Rare Cizeta V16 sports car, worth $700,000, seized by federal agents in Orange County

A  $700,000 Italian sports car that originally was brought into the United States in 2001 for maintenance was seized today in Orange County as part of a federal investigation into violations of environmental and transportation safety regulations.

Agents with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement found the 1994 Cizeta V16 sports car at the Family Classic Cars showroom in San Juan Capistrano, eight years after an agreement specified that the car would be sent back to where it came following repairs.

The car is one of fewer than a dozen such vehicles produced by automotive engineer Claudio Zampoli in a joint venture with music composer Giorgio Moroder, said Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Virginia Kice.

The government alleges that Zampoli and his agent violated U.S. customs and environmental laws, Kice said They allegedly claimed the vehicle was worth $125,000, even though the car originally sold new for approximately $600,000.

In addition, Zampoli and his representative failed to export the vehicle within a reasonable period of time, according to the allegation.

“Make no mistake, the illegal importation of gray market vehicles like this is not just a technical violation,” said Miguel Unzueta, special agent in charge for the customs agency's Office of Investigations in Los Angeles. “Cars that don’t meet U.S. standards are outlawed for a reason.  These vehicles can pose a real threat to public health and safety.”

The car was loaded onto a flatbed truck and taken to a secure government storage facility, Kice said.

The Cizeta will remain in storage while authorities seek to have it forfeited to the federal government.   If the vehicle is forfeited, it will be offered for sale at a public auction.  Since the vehicle does not meet U.S. environmental and safety standards, any domestic buyer would have to export the car following its purchase.

-- Andrew Blankstein

Photo: ICE

Comments

[Patrick]

"These vehicles can pose a real threat to public health and safety.” Please.

[Ed Watts]

“Make no mistake, the illegal importation of gray market vehicles like this is not just a technical violation,” said Miguel Unzueta, special agent in charge for the customs agency's Office of Investigations in Los Angeles. “Cars that don’t meet U.S. standards are outlawed for a reason. These vehicles can pose a real threat to public health and safety.”

Yeah, right...three of my kids and one cousin died because of this car.

When the hell are Americans going to stand up, united, and stop this abuse? This is nothing but the feds trying to rip off some poor schmuck for a million bucks. That's all.

C'mon, people! I'll lead if you follow!

[John Lydon]

Wow - dang, I hope they did not have to hit a old lady with a billy club getting that car back ...even though they sell hundreds of pounds of narcotics in the office next door... the word is a safer place now in OC....

What is wrong with this Country? Looks like the Hippies and Ralph Nader are in control! Guess there is nothing worth talking about and the feds are board…

[EddieTheHat626]

Surprised the agents didn't drive it to the storage lot! LOL Whate a waste of tax dollars and time.

[Mufon]

"These vehicles can pose a real threat to public health and safety."

Such as?

[Dick]

Great service from the hard working men of our country. Don't you have real crimes to stop or rapists to catch? There must be something better to do than to seize a $600K car.

[Kevin]

I feel safer already now that this menacing machine is off the showroom floor.

[Matt in Venice]

There's no way this thing is worth $700k.

[Mark]

“Cars that don’t meet U.S. standards are outlawed for a reason. These vehicles can pose a real threat to public health and safety.”

Yea, like somebody is really driving this thing around even commuting to the office making it a real threat to public safety. Doesn't the govt have something better to do with our tax dollars?

[supa g]

$700,000 for a car that you can't even drive around! Some people have way too much money.....

[American]

"These vehicles can pose a real threat to public health and safety" he says about the vehicle sitting in some exotic car showroom... car probably hasn't moved an inch in a few years.

[Brian]

Growing up as a kid who plastered every square inch of my bedroom with Lamborghinis , I can assure anyone looking at this car understands nothing but a trumped up Lambo that was "supped" up and made it look ridiculous at a lot of dumb investors expenses.

