Zagato unveils the IsoRivolta Vision Gran Turismo at the Tokyo Motor Show
A day before the Frankfurt Motorshow we had a meeting at Zagato Atelier headquarters where Andrea showed us the new IsoRivolta. The car looked impressive in the flesh and we are glad that is having a great press and response after the official unveil yesterday at Tokyo Motorshow.
If you want to know more about the project, here is the official press release:
Tokyo, October 25, 2017 – Zagato, the Milanese coachbuilder, has revealed at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show the IsoRivolta Vision Gran Turismo, which was announced at the Grand Basel on August 31st. The new Zagato creation will be a drivable vehicle in Gran Turismo Sport, the latest chapter of the acclaimed Sony PlayStation video game.
With the design of the new Vision Gran Turismo, the Zagato Atelier pays tribute to IsoRivolta - the renowned automaker from Milan - which during the golden era of automobiles, produced stunning Gran Turismo-class sports cars that combined sleek Italian designs with the brawn of American powertrains. Passion for racing, combined with luxury and reliability, was where they found their inspiration.
Now, with the IsoRivolta Vision Gran Turismo, Zagato closes the circle and takes us back to Milan, where, after World War II, the GT category of motorsport was conceptualized, created, and promoted by four illustrious Milanese figures: Count Giovannino Lurani, journalists Giovanni Canestrini and Corrado Filippini, and gentleman driver Elio Zagato, the father of Andrea, the current CEO of Zagato. This intermediate GT class hosted cars that were halfway between production touring saloons and racing purpose-built barchettas of international motorsport.
Zagato-bodied models – streamlined and lightweight coupes, successful in racing, but also comfortable enough for everyday use – found their natural place in the new GT category, monopolizing it and securing numerous wins.
The Zagato IsoRivolta Vision Gran Turismo is the realization of a dream, and designed to race in the virtual world of the Gran Turismo Sport game.
Norihiko Harada, Vice-president Design at Zagato:
“The IsoRivolta Vision Gran Turismo was created to drive in the virtual-reality world, a world created by Gran Turismo. There is no mass in the virtual-reality world, as it remains a place that exists only in our imagination. Gran Turismo, however, has enabled us to physically experience the digital realm, processing a seemingly endless stream of data. Like a Mobius strip, the PlayStation game has allowed ourselves to be transported from reality and thrust into a world of pure fantasy, and then back again. The body style of the IsoRivolta Vision contradicts the sense of oneness that has evolved over the past hundred years of automotive design,” further explained Harada. “Although the canopy and fenders seem to stand out on their own, in the end, the Zagato’s overall design comes together in regard to both its proportions and general ambience. Our next wish is that this car, which was born in Gran Turismo, will take to the road in real life and one day grow larger in your rear view mirror, eventually passing you at high speed. When this happens, you will feel the limits of your imagination being severely tested, blurring reality.”
The Zagato IsoRivolta Vision Gran Turismo featured in the video game is built around a bespoke chassis and a Corvette Callaway powertrain. Rear wheel drive, it mounts a twin turbo 6.2 liter V8,
with a power output of 997 hp and a top speed of 365 km/h (227 mi/h). Thanks to a weight of 1129 kg (2489 lbs), it accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mi/h) in 2”7. The gearbox is a ten speed automatic/sequential.
Kazunori Yamauchi, Gran Turismo creator and President of Polyphony Digital Inc.:
“It is a design that has grit, but is still beautiful. I think that’s what really makes the IsoRivolta Vision Gran Turismo a Zagato. It carries the heritage of the brand with design cues such as the double bubble roof, dual humps that are signature to the Milan design house.”
A limited production run of three to five units has been foreseen by opening a short list.