1971 Iso Lele

ISO Lele (Coupe), 1962-70

The ISO Lele was in production from 1967-75. Styled by Marcello Gandini, it is a front-engine, rear wheel drive coupe seating four people.

Intended to compete with the Lamborghini Espada and closely resembling that marque's Jarama, the Lele was named after the wife of ISO chairman Piere Rivolta. It was a replacement for the Rivolta IR300 - a two door, four seat long distance grand tourer, and one which shared many of its underpinnings with the older model. In this respect, it greatly resembled the four door Fidia model; also built around the underpinnings of the IR300. In 1972, after about 125 Leles had been built, General Motors tried to change the terms of its arrangement with ISO, insisting on payment for engines prior to dispatch rather than upon receipt. As a result, ISO changed suppliers, replacing the 5.4 litre Chevrolet V8 with a 5.8 litre version of the Ford Cleveland V8 instead.

Leles shared much of their interior with the Fidia despite a different exterior. Available as a four speed manual at first, later options included a five speed ZF manual and a three speed automatic. By 1972, the standard Lele was known as the IR6. An uprated IR6 Sport was introduced that year, with a standard five speed gearbox and engine mods to ensure 360bhp was achievable.

Competitors to the Lele were not hard to come by - not least, the Lamborghini Espada against which it was designed to compete. Ferrari's 400GT also offered four seats and a big engine, as did the Jensen Interceptor and the Maserati Indy. The Jaguar E-type V12 might not have been as spacious but it came with a far longer and more illustrious heritage than the ISO, while cars like the Monica 560 offered the same concept with four doors. The most compelling alternative, however, has to be the Citroen SM - which combined a sonorous Maserati V6 with a magic carpet ride for a truly special feeling grand tourer.