Myrtletown is a peculiar neighbourhood in Brisbane. Main Beach Road takes you past dozens of old houses in a storage lot, ready for resale, past a park with World War II-era submarine detection buildings, and up to Brisbane’s international cruise ship terminal that’s embarrassingly located next to a sewage treatment plant; there’s no beach to speak of. It’s an unusual neighbourhood, but it’s the last place I’d expect to see an unusual, ultra-rare Italian-American hybrid like the Iso Rivolta Fidia.
Once the home of 250 people, Myrtletown had farms, a Methodist church and a school. The school shut down in 1971, however, with the expanded Brisbane Airport likely tarnishing the allure of this surprisingly bucolic part of Brisbane. Myrtletown became more or less a ghost town and a fun, forgotten curiosity to show my fellow Brisbanites, though in recent years it’s become increasingly redeveloped as an industrial estate. It’s home to a surprisingly lush green park, the home of those aforementioned WWII buildings, which I sometimes use for photography. It was on my way to shoot a press car that I saw this Iso Rivolta.
There are precious few Curbside Classics in Myrtletown, which made the Fidia’s placement on the side of the road, like it was some worker’s Ford Ranger all the more surprising. It’s surprising a Fidia is even in Australia, period. Just 192 were built between 1967 and 1975, the only four-door sedan the Italian firm ever offered. Originally known as the S4, it was renamed Fidia, ostensibly after a Greek sculptor.
Based on the Iso Rivolta coupe, the Fidia had a design penned by Giorgetto Giugario, then working at Ghia. The Fidia was launched in 1967, shortly after the company’s CEO, Renzo Rivolta, died of a heart attack. The office keys were passed to his 25-year old engineer son, Piero Rivolta. The whole Iso Rivolta saga, by the way, has been told in excellent detail by our own Tatra87 and is well worth the read.
The Fidia, like the Facel Vega Excellence that had recently ended production, was a large four-door luxury sedan with an American heart. Instead of a Chrysler V8, however, the Fidia used a Chevrolet 327. It counted among its rivals the V8-powered Maserati Quattroporte, and despite (or perhaps because) its engine powering humble Chevelles in the US, Iso Rivolta found the 327 desirable for its new sedan.
After all, here was an under-stressed, torquey, reliable and powerful engine and it had a prestigious (for Europe) number of cylinders. Iso Rivolta was hardly alone in sourcing V8 engines from the American Big 3. It helped get the Fidia to 60mph in just seven seconds, too, which led to the firm advertising the Fidia as “the four fastest seats in the world”.
In an Australian connection, the 327 was also used in our Holden Monaro which, despite its blue-collar positioning, might actually be more valuable on the used market than this Italian exotic.
The interior was redesigned in 1969, while 1973 saw Iso Rivolta switch engine suppliers to Ford – specifically, it started using the 351 Cleveland V8, mated with either a three-speed Ford Cruise-O-Matic auto or a ZF five-speed manual.
The oil crisis was effectively the nail in the coffin for the brand, which had been in fairly poor health since Renzo Rivolta’s death.
The Fidia wasn’t as beautiful as the Grifo to behold, though it wasn’t without aesthetic charm. Setting aside the lavish, leather-lined cabin, there was a distinctive exterior. The front end had a subtle aggression about it, while the belt line dipped down to help give the Fidia a low-slung look (that styling trick didn’t work quite as well on the 1990 GM-10 sedans, by the way). The wheels resembled flowers, while an oversized badge sat proudly on the C-pillars. Only the dull tail lights look out-of-place on this luxury sedan.
The Fidia was so ultra-exclusive, its name will elicit little more than a confused reaction from most people. Show those same people its Giugario-penned design and luxurious interior, however, and they may understand why this exotic sedan commanded such a hefty price in its day. It may not have saved Iso Rivolta, but it had four of the fastest, plushest seats in the world.
It just would look more at home next to a sprawling Tuscan villa, not by the curb in industrial Myrtletown.
Further Reading:
Vintage Review: Maserati Quattroporte III
Automotive History: Italian Deadly Sins (Part 2) – Iso Rivolta, The Impossible Dream
Vintage C&D Road Test: Iso Grifo G.L. – “Proof that pedigree doesn’t mean a thing”
Nice to learn about another attractive car I was only vaguely aware of.
Thanks for the info, and great post.
Having said that, the name “Rivolta” makes me think of “revolting” and Facel makes me think of poo-poo. (As does “Vega” in a way as well)
Sorry I didn’t start off the comments with something classier.
One of the more outré writers for Wheels referred to it at the time as the Whyso Revolting.
Interesting car but I am not too keen on the design. Almost like it was never finished properly, it has a few issues. For example the awkward styling at the rear wheel.
