Gigliato Design Aerosa 1997
Production year
1997
Engine type
V8
Engine name
Ford 4.6L
Max Speed
260 km/h
Power
309 hp
Max RPM
6500
0-100 km/h
4.9 sec
Torque Peak
407 Nm
Transmission
5-MT
Weight
1300 kg
Layout
FR
Number Produced
1
Manufactured in
Japan
Gigliato Design presented a new Sport car on the 1997 Geneva Auto Show, the Aerosa.
Automobili Lamborghini and Gigliato Design were to build this car as a Joint-venture between Japan and Europe. The engine was a special 4.8 Litre Ford Musting V8, pumping out enough horsepower for this small race car to arrive at 100 Km/h. in less than 5 seconds.
Main differences with 1995 version are:
V8 instead of V6
Left-hand drive instead of Right-hand drive
Visible headlights
The car would be entering several races through out Europe, Japan and the United States, were it should have posed quiet a threat to the McLaren F1 and Porsche GT1 race cars which dominated their classes. If this car would become a competitor for the Diablo SVR or GTR model was yet to be seen, perhaps both cars won’t compete in the same races.
The Gigliato Design studio was founded by Nobuo Nakamura – a Japanese designer, apparently the name Gigliato sounds similar to his wife’s name, while Giglio means ‘Lily’.
Public Unveiling: The heavily revised Aerosa was presented at the 1997 Geneva Auto Show as a joint venture between Gigliato Design and Lamborghini. The updated design featured fixed front headlights and gold wheels, distinguishing it from the 1995 prototype.
Engine and Performance: The 1997 Aerosa was powered by a 4.6-liter or 4.8-liter Ford Mustang V8 (sources vary on displacement), producing around 309 horsepower at 5,800 rpm. This enabled a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) sprint in 4.9 seconds and a top speed of approximately 260 km/h (162 mph). The car weighed about 1,300 kg, contributing to its agile performance.
Motorsport Ambitions: Gigliato announced a motorsport program for 1998, including plans to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Aerosa was positioned as a potential rival to dominant race cars like the McLaren F1 and Porsche GT1, though it’s unclear if it would have competed directly with Lamborghini’s own Diablo SVR or GTR models.
Business Plans: The plan was to produce the Aerosa in Europe, with a headquarters in Düsseldorf, Germany, to manage engineering, production, and marketing. Lamborghini would oversee production, potentially in its own factory, with deliveries slated to begin in 1999. The target price remained around $65,000 USD (approximately 9 million yen in Japan), making it a relatively affordable supercar.
Gallery of Gigliato Aerosa 1997
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