The P538 or P538S was a rear-engined race car launched in late 1965 or early 1966 by Scuderia Bizzarrini of Livorno, Italy.
The cars used five-speed manual transaxles with gearing specific to the race for which each car was constructed. Braking was via inboard four wheel disc brakes, with a fully independent suspension. The body was made of fiberglass over a tubular steel chassis. Only 3 spider cars were produced by Bizzarrini. # P538*001, # P538*002 and # P538*003. #001 with Lamborghini V12 engine. That car crashed during tests and the history ended right there, because the chassis was cut up. The Lamborghini engine and running gear were removed and re-used on #002. #002 was supposed to drive at Le Mans in 1966 but that timeline was too ambitious. #002 was last reported being in the San Diego Automotive Museum (2017). #003 inherited some parts of the back end of the chassis of #001. This car had a Chevrolet V8 engine. It did start at Le Mans in 1966, with starting number # 10. It was entered in 2 more races (Mugello was one) later that year and thereafter received a plexiglass roof. It was entered as a Sport Prototype (unsuccessfully) as open cars were banned from Le Mans. Later the mechanical parts of #003 were parted out and used to build the Manta. The body was restored by Oliver Kuttner and a Chevrolet engine fitted. The car was second in class at Pebble Beach in 1990. Last known location; for sale at Automotive Collection, Las Vegas 2009. Then there is the white closed P538 Duca d' Aosta with chassis number # 262 974, but that car never had a spider body. So 3 spiders in red and 1 coupe built in white. These were the original P538's.[2]