The Cizeta-Moroder V16T, one of the most distinctive supercars to emerge from the late 1980s, is set to cross the auction block at RM Sotheby’s Monterey Auction on Aug. 15. Chassis number 001, the only car to carry the Cizeta-Moroder name and once owned by Giorgio Moroder, is expected to sell for between $1.4 million and $1.8 million.
The Origins of the Cizeta-Moroder V16T
The Cizeta-Moroder brand was founded by former Lamborghini engineer and test driver Claudio Zampolli together with music producer Giorgio Moroder. During the 1980s, Zampolli relocated to Los Angeles, where he operated a business servicing and maintaining rare supercars while pursuing his ambition of building a car under his own brand.
At the same time, Moroder had established himself as a leading figure in disco music and DJ culture, earning three Academy Awards and four Grammy Awards. The two met at Zampolli’s Los Angeles exotic car repair shop, where their shared passion for sports cars led to plans for an all-new supercar.
A V16 Supercar Built to Stand Apart
Zampolli envisioned a car that would surpass Ferrari and Lamborghini by using an unconventional V16 engine. The resulting Cizeta-Moroder V16T featured a transversely mounted 6.0-liter V16 engine, similar in layout to the Lamborghini Miura, paired with a five-speed manual transmission and producing 540 horsepower.
The car’s styling was created by Marcello Gandini. According to the story behind the design, the V16T’s appearance was originally proposed for the Lamborghini Diablo, but its four pop-up headlight configuration was considered too extreme and was ultimately rejected before being adopted for the Cizeta-Moroder project.
Why Chassis 001 Is Unique
The example being offered at auction is the only vehicle officially named the Cizeta-Moroder. Owned by Giorgio Moroder, chassis number 001 served as a working prototype and was displayed at both the 1989 Los Angeles Motor Show and the Geneva Motor Show.
Following tensions surrounding production, the partnership between Zampolli and Moroder dissolved. As a result, the remaining 11 V16T cars were sold under the Cizeta name rather than the original Cizeta-Moroder branding.
RM Sotheby’s Monterey Auction Details
Chassis 001 has accumulated just 433 miles. RM Sotheby’s has listed the prototype with an estimated sale price of $1.4 million to $1.8 million, and it is scheduled to be offered during the Monterey Auction on Aug. 15.
The auction presents collectors with the opportunity to bid on the only Cizeta-Moroder V16T carrying the original joint branding, a prototype that played a central role in the brief collaboration between Claudio Zampolli and Giorgio Moroder.
