As a prototype, the Iso Rivolta Lele debuted at the 1969 New York International Auto Show.

It was a 2+2 configuration that filled the gap between the two seater Grifo and the four door Fidia.

The ‘standard’ Lele also used the Corvette 327 cid V8 with either a manual or automatic transmission.

Giugiaro of Bertone styled the Lele, naturally.

Based on what came later, therefore, the Iso Lele can rightly be termed today as an act of vision.

It resulted from a promise that Piero Rivolta, son of Iso founder Renzo Rivolta, made to his wife, for whom the Lele was named, that Iso would be a full-line car company.

Even among Italo-exotica, the Lele is an incredible rarity.

A total of 285 Iso’s were built from 1970 through 1974, when Iso left the car business with a maximum of 20 Lele Sport models (Lele IR6 Sport) produced.

The Sport had the Ford 351 Cleveland V-8 engine uprated to produce 360 bhp (35 bhp more than a standard car) and a ZF five-speed manual gearbox.

The Sport was also fi...