PHOTO
Dubai, United Arab Emirates - Pegasus Automotive Group, an international company representing iconic automotive brands and luxury vehicles has been announced as the official distributor in the Middle East region and globally for the reborn sports car - Bizzarrini’s iconic 5300 GT.
The first Bizzarrini 5300 GT Corsa Revival prototype, the authentic recreation of Giotto Bizzarrini’s first car under his own name, has taken to the road for final endurance testing before first customer cars are completed.
The cars will be built at Bizzarrini's dedicated facility in the UK using original blueprints, materials from original suppliers, and the input of experts involved in the creation of the original classic keeping in mind some key improvements and modern safety regulations.
The original car’s fuel tanks were located deep in the sills, as well as behind the driver, but now – using advanced 3D scanning – Bizzarrini engineers have created a tank intricately shaped, filling the available void in the chassis to tolerances and accuracy not available to the original designers. Giving a fuel capacity of 95 liters to deliver 1 hour 8 minutes of full speed running and keeping the range within the requirements of a multiple round race series.
The paint has also been carefully evaluated to perfect the exact shade of red found on the original car. To ensure the car looked exactly as it would have in period, the Bizzarrini team tracked down an original panel that had been hidden from light since it was first painted, perfectly preserving Bizzarrini Rosso Corsa. This shade was then colour-matched for the Revival to create Rosso Corsa Bizzarrini 222.
In radically adapting the Corsa for track driving, Giotto Bizzarrini fitted bespoke independent rear suspension and shifted the front-mounted engine as far back in the chassis as possible to give a ‘front mid’ engine set up. This revolutionary approach to weight distribution proved a key advantage against many contemporary front-heavy cars. When testing the revival after recreating an original model, engineers found that each corner of the car carries a quarter of its overall weight, proving that even without advanced scales and computers, the original 5300 GT had perfect balance.
Simon Busby, Bizzarrini CMO said, “We have an ambitious long-term vision for the Bizzarrini brand, and the 5300GT Corsa Revival serves as either an introduction, or a reminder, of the storied heritage of Bizzarrini. We were thrilled with the car’s performance during endurance testing, delivering the same adrenaline-fueled driving experience as Giotto Bizzarrini’s original design. Now, as we complete the process of building the cars for our customers throughout the world, we are refining the initial engineering and design proposals for our modern supercar. Utilizing the very latest technologies, and built with the ethos, passion and values of our founding genius, this will truly be a Bizzarrini for a new generation.”
“The global luxury car market was valued at around USD 410 billion in 2020 and today, it is projected to grow to USD 566 billion in 2026. In the MENA region, especially in the UAE, we are witnessing accelerated demand for premium-end models. At Pegasus Automotive Group, we have built a strong presence in the region and developed on our capability for importing limited edition vehicles from international markets to cater to the rising demand of investors, businessmen, sports cars enthusiasts in the UAE. Limited-edition cars such as the Bizzarrini 5300 GT Corsa invariably spark demand by customers that like to live in a rarefied world in which everything is beyond the norm and has a steady stream of novelty,” commented Dr. Saeed Dana, President & CEO, Pegasus Automotive Group - Retail.
Each car in the Revival series of 24 vehicles will be hand-built, with a lightweight single piece composite body, over a steel frame. Inside, the two seats are protected by a more comprehensive six-point roll cage and safety fuel cell, meeting FIA Appendix K historic racing regulations. Test drives of the Revival revealed a car that feels subtly more rigid than original examples. Independent rear suspension to Giotto’s Corsa specification and all-round disc brakes are paired with a period-specific 5,300 cubic centimeter V8 with Weber 45 DCOE (Doppio Corpo Orizzontale E) carburetors developing over 400 horsepower. At just 1250 kg, the Bizzarrini 5300 GT Revival Corsa has excellent power to weight ratio.
One of Giotto Bizzarrini’s most valuable talents was his ability to push the limits of contemporary engineering. The original 5300 GT made extensive use of the strongest lightweight material of its day, glass fiber. The 5300 GT Revival Corsa will be offered with a full carbon fiber bodyshell as standard for those customers who do not need to conform to Historic Racing regulations.
The first customer deliveries of the 5300 GT Revival Corsa are already scheduled for handover to global clients from June 2022.
For more information on the relaunched car, pricing, showcase interest or booking, please visit - www.bizzarrini.com
-Ends-
About Pegasus Automotive Group
Pegasus Automotive Group is an international company representing iconic brands such as Aston Martin, Rolls Royce Motor Cars, Koenigsegg, Sports Classics Heritage and Bizzarrini. With operations in London, Geneva, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, USA, and Far East. It brings some of the world’s leading luxury automotive and retail companies closer to their customers, while at the same time ensuring a holistic consumer experience. Furthermore, the Group manages Sports Classics, its global classic car business which provides discerning classic car buyers across its geographic network with the finest classic car buying, servicing, restoration, and consultancy services. Pegasus also manages its UAE-based Pegasus Prestige Service Center, which caters to luxury vehicles.
About Bizzarrini
Bizzarrini is the Italian motorsport marque founded in 1964 by legendary engineer, Giotto Bizzarrini, an iconic name in Italian automotive history. The marque was reborn in 2020 under new ownership to bring together the finest design, craftsmanship and engineering excellence for a new generation of collectors and enthusiasts. The company operates in London, Geneva, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai.