The Unpure Thoroughbred

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Did the use of an American V8 spoil the ISO Grifo’s bid for stardom? Will the purest of thoroughbreds always rank higher with their exotic Italian V12 engines? Or do those drop-dead-gorgeous Giugiaro lines more than make up for it? To some, the usability of the more common V8 might even be considered a plus as it’s invariably both easier and cheaper to maintain. What’s your verdict?

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ViaRETRO is first and foremost about the joy of classic cars: The rare, beautiful and exotic – and the obscure, the famous and quirky, and of course everyday cars from a bygone era.

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10 Responses

  1. Yes if you are a snob the lack of an fancy (less reliable) V12 might drag it down.
    But for anyone else the it shouldn’t be a problem, it is a perk. Parts for the are readily available from any US car suppliers a fraction of the price of a similar Italian engine. As mentioned on the danish via retro page the other day the overhaul cost of a Ferrari 308 gtb engine was 160k Kr, which is equally to 3-5 crate Chevrolet engines or a full blown optimise 400hk plus race engine. What’s not to like a superb engine in a fantastic looking body.

  2. Grifo’en er utrolig smuk at se på. Det er ikke motoren, der trækker den ned. Den har en vidunderlig motor. Det er bilens styretøj, der ødelægger køreoplevelse. Og kørestillingen.

  3. Sorry…in English.
    The Grifo is amazingly beautiful to look at. It’s not the American engine that spoils the car (it’s a fantastic engine). It’s the steering that destroys the driving experience. As does the awkward and uncomfortable driving position.

  4. Well, it IS a star already – well always was, in fact, as the car was undeniably both fast and beautiful. But at the same time is is definitely true that the off-the-shelf engines hold the Grifo back.

    I would not say it is because of snobbery, though: The V12-engine of a Ferrari 275 or even the four-cam V12 from the Lamborghini 350/400 GT are just SO much more intriguing, delicate and complicated from a mechanical and aesthetic point of view, adding to the mystique of the cars. So the extra expense is in fact worth it, which ever way you look at it.

  5. Well, I’ve never driven one, but I think I would tolerate a lot to own what for me is one of the most gorgeous cars on the planet, and I really don’t care where the engine is from.

  6. Claus it might be a matter of perspective. From a sales point of view yes there is no doubt it is much easier to create the drama, exclusivity and heritage, when you have something like Ferrari V12, where names like Colombo, 250 GTO etc. can be used, Specially when compared to the run of the mill Chevrolet V8, which can be found in literally a million other cars, including the most unsexy pick ups and barge size saloons.
    But from an engineering view point, yes complex designs can be intriguing but if it does not provide a significant benefit a simple, reliable and available solution will always be a preferred. Complex does not equal better.

  7. Would it be possible elaborate a bit more on the matter? it would be interesting to hear more about since a Grifo is out of range for the most of us. Is it nose heavy ?
    When I look at my vehicles from the 40ties, (even though they are large in overall size), it is very clear that they are meant to be driven by some closer 1.7m tall, the additional 11 cm I got create some discomforts.
    My, by todays standards, average height does also necessitated a small dance to get in to my Griffith, but once I am in, it is very comfortable until the cabin starts to heat up ;)

  8. @niels v,
    I had a Grifo 7-litri a number of years ago. The position of the pedals and the position of the steering wheel was simply awkward. And where most cars seem to “shrink” when you get behind the wheel, the Grifo seems to grow. This combined with the poor steering made it feel as if one has no control over the car. I’ve also had Maserati Ghiblis and a 5000GT and these cars “shrunk” around you when you got behind the wheel. The steering was tight and was almost like a car 20-30 years newer. If you read reviews and test drives of the Grifo in magazines from when it was new, they report the same.

    Still, the styling of the Grifo is simply beautiful from every angle.

  9. True that complex does not necessarily mean better, but then it doesn’t have to be: In the Super-GT-class of cars it just has to be more desirable, and nothing beats a V12 in that respect.

  10. Interesting, It puzzles me that they where capable of creating such a gorgeous body and then fail with the ergonomics and ride.
    It is not what I would have expected from such people.
    But as you say it is a beautiful car and personally I could endure a lot of unpleasantries with those looks.
    I know a guy in Sweden who is restoring a Grifo and one in Jutland with Ghibli, so maybe if I am lucky I will get the chance to try them.

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