One-Off Bizzarrini Concept called P708 Barchetta

RARE ONES As we all know that Bizzarrini S.p.A. had an iconic racing car model called Bizzarrini P538 which built under commissioned by Giotto Bizzarrini himself. Those car was first launched in late 1965. Unfortunately, though it could be said has stunning looks, however, it did not have a good race career in the racing tracks. That's why then it left a lot of questions and curiosity that led to the desire to make a racing car model like that.

Bizzarrini Magnate P708 Barchetta is a 2-seats sports roadster inspired by Bizzarrini P538 with a touch of more modern designs and technologies. (Picture from: Mecum)

Although the Italian company had gone out of business since 1969, this was not an obstacle to realizing the dream. Well, a decade ago, Bizzarrini's desire to bring back a racing car inspired by the P538 with a touch of more modern design and technology has really come true, after a UK-based company Galmer Engineering revealed its plans to revive the brand with a new supercar later called the Bizzarrini Magnate P708 Barchetta. 

Bizzarrini Magnate P708 Barchetta built in 2005 as collaboration result of Bizzarrini, Galmer Engineering, and Stefan Schulze. (Picture from: Mecum)

The construction and design of the Barchetta spanned between 2005 and 2009, sponsored by Magnate, a brand of stainless steel items for various purposes owned by Thai company known as Siam Intermagnate Co., Ltd. At the time, again Giotto Bizzarrini himself helped to build and design the car with the aid of Galmer Engineering and German automotive designer Stefan Schulze, whose work has been seen in remarkable vehicles such as the Peugeot 4002, Tribun and Storm, etc.

Indeed, the original idea was to revive the iconic Italian automaker made racing car, the Bizzarrini P538 according to modern interpretations. The Barchetta design is wrapped in a carbon fiber body, tubular frame, and powered by the Corvette Z06's 7.0-liter LS7 V8 engine produces around 505 hp, sending twist through the rear wheels via a CIMA six-speed transmission. And the Bizzarrini P708 Barchetta firstly shown to public at the Bangkok International Motor Expo.

Bizzarrini Magnate P708 Barchetta is powered by the Corvette Z06's 7.0-liter LS7 V8 engine produces around 505 hp, sending twist to the rear wheels through a CIMA six-speed transmission system. (Picture from: Mecum)

After that, the Barchetta had ever introduced at several major auto expos to drum up interest for a possible production run. However, the project failed, and attempts to produce the P708 was abandoned in 2013, and the car was left in Germany disassembled. 

As quoted of Road And Track, somehow there's a Bizzarrini enthusiast acquired the car and rebuilt it to its current running condition, but it is not stated exactly when. And interestingly, since the rebuild, it's registered in Montana as a 1974 model. Seems legit.

Roughly a decade later, the first prototype of the Bizzarrini Magnate P708 with 1000 miles of road use had seen being auctioned off by Mecum in August 2021 at the Monterey 2021 event. At that time it was estimated that this car could sell for around $300,000 and $400,000. Stump Everyone at Your Next Car Meet With this One-Off Bizzarrini Concept. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | RM SOTHEBY | ROADANDTRACK | MECUM | CARSCOOPS ]

Note: This blog  can be accessed via your smart phone.