Great find; a first at CC.
I remember when these came out, I was in the thrall of Giugiaro at the time, and although not in the same league as the many superb 2 seaters coming out at the time, this was a very impressive piece of work for a sedan. Designing a full-fledged sedan in the latest fashion style is a difficult task, but one GG handled quite successfully. Perhaps it’s not a masterpiece, but it was the coolest sedan in 1967, hands down.
Those huge air vents look homemade. Surely a low-production factory could have found more subtle ways to satisfy regulations.
Nice find, Opel also used the 327 engine which is where the idea came to GMH from it was shopped around all of the GM family Vauxhall built a FD Victor prototype with that engine but it never saw production the car still exists, GMH had it on the option list untill the local V8s came online.
Welcome back, William. Good to know you didn’t succumb to the plague. And what a find! I’ve been to Brisbane a few times (primarily staying with rellies in Newmarket), but don’t know Myrtletown. From what you write, most tourists wouldn’t notice it anyway. The pictures show how out of place it looks here!
Overall, I rather like the design. But all those vents around the rear – were they trying to give the impression it was mid engined? The C-pillar vents could theoretically be cabin ventilation exits, but they wouldn’t need to be so big. Those lower vents behind the wheel are just plain odd.
The headlights look a bit awkward, like round pegs in a square hole. Undressed, awash in a sea of black. The one in the press photo (and some on the net) looks to have four square lights a la Fiat 125. I think they might suit the design better. Doubtless Daniel will advise us further. 🙂
Great find and an interesting write up. Thanks William
First impression was a “Jensen Interceptor saloon”, almost.
Looking again though, I think I can see some of the aborted Rover P8 saloon in this, cancelled in 1968/9. Do this with a more aggressive front clip and you’re not far off.
Ive always wanted to like this as I’ve always like the idea of ast stylish sedans. Whilst overall a nice design, those vents, the the size of the c pillar and the angle of the trailing rear door frame ruin it for me.
Interestingly the first generation Maserati Quattroporte had a very similar approach to the rear door, and one which was executed more successfully in the current model.
I believe the square headlight in the press photo are Fiat 125 units. No other car at the time had headlight units of that size and shape and given this was a low volume Italian car in a period when off the shelf Fiat items were frequently utilised, it is not surprising.
I initially thought the tail lights were Fiat 124 Sport Coupe AC units but I’m not sure now.
According to Wiki from 1967-75 only 192 were produced so this beauty is extremely rare. It might not have been this model but I also recall seeing an original ad placing this car above Ferrari and Lamborghini in price. The owner has to be the most trusting or naive supercar owner in Australia as the key appears to be in the ignition. Holy crap. A gorgeous Italian coach with rugged understressed american engine is the way to go in my opinion.
Wow, now that is a find!
The prettiest Iso, in my opinion, is the first one, the Rivolta 4-seater. Classy, very ’60s, superbly balanced and restrained. This one would be my consolation prize. It’s far from pretty, but it’s just one of the most impressive European saloons of the period by its sheer size, specs and rarity. Only real rivals would be Monteverdi, Lagonda or Monica. Or the Chapron-bodied Citroen SM Opera. Even the Maserati QP is too common by comparison.
The taillamps on this blue Fidia were from Alfa Romeo 1750 Berlina, which is odd because many of Fidia used the taillamps from Fiat 124 Sport Coupé (Type AC, first series, 1967–1969).
The design of rear passenger doors are the weakest and most incohesive element. The advertisement shows the weird positions for the wipers on the green car, but it appears that the company couldn’t make up its mind where to position the wipers in the subsequent years.
Could this Fidia be a 1974 model, which was listed for £80,000 in 2020, given the unique Alfa Romeo taillamps and front turn-signal indicators with white lens and single reflector?
http://web.archive.org/web/20200918115246/https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1082122
https://www.flickr.com/photos/xbxg/with/40055370633/
From the Car and Classic website:
Rear view:
If only this had the rear half of a De Tomaso Deauville, which itself has a rather ugly shnoz.
It’s a very odd thing to bother importing to Oz, especially as a left-hooker. They made them in RHD as well, after all. One for a true enthusiast, and if it is the one Oliver twist has posted above, make that a wealthy enthusiast at $150KAUD plus the shipping.
Quite the find, Mr Stopford. I wonder if it was driven all the way from WA? I also wonder if a certain Queensland billionaire, sometime politician, and known collector might be the owner, assuming he could fit in it?
I’ve heard of the Iso Rivolta, but not the Fidia per se. My eyes see Maserati, not a bad thing, and in spite of my lifelong dislike of GM products, the Chevy 327 was a good engine, with average or better longevity and good power for the era.
Not at the quoted prices, but I wouldn’t mind seeing one in my driveway.