Although this was primarily a one-off type of production vehicle, it would never hold any type of cache as a memorable coachwork type of car. The fact that the government claims it's worth $700K is subjective at best. When you take a beautiful Lamborghini - crap all over it's beauty and guts - and only make a few. It doesn't make it a collectible - unless your a Guido living in Jersey looking for the wind to blow through your greased out hair to pick up your fat girlfriend .

[Pierre]

Same car as this video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcb4iJ0ZHIo

[parvo]

Due to protectionist US laws, it has to go, but some lucky person (or fool) can buy it in Canada where our laws are only 15 years to import, whereas in the US the car would have to be 25 years old to stay.

[Brian]

Growing up as a kid who plastered every square inch of my bedroom with Lamborghinis , I can assure anyone looking at this car understands nothing but a trumped up Lambo that was "supped" up and made it look ridiculous at a lot of dumb investors expenses.

Although this was primarily a one-off type of production vehicle, it would never hold any type of cache as a memorable coachwork type of car. The fact that the government claims it's worth $700K is subjective at best. When you take a beautiful Lamborghini - crap all over it's beauty and guts - and only make a few. It doesn't make it a collectible - unless your a Guido living in Jersey looking for the wind to blow through your greased out hair to pick up your fat girlfriend .

[mike]

Yay for big government!!!!! Because our tax dollars are best spent enforcing useless laws that prevent some great cars from coming to to the U.S. Consumers ought to decide for themselves what cars are acceptable for their personal use, not the government. As long as a car has headlights, taillights, and turn signals, cars should be subject to the whims of consumers and manufacturers.

[America sucks]

how do people still claim this is a free country with a straight face? lol what a joke. I'm glad I got my transfer to Europe, I can finally have some freedom from this oppressive country.

[Joe Gish]

Well here we go, just another example of our Government dollars at work protecting us from those horrible car guys of this world. What a JOKE. The only reason the Feds swooped in to seize this valuable asset is because they can make a buck off of it. This car has never been driven in this Country and has been shown around at a hand full of shows where American enthusiasts can google over it... big deal. Twelve Feds showed up at Family Classic yesterday to apprehend this one vehicle, while down the street a half a mile at the local donut shop were standing at least 50, count them, 50 illegal aliens looking for work, right out in the open. Go ahead, look for yourself, seven days a week they are there right across from the Costco on Camino Capistrano. Twelve Feds, one car, 50 illegal alliens, no Feds. Give me a break. Thanks for protecting me from the big bad illegal car that could not get a license plate unless it spit one out of its gut wrenching 16 valve exhaust pipe. What an incredible joke we have for a Government filled with beaurocratic nonsense focused always on the stuff that puts money in their grubby little pockets, while doing absolutely NOTHING that makes any sense.

[K]

The govt is really playing with fire...... pissing off the wrong people.

Hopefully the owners fight for what is theirs.

[MikeOHara]

I was looking for a new hooptie to take the kids to soccer practice. I'm willing to pay up to $14,000 at federal auction.

[S. PARKER]

U.S.Customs "allowed" the rare Italian car to be brought to Orange County for repairs?
Repaired by who?
Look in your phone book for "Mama mia's Italian deli and rare exotic sport car specialists".
Maybe the owner had a coupon for "one free pizza with any job over $100,000".

[OC]

Import duty on cars is 2.5%.
Therefore the importers of this car can be considered to be committing a $17500 fraud. Which makes the seizure of the car seem completely reasonable.

[Enzo]

Wow una rarissima Cizeta...16 cilindri e soli 12 esemplari al mondo....il suo nome preciso è Moroder V16T e adesso la società risiede a Fountain Valley...Cizeta se sei ancora viva torna in Romagna,the real place of the best & fastest cars of the world.

Luca from Naples,Italy

[jj the king of bippers]

THE CAR NOW HAS A NEW NAME - SEIZED-ETA

[Stop Worrying]

Wow, a $700,000 dollar car seized? Why would that do that? Just because of transportation regulations? I wonder if the owner will be able to get it back!