Lamborghini test driver and development engineer Claudio Zampolli relocated to Los Angeles in the 1980s, where he started a successful business servicing exotic vehicles. Determined to build his own supercar, Zampolli teamed up with music producer and composer Giorgio Moroder in the late 1980s and embarked on a journey to create a machine like nothing that had ever been seen before.

Zampolli wanted to build something that would grab headlines, and he knew that an innovative V16 was the answer. Inspired by the engine layout of the Lamborghini Miura, Zampolli’s creation featured a transverse-mounted 6.0 litre V16 with a five-speed manual gearbox. The stunning bodywork was penned by legendary designer Marcelo Gandini, who also designed the Miura, Countach and Lancia Stratos.

Known as “The Father of Disco,” Giorogio Moroder worked with many of the best-selling artists of the era and won a total of three Academy Awards and four Grammy awards throughout his career. Moroder met Zampolli at his Los Angeles exotic car repair shop, and their shared interest in sports cars lead to discussions on creating a new supercar. Zampolli’s partnership with Moroder, who acted as an investor, dissolved after the creation of the first prototype due to frustrations over delays, and Moroder’s name was dropped from the production cars.

Ultimately, a total of only nine production examples (plus the prototype, for a total of 10 cars) were built due to production challenges and the sheer complexity of the cars. For Zampolli, however, Cizeta was a success. His dream of building an exclusive supercar of his own design had been accomplished – and the final result was nothing short of spectacular.

This is the original Cizeta-Moroder V16T, chassis number 001, which was first shown to the public at a glamorous unveiling event held in Los Angeles on 5 December 1988. Jay Leno hosted the dramatic evening, and Moroder even composed an original song for the event titled, fittingly, "A Car is Born." Chassis 001 later was displayed at the 1989 Los Angeles and Geneva Motor Shows, introducing Cizeta-Moroder to the world.

The Supercar fused with Disco