Here's the 1990s Lamborghini-engineered sports car for Japanese company
ONE-OFF It is not wrong if many say that the 1990s era was a time when many quite capable cars were born. And one of them was the Gigliato Aerosa designed by Nobuo Nakamura of Gigliato Design and is presented for the first time to public at the 1997 Geneva Motor Show.
Here's the 1997 Gigliato Aerosa is one Lamborghini-engineered sports car for Japanese company, Gigliato Design. (Picture from: Classic and Recreation Sportscar)
As quoted of GT Supreme, this sports car is a collaboration result between the Italian premium car maker Automobili Lamborghini SpA and a Japanese company named Gigliato Design Co. Ltd. If it is related to the premium car of Japanese and Lamborghini, for those of you who experience life in the 1990s, of course you will be more familiar with the Lamborghini Sogna, and have never heard this Gigliato's sports car, although both came from the same era.
The 1997 Gigliato Aerosa is built based on a Ford Mustang platform and powered by a mid rear-mounted Ford DOHC 4601cc V8 coupled with a Getrag 5-speed manual transaxle. (Picture from: Classic and Recreation Sportscar)
Well, if you will feel unfamiliar with the name of the Japanese company, the Gigliato Design studio was founded by a Japanese designer named Nobuo Nakamura. Apparently, Giglio is an Italian word means ‘Lily’, besides that the name was chosen to tribute to his wife, due to it's similar to her name.
The 1997 Gigliato Aerosa is designed by a Japanese automotive designer named Nobuo Nakamura (left) and built in collaboration with Automobili Lamborghini SpA. (Picture from: CarStyling.ru)
In 1997 Gigliato announced a partnership with Lamborghini for deal with engineering, production component supply, delivery and marketing. The plan was to sell the Japanese-designed car from Gigliato's Düsseldorf, Germany-based headquarter. Reportedly, the first commissioned car for a price of about US $65,000 accepted during 1998 with delivery starting as early as 1999
The 1997 Gigliato Aerosa's interior view. (Picture from: CarStyling.ru)
The automaker claimed that the Aerosa would be comparable rival to the Ferrari 355 lineups. Later Gigliato anounced its-owned motorsports program for 1998 including making a debut at Le Mans arena. For that reason then the car was changed to include fixed front headlights and gold wheels. After that the Aerosa would be entering several races through out Europe, Japan and the United States.
A cover image of the 1997 Gigliato Aerosa's article published in a well-known magazine at that time. (Picture from: CarStyling.ru)
Seeing such reason, many stated that the Aerosa could have posed quiet a threat to the McLaren F1 and Porsche GT1 race cars which being dominated their classes at the time. Even further it would become a serious competitor for the Diablo SVR or GTR model, if them both would be competed in the same races.
Unmitigally the Gigliato Aerosa is built based on a Ford Mustang platform and powered by a mid rear-mounted Ford DOHC 4601cc V8 coupled with a Getrag 5-speed manual transaxle capable to pumping out enough power of 309 hp at 5,800 rpm to drive this Jap-designed sports car to accelerate from zero to 100 kph in less than 4.9 seconds and reached up to a top speed of 260 kph.
The 1997 Gigliato Aerosa Prototype is first debuted at the 1997 Geneva Motor Show. (Picture from: Classic and Recreation Sportscar)
Because of the Japanese strict regulations related to such vehicles, made the Aerosa was designed outside the country, at the time, a decision was made to assemble the car in England, later import them back to the country. Unfortunately, after all the good plans had been hung up to the sky, but in the end none of them were realized.
This is due to the serious financial problems that plagued the company, and pushed them to close the doors for good in 1998, with only one car was ever made. Perhaps that's why the Aerosa has never been seen around, so it will remain a lonely prototype, like so many Lamborghini based dreamcars in the past. It's a shame, a sports car as cool as this should be alone because it never made it to the Italian raging bull logoed automaker's production lines. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | LAMBOCARS | CARSTYLING.RU | SUPERCARS.NET | GTSUPREME | ALLCARINDEX ]
This is due to the serious financial problems that plagued the company, and pushed them to close the doors for good in 1998, with only one car was ever made. Perhaps that's why the Aerosa has never been seen around, so it will remain a lonely prototype, like so many Lamborghini based dreamcars in the past. It's a shame, a sports car as cool as this should be alone because it never made it to the Italian raging bull logoed automaker's production lines. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | LAMBOCARS | CARSTYLING.RU | SUPERCARS.NET | GTSUPREME | ALLCARINDEX ]
