The Italians have had a long history of creating cars with passion, soul, and character. From the smallest and cheapest of Fiat Panda to the most expensive Ferraris and Lamborghinis – Italian cars have been quirky and beautiful.

The Italian auto industry has been at the forefront of exciting driving for the masses since the 1960s, with the introduction of the 250 range of Ferraris and various Lancia models. Many automakers from other countries have created rivals that were worthy competitors, but then Italy released a new model, and the world would play catch-up again. Lamborghini even created the supercar formula we still use today with the Miura and although most of the traditional Italian automakers are owned by non-Italian companies, their cars still have more soul than any other carmaker on the planet.

So, while many Italian cars occasionally fail to start when prompted and may have some other irritations, they still promise an enthralling driving experience – even when they cost less than a new Kia Rio ($17,500). Here are eight of them.

8 Alfa Romeo GTV6 ($16,000)

GTV6
Via: Harry's Garage

The Alfa Romeo GTV6 is one of the most adored Alfa Romeo models in history – maybe even one of the best Italian cars. The most desired version today is the GTV6 2.5, which was fitted with a 2.5-liter Busso V6.

An Image Of A Red Alfa Romeo GTV6 3.0
Via AlexJupeMotorsport.co.uk

The GTV6 with its famous engine is one of the best sounding V6-powered cars ever made – raspy, yet harmonious. The GTV is also famous for its role in a James Bond film when the British agent drove one at breakneck speed to go defuse a bomb at a circus – not the most common plotline for a spy movie.

Related: A Look Back At The Ultra-Rare Alfa Romeo GTV6 3.0

7 Alfa Romeo 164 V6 ($7,000)

Alfa Romeo 164 QV
Via Alfa Romeo

The Alfa Romeo 164 is a larger executive sedan that went up against the likes of the BMW 5-Series and Mercedes E-Class. The 164’s design included the usual boxy shape as all Alfa Romeos had in this era, but it had nice lines and creases running down the side, giving it a sporty look.

Alfa Romeo 164 QV
Via Alfa Romeo

The 164 was available with some 4-cylinder engines – including a turbo-diesel – as well as the mighty 3.0-liter Busso V6. The most powerful version was the Quadrifoglio Verde, which had an uprated 3.0-liter V6 and was fitted with all-wheel drive. The 164 might not be the best-looking sedan, but it is definitely an interesting one.

6 Fiat 124 Spider ($9,500)

1966 Fiat 124 Sport Spider
via: Classics Ville

The Fiat 124 Spider is a small, quirky convertible sports car built between 1966 and 1985. The Spider was fitted with a range of 4-cylinder engines, with power ranging from 82 hp, all the way to the dizzying heights of 133 hp. While the Spider was not the most powerful Italian car of the time, it made up for it in its driving experience.

Pininfarina-Designed 1980 Fiat 124 Sport Spider
Via: BringaTrailer

The North American Fiat Spiders were available with the largest engine, a 2.0-liter, and had the choice of either a 5-speed manual or a 3-speed automatic. In 1980, the Spider was fitted with a catalytic converter, dropping power to 102 hp, due to new regulations.

Related: Here's What The 1966 Fiat 124 Spider Costs Today

5 Alfa Romeo Spider ($17,000)

Auction Dilemma: Alfa Romeo Spider Vs. Mazda RX-7 Convertible
bringatrailer.com

The Alfa Romeo Spider was much like the Fiat 124 Spider, just slightly smaller. The Series 3 Spider was available with two of Alfa Romeo’s Twin Cam inline-4s – a 1.6-liter and a 2.0-liter. The North American version was only available with the 2.0-liter, and where the European models were fitted with carburetors, the US ones had Bosch fuel injection.

1991-1995 Alfa Romeo Spider S4
Via: collectingcars.com

Thanks to the better fuel system, the Alfa Romeo Spider produced 126 hp and was only available with a 5-speed manual transmission. The Alfa Romeo Spider is one of the cheapest ways to get some exotic Italian motoring experience, especially when the car is the proper Ferrari red.

4 Maserati Coupe ($17,000)

Maserati GT Cambiocorsa
via Wikipedia

The Maserati Coupe was the predecessor of the GranTurismo and was on sale between 2001 and 2007. The Coupe, and the convertible Spyder version were fitted with the 4.2-liter Ferrari V8, a version of the engine found in the Ferrari F430. The Coupe was available with either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automated manual.

cambiocorsa_
via mecum.com

The Coupe had a transaxle layout, meaning that the gearbox was mounted on the rear axle, rather than directly to the engine. This created a 48/52% weight distribution. The Maserati Coupe was a great car when it was being produced, but thanks to the rapid advancement of technology, became quickly outdated. As a result, they are relatively cheap to buy but beware of transmission problems.

Related: Check Out The Coolest Maseratis You Can Buy Used For Cheap

3 Maserati Quattroporte V ($17,000)

Black 2007 Maserati Quattroporte
Via Los Angeles Times

The fifth-generation Maserati Quattroporte was introduced in 2003 and was fitted with one of the best sounding V8 engines ever made. The initial model was fitted with an F1-style 6-speed automated-manual transmission but was later changed to a conventional 6-speed torque-converter – which greatly improved the car.

Maserati Quattroporte Sport GTS
maserati.com

The 4.2-liter V8 was also enlarged to 4.7 liters for the Quattroporte S, producing 430 hp and 361 lb-ft of torque. All the power went to the rear wheels only and the noise which came out of the exhaust was a glorious symphony of Italian passion.

2 Fiat Coupe ($16,000)

Fiat Coupe Turbo
Via Seymour Pope

The Fiat Coupe was an interesting sports car. It had weird angular styling, was front-wheel-drive only, and could be specified with a turbocharged inline-5 which produced 217 hp and 229 lb-ft of torque. The Coupe had a choice of either 5-speed or 6-speed manual transmissions, depending on the model.

1995 Fiat Coupe Sports Classic
Via: BringaTrailer

The Fiat Coupe, much like the Fiat Barchetta, was a good handling sports car thanks to some performance upgrades