Claudio had some skeletons in his closet, things that didn’t reflect positively on him, and thus he wanted those kept out of everyone’s view, mine included. No one is perfect, people make mistakes, and that’s part of the story.

The final straw that broke the camels back was when Brian reached out to Harada-san, original buyer and owner of chassis #105. This car is on display in Harada-san’s museum. He had put a deposit down on a second car that was never built (because Cizeta Automobili effectively closed down). Claudio did not want me talking to any customers of his cars. I will value our friendship for eternity, but there will always be a part of me that is sad it came crashing down.

No. It represents a wolf attacking in slow motion, hence the illusion of three when it’s one. Why an attacking wolf? Per Claudio “because the wolf is afraid of neither the horse nor the bull.”

The colors of blue and yellow are the official colors of the city of Modena, where Claudio is from and where the car was built.

Technically to any buyer in any country that could afford the car. However, buyers from Japan (2), Brunei (2), Singapore (1) United Arab Emirates (1), Austria (1), and Indonesia (1) were the only countries that a Cizeta V16T was built and originally delivered to. The prototype remained in California, and the car Antonio Mandelli built was in Italy.

Today (December 2024), four Cizeta V16Ts (including the prototype) now reside in the United States, while three currently reside in Japan (two are located in museums).

It is an all aluminum single cast block, with twin steel crankshafts that connect to the center of the engine. This reduces the mechanical stresses imposed by the engine connecting to a long drive shaft and doesn’t require a drop in power. The Cizeta V16T has a central drive shaft while the Diablo has a long drive shaft that causes torsional vibrations, a problem that is difficult to solve. Timing chains run through the center of the motor near the crankshaft.

With the engine design, Claudio is quick to maintain that this is a unique engine and transmission design, and is a true 16-cylinder motor regardless of other interpretations.

The original development mule was a heavily modified Ferrari 308, and this is partially where the urban legend of two Ferrari motors bolted together originated.

Yes. Originally Giorgio was going to introduce Sylvester Stallone to Claudio as a potential financial partner. There’s even a photo of the prototype engine on a dyno stand with the name “CIZETA – STALLONE” on the top of the cam cover. However, Giorgio stepped in and financed the operation initially.

Years later, Claudio ran into Stallone and asked what happened. Stallone reportedly responded “Giorgio never called me.”

When Claudio left Italy, the government seized what was left of Cizeta Automobili and auctioned the items off. Antonio Mandelli purchased what was left (reportedly for $15,000 USD), and there was definitely enough parts to build a car, and that’s where chassis #111 came from. The original crew of Claudio’s were contracted and assembled the car for Antonio who made many exterior design changes.

After Claudio’s run-in with Jay Leno at a local car show (and a subsequent lawsuit for over $100 million dollars against the late night comedian; Claudio lost), Jay reportedly told Claudio he’d never build another car again.

TTJ stands for “Take That Jay” – a direct response to Jay Leno years after the run-in, Claudio’s way of saying “I did build another car.” The Fenice designation is Italian for “Phoenix”.

The Spyder is currently located in Japan, on display at the Shikou Automobile Museum.

Probably not. Many owners prefer to maintain their anonymity, and we must respect those wishes. You’re always free to reach out, and if it’s a legitimate request, I can inquire on your behalf. But I will not provide contact information or sales information that is not already publicly available.

Possibly. While I can advise on a lot of things including provenance, I cannot guarantee anything. Reach out with any questions, comments or concerns you may have.

Unfortunately the first edition book is out of print (and less than 200 copies were printed).

A brand new completely overhauled and updated edition will be available Summer of 2025. Pre-orders will be taken in May of 2025, and there will be a limited edition gift for those that pre-order.