All automotive manufacturers developed their model range over time, but few reinventions were quite as striking as that presided over by Renzo Rivolta.

In just a few short decades, the gifted Italian engineer turned his hand from scooters and bubble cars that mobilised the masses to glamorous supercars aimed squarely at the emerging jet set.

Though not initially a commercial success, the sale of Isetta to Munich powerhouse BMW did fund the creation of an attractive Bertone-styled coupé, in the process launching Iso Rivolta as a bona fide manufacturer.

The firm was put firmly on the map three years later, when, in 1965, the sportier Girfo was unveiled to the world.

The attractive Giorgetto Giugiaro-styled and Giotto Bizzarrini-designed coupe was an instant success, buoyed by the accessible power and welcome reliability that came with American V-8 power.

But while the 300 horsepower 5.4-litre Chevrolet small-block offered useful performance, it wasn’t until 1968 that the model broke...