Iso Lele

The Iso Rivolta Lele was also built in an era when Italian coaches were doing well, but cars like the Bizzarrini 5300 GT, De Tomaso Pantera, and Iso Lele, which used heavy-handed American engines, were considered inferior compared to the high-performance 12-cylinder cars from Maranello. Like wearing American work boots under a perfectly tailored Italian suit.

The Lele was built between 1969 and 1975 and used both GM and Ford engines. The unique aspect of the model is that it was originally intended as a one-off: a wealthy American commissioned the conversion of an IR-300 into a custom body. The Gandini lines proved enormously successful, and the public was wildly enthusiastic. As a result, series production of the 2+2 GT began, and the car was named after Rivolta's wife: Lele. Despite a production run of six years, only about 300 cars were built.