Cizeta Moroder V16T – Italian Musicianship and V16 Thunder

Automotive history is riddled with innovators and entrepreneurs seeking the very best, most powerful, and dynamic sports cars bearing their own name. And while we are familiar with many of those names operating on shoestring budgets, hopes, and dreams, there are a few lesser-known examples that achieved premium levels of excellence in design and engineering, only to wind up as a footnote in automotive history.

Sports cars have an irresistible allure. It’s no wonder that Shelby, DeLorean, Cheetah, and so many others didn’t build economy boxes or sedate sedans. Dreamers want to go fast, outdo top speed records, and chase the illusive 0-60 record within tenths of seconds. Such was the lure of one Claudio Zampolli, then, in the late 1980s, a middle-aged Italian with engineering experience at Lamborghini, who longed for a performance car to bear his name. Named originally from the pronunciation of his initials C (Cee) Z (Zetta), Zampolli leveraged his LA based exotic car dealership earnings to fund his supercar quest. Though originally a sole venture, Zampolli engaged award winning musical composer Giorgio Moroder as his financial partner, a key figure with the much-needed resources to develop the car.