What Cizeta does

Cizeta is an Italian luxury supercar manufacturer that originated in Modena, Italy, founded in 1988 by Lamborghini alumnus Claudio Zampolli and Academy Award-winning music producer Giorgio Moroder (whose initials "CZ" form the brand name). The company produced the Cizeta-Moroder V16T from 1991 to 1995, building only 9 cars before ceasing operations during a global recession. Its core technology centers on a transversely mounted 5,995cc quad-turbocharged V16 engine—shared in architecture with Lamborghini powerplants—producing 540 hp at 8,000 rpm and approximately 400–500 lb-ft of torque, paired with a 5-speed ZF manual gearbox and a hand-welded space-frame chassis of elliptical chrome-molybdenum steel tubing clad in aluminum bodywork.

The original V16T retailed at $600,000–$800,000 MSRP and was distributed primarily to ultra-high-net-worth collectors in Far Eastern markets, with notable customers including the Sultan of Brunei (who owned two units) and Japanese collector Nobuo Harada. The go-to-market is sales-led and boutique: direct customer engagement, minimal advertising, brand awareness generated through auto show appearances (notably the 1988 Geneva unveiling) and earned media in automotive press. In January 2022, Italian entrepreneur Antonio Mandelli acquired the remnants of the original Italian entity and secured €40 million in seed funding from Deutsche Bank to revive the marque with a modernized hypercar featuring an updated quad-turbo V16 and carbon-fiber chassis; the first prototype entered early testing.

The revival is operated through Cizeta Automobile Inc., a Nevada-incorporated US entity headquartered in Silver Springs with a secondary office in Irvine, California, holding USPTO Service Mark Registration No. 3018990 for vehicle repair and maintenance. The company employs 1–10 people and serves a narrow ultra-high-net-worth collector segment, with a direct-order website for custom vehicle inquiries and historical distribution channels concentrated in Italy, the US, Japan, Singapore, and Brunei. No commercial deliveries of the revived model have been disclosed as of the available data.

Name

Cizeta

Legal name

Cizeta Automobile Inc.

Website

https://cizetaautomobile.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cizeta is an Italian ultra-luxury supercar manufacturer reviving the Cizeta-Moroder V16T, a hand-built hypercar featuring a transverse quad-turbo V16 engine. Founded in 1988 in Modena and reactivated in 2022 under entrepreneur Antonio Mandelli, it serves ultra-high-net-worth collectors globally via direct sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Supercar Manufacturing

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing (3363)

SIC

Motor Vehicle Parts & Accessories (3714)

akta.pro primary industry

Chassis Modules & Corner Assemblies (Complete Corner/Chassis Module Integration) (IMACAIAH)

Keywords

• Luxury supercar manufacturer
• Handcrafted sports cars
• Limited edition hypercars
• Italian exotic vehicles
• High performance automobiles

Headquarters

HQ city

Modena

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Automotive Sales: One-time purchase revenue from exclusive supercar sales. Original V16T priced at $600,000-$800,000 MSRP. Ultra-low volume production targeting wealthy collectors and enthusiasts.
2. Service and Maintenance: Repair and maintenance services for motor vehicles as indicated by the trademark registration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Cizeta designs, hand-builds, and sells ultra-limited Italian supercars, principally the Cizeta Moroder V16T, featuring a transversely mounted 5,995cc quad-turbo V16 engine producing 540 hp in an aluminum body over a hand-welded space-frame chassis. Original production ran 1991–1995 (only 9 cars built at $600,000–$800,000 each); a modernized revival with a carbon-fiber chassis and updated quad-turbo V16 is being developed under new ownership.

Product overview

Cizeta is an Italian luxury supercar manufacturer producing high-performance sports vehicles. The company originally produced the Cizeta Moroder V16T from 1991-1995, featuring a unique transversely mounted quad-turbo V16 engine. The brand is now being revived by entrepreneur Antonio Mandelli with a modernized version of the original hypercar design.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Moroder V16T: The flagship supercar model featuring a transverse V-16 engine with 540 horsepower, originally produced from 1991-1995 and now being revived.

