isolele

In 1969 the Iso Lele was shown to the public and production started that same year. The number one car was built for an American client who asked Iso for something unique. Together with Bertone Piero Rivolta and his wife (Lele) designed this showcar. Because Iso needed a new production model too and seeing the way the press and the public received the car they decided to take the car into production. The exterior of the car remained the same but the interior was redesigned.

Some fragments from a 1969 article published in the Italian magazine "Style Auto".

"The construction of a special custom car for a private owner is nowadays something really exceptional because such one-off models involve prohibitive costs that usually discourage even the keenest wealthy buyers."

	"The realization of this coupé -on Iso GT frame with 5.3 Corvette engine- was made possible by the concomitant occurrence of particular circumstances: the customer's desire to possess a unique specimen and the intention of the builder to exhibit an absolutely novel car on the US market, for evident publicity reasons." "This car exhibits well proportioned masses especially in the lateral view"
	"On the whole, the car does not offer sensational technical break- troughs. And this is exactly the wish of the customer who was eager to retain the overall comfort, silentness and peculiar features of the Iso Rivolta." The Lele was a very elegant automobile. It was large, fast, comfortable and expensive but doesn't draw crowds like other Italian supercars. A car you bought if you wanted something different than a Mercedes, Jaguar or even Maserati.
	The Auto Becker press sheet: Four comfortable seats, in which you can relax even at the speed of 245 km/h, make this large roomy coupé a well executed combination of a sportscar and luxury saloon. The safe and comfortable behavior of the car on even the worst roads is the result of the perfect chassis. As all Iso's the Lele has the De-Dion rear axle.
	Technical data: Engine/gears: Corvette 327 5.3 ltr. 300 hp / Corvette 350 5.7 ltr. 350 hp (1970-1972) Borg Warner 4-speed or ZF 5-speed or Turbo Hydromatic automatic and the Ford 351 5.7 ltr. Cleveland 325 hp (1972-1974) ZF 5-speed or Ford 3 speed Cruise O Matic automatic. Suspension: Front - Independent, wishbones, coil springs & shock absorbers. Rear - De Dion tube, coil springs, shock absorbers, longitudinal struts and cross bar.
	Body, dimensions and weight: 2 door 4 seater / Length 4660 mm - Width 1755 mm - Height 1330 mm - Road clearance 120 mm / weight >1640 kg Some special versions of the Lele were built too like this one with a corduroy interior.

Iso Rivolta Lele Marlboro 1973

This was a lightweight more powerful version of the Ford engined Lele. Iso has built 5 cars for their major F1 sponsor Philip Morris. The cars had a 360 hp Ford engine and ZF 5-speed gearbox.

Marlboro badge on this Lele.

Iso F1 & Lele Marlboro

Iso Rivolta Lele Sport 1973-1974

Production model of the Marlboro with the same 360 hp engine and the more sporty interior. Sound deading material was removed were possible, seats were replaced by lightweight ones, the dashboard and steering wheel were changed and the wood trim removed.

Extra gauges were placed in front of the passenger(?), bumpers were in black fiberglass and the car received a large front spoiler. The doors were also of a lighter material. These changes resulted in a dry weight of only 1420 kg.

Not more than 20 cars were built.