Rare 1988 Cizeta-Moroder V16T Prototype Heads to Auction

KUALA LUMPUR, AUGUST 2026 — One of the rarest and most distinctive supercars of the 1980s is returning to the auction stage as RM Sotheby’s prepares to offer the original 1988 Cizeta-Moroder V16T prototype during its Monterey sale.

The vehicle, identified as chassis 001, is expected to sell for between US$1.4 million and US$1.8 million when it crosses the auction block on August 15, 2026.

The car is historically significant because it served as the original prototype and international show vehicle for the Cizeta-Moroder project.

It is also the only known example to wear the full Cizeta-Moroder nameplate. Later production cars were badged simply as the Cizeta V16T after the partnership between music producer Giorgio Moroder and automotive engineer Claudio Zampolli ended.

Moroder, widely recognised for his influence on disco, electronic music and film soundtracks, was an early investor in the project and retained ownership of the prototype for more than three decades.

The celebrated producer is known for helping shape modern electronic music through his work with synthesisers and artists such as Donna Summer. His influence was later honoured by Daft Punk in the song “Giorgio by Moroder” from the 2013 album Random Access Memories.

The Cizeta-Moroder V16T was developed with former Lamborghini engineer Claudio Zampolli and designed by renowned Italian stylist Marcello Gandini.

Its dramatic wedge-shaped body, sharply defined lines, wide stance and four pop-up headlights reflected the bold supercar design language of the late 1980s.

The vehicle made public appearances at the 1989 Los Angeles and Geneva motor shows, helping introduce the ambitious Italian-American project to an international audience. It was later displayed at the 2024 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

Behind the passenger compartment sits a naturally aspirated 6.0-litre V16 engine mounted transversely within the chassis.

The engine is paired with a five-speed manual transmission and is capable of producing more than 500 horsepower, giving the car the performance credentials expected of an exotic flagship from its era.

Its unusual transverse V16 configuration became one of the model’s defining characteristics and contributed to the V16T name.

The prototype also differs from later customer cars in several technical and visual details, making it especially valuable to collectors interested in automotive engineering and prototype development.

RM Sotheby’s said the vehicle underwent a full mechanical restoration by Canepa Design in 2018.

Additional servicing and detailing worth more than US$13,000 were completed in 2024, helping preserve the prototype’s mechanical condition and presentation ahead of its latest auction appearance.

This will not be the first time chassis 001 has appeared at an RM Sotheby’s sale.

The car was sold at the company’s Arizona auction in 2022 for US$1,363,500 after being offered by Moroder, who had owned it since new.

The latest estimate suggests continued collector interest in rare 1980s and 1990s supercars, particularly vehicles with unique histories, limited production and connections to famous designers or owners.

The Cizeta project produced only a small number of cars, and the original prototype remains the most historically important example because of its direct links to Moroder, Zampolli and the birth of the brand.

RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction is scheduled to run from August 13 to 15, 2026.

The sale will feature a selection of important collector vehicles, with the Cizeta-Moroder expected to attract attention from enthusiasts of Italian supercars, music history and rare automotive prototypes.

With its striking design, unconventional V16 engine and association with one of electronic music’s most influential figures, chassis 001 represents a rare intersection of automotive engineering, popular culture and 1980s design.

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