Products and services

• Cizeta Moroder V16T Rare Italian supercar produced 1991–1995, featuring a transversely mounted 5,995cc quad-turbo V16 engine producing 540 hp at 8,000 rpm with 400 lb-ft of torque. Built on an aluminum body over a hand-welded space-frame chassis of elliptical chrome-molybdenum steel tubing. Originally priced $600,000–$800,000 MSRP.
• Cizeta V16T Revival Hypercar Modern revival of the original Cizeta V16T supercar featuring an advanced version of the original quad-turbo V16 engine paired with a modernized carbon-fiber chassis. Custom-ordered through the Cizeta USA website; pricing not publicly disclosed.

Quantifiable outcome

• 0-60 mph in 4 seconds
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Antonio MandellicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 January 2022Italian entrepreneur Antonio Mandelli acquired the remnants of Cizeta Automobili SRL in Modena and is leading the 2022 revival of the Cizeta brand with a new hypercar featuring modernized V16 engine and carbon-fiber chassis.
• Nobuo HaradaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1991Mr. Nobuo Harada was the Japanese importer for Cizeta, owner of the famous Harada Collection of classic and famous sportscars. Managed distribution of early cars to Far Eastern markets.
• Giorgio MorodercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1988Legendary music producer Giorgio Moroder co-founded Cizeta with Claudio Zampolli in the mid-1980s. Combined their initials (C.Z.) to form the company name 'Cizeta'. Moroder brought creative vision and design excellence to the project, winning a Philadelphia award for the logo design.
• Marcello GandinicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1988Marcello Gandini, famous designer of Lamborghini Countach and Lancia Stratos, created the Cizeta-Moroder styling. The design was rich, sleek, sporty and dramatic, bearing resemblance to the Lamborghini Diablo which Gandini also designed around the same time.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pagani Automobili: Italian ultra-low-volume hypercar manufacturer also based in Modena with hand-built, V12-powered flagship models. Pagani is the most directly comparable peer given its similar Italian craftsmanship heritage, ultra-exclusive production volumes, and ultra-luxury price points.
• Koenigsegg: Swedish manufacturer of ultra-limited hypercars with proprietary powertrains (including bespoke engines) and direct-to-customer sales. Comparable in production scale (tens of cars per year), price band, and technology-led positioning.
• Bugatti: French ultra-luxury hypercar brand producing the Chiron and Tourbillon at very low volumes with bespoke engineering. Directly comparable in price tier ($2M+) and exclusive positioning, though backed by Volkswagen Group capital.
• Hennessey Special Vehicles: American hypercar and performance vehicle maker producing the Venom F5 at ultra-low volumes with proprietary powertrain engineering. Comparable as a low-volume, engineering-led hypercar targeting a similar ultra-high-net-worth customer base.

Emerging players

• Rimac Automobili: Croatian electric hypercar maker (Nevera) and EV technology supplier, backed by Porsche and other investors. Comparable as a low-volume hypercar OEM with proprietary powertrain technology, though differentiated by electric rather than ICE architecture.
• Spyker N.V. Dutch ultra-low-volume sports car manufacturer with a similar revival narrative (historic brand, hand-built exclusivity, repeated financial restructurings). Comparable as a niche ultra-luxury peer with similar scale and execution challenges.
• De Tomaso: Italian luxury sports car maker with a historic Modena lineage (Pantera, Mangusta) that has undergone repeated revivals. Comparable as an Italian ultra-niche sports car brand with comparable heritage, low volumes, and revival-stage execution.
• Automobili Pininfarina: Italian-branded ultra-luxury EV hypercar maker (Battista) backed by Mahindra Group, producing sub-150 units. Comparable as a revived/Italian-styled ultra-luxury hypercar brand targeting the same UHNW customer segment, though electric powertrain differs.

Broad incumbents

• Lamborghini: Italian supercar manufacturer with direct historical linkage to Cizeta (shared engine architecture, recruited engineers, Marcello Gandini design lineage). Comparable as a broader incumbent in the same Italian supercar category, though at much higher volumes and broader model range.
• Ferrari: Italian luxury sports and hypercar maker with comparable Modena heritage and ultra-exclusive limited-series models (Icona series). Comparable as a broad incumbent serving the same ultra-high-net-worth Italian supercar buyer, though at vastly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cizeta