Chrysler Rejected This Lamborghini Design, So It Came Back With 16 Cylinders And 4 Pop-Up Lights

The Cizeta-Moroder V16T prototype, chassis 001, is a one-of-a-kind supercar that tells the story of a discarded Lamborghini design and an outrageous V16 engine. Originally designed by Marcello Gandini for the Lamborghini Diablo, the project was rejected by Chrysler, which owned Lamborghini at the time. Gandini then adapted the design for a new project, the Cizeta-Moroder V16T, which featured a transverse-mounted 6.0-liter naturally aspirated V16 engine, producing 540 horsepower at 8,000 rpm. The car also boasted four pop-up headlights and a unique bodywork design, stretching three inches wider than a Ferrari Testarossa. With a estimated base price of $280,000 in 1989, the Cizeta-Moroder V16T was a genuine hypercar, priced nearly double that of Ferrari’s Testarossa. The prototype, which debuted in Los Angeles on December 5, 1988, is now heading to auction at RM Sotheby’s in Monterey, California, as the most historically significant example of the short-lived supercar. However, due to its prototype status, the car does not have a 17-digit VIN and cannot be registered or driven on public roads. The Cizeta-Moroder V16T is a fascinating piece of automotive history, and its story is a testament to the power of innovation and creativity in the world of supercars.