Bizzarrini P538 History

Completed in January 1966, the P538 was Bizzarrini's attempt to move beyond GT racing into the top prototype class. The tubular-steel-chassis barchetta wore a fiberglass body weighing only 40 kg and tipped the scales at approximately 700 kg complete — a featherweight by contemporary standards. Only three examples (chassis 001–003) were built.

Engine configurations varied: chassis 001 was fitted with a Lamborghini V12, while chassis 003 ran a Chevrolet unit. Bizzarrini entered two cars at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans, but both failed to finish — chassis 003 retired with a broken steering arm and split oil pipe. The P538 programme ended with the marque's closure in 1969.