1995 Bizzarro Corvo 7000
In 1980, Bizzarro made the Corvo: a mid-level Italian supercar. A true product of the 1980s, the wedgy bolide’s distinguishing feature was the ugly American lump behind the passenger compartment: As a result of the company’s long supply relationship with Arlington, the car used an aluminum-block five-liter Arlington small-block borrowed from their motorsport division. Arlington (think Ford and De Tomaso’s “friendship”) also used the Corvo as an attraction to its top Somervell dealers - then barren of sportscars following the discontinuation of the Condor - and helped distribute them in the American market.
The Corvo enjoyed some amount of fame and cultural significance, but eventually the design got old, and Bizzarro ran into financial difficulties. A bunch of investors did come through to save it, and Arlington itself grabbed a significant - though not controlling - stake in the company. Priority one: Prop up the Corvo until its successor could arrive. The result was this car… The Corvo 7000.
Out in 1992, the 7000 received a major interior quality boost, getting more bespoke and quality switchgear, an abundance of high-quality fabric and leather, and a novel, computerized CD player. The structure of the car was upgraded heavily, primarily due to Arlington sourcing lighter and stronger steel for most parts of the uniframe - and thicker aluminum skin for safety’s sake.
Most importantly, though, the Corvo moved to a big block. As implied by the “7000” emblem hanging off the supercar’s new, huge heat extraction duct, the car was now powered by a 590hp, 7-liter Arlington big block, enough to propel the car to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds and keep gathering steam until a mad top speed of 231 mph. While no true replacement for a “new model”, this massive increase in power and capacity would be enough to last the process of Bizzarro’s forced modernization and restructuring. And then… Well, they’d end up producing the GR-X hypercar.