered to be the “Father of Disco.”
Sometime during the ‘80s, the music producer linked up with former Lamborghini test driver and engineer Claudio Zampolli. The two men found they had a lot in common, including an interest in developing and manufacturing an ultra-exclusive supercar. In order to make sure they ended up with something memorable, they enlisted fellow Italian Marcello Gandini—the visionary who dreamt up the Lamborghini Miura, Countach and Lancia Staros—to design the vehicle.
RM Sotheby's
The result was a Frankenstein-like car with a nose similar to the one that would eventually feature on Lamborghini Diablo, massive side intakes like those on the Ferrari Testarossa and some unique flourishes, like double-stacked headlights. Complementing the flamboyant design was a transversely mounted V-16 engine. Mated to a five-speed manual transmission, the mill was able to pump out 533 horses, and push the car from zero to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds and to a top speed of 204 mph. As crazy as this may all sound, nine examples of the vehicle would end up being built between 1991 and 1995.
There was one major difference between the series-production V16T and its prototype, though—the absence of Moroder name. Shortly after completion of the prototype, Zampolli and Moroder, the latter one of the vehicle’s main investors, decided to dissolve their partnership, and the musician’s name was dropped from the car completely. Because of that, this example, Chassis 001, is the only one which bears his name. It was also owned by the musician, and is fully functional following an extensive restoration by Canepa Design in 2018.
Inside the Cizeta-Moroder V16T RM Sotheby's
The Cizeta-Moroder V16T is scheduled to hit the block as part of RM Sotheby’s Arizona sales event this coming January. No price has been listed for car, but considering its provenance and the fact it’s in working order, we wouldn’t be surprised if it sold for more than the $280,000 the V16T sold for brand new. After all, it’s not just a part of automotive history—it’s a part of music history, too.
Check out more photos of the Cizeta-Moroder V16T below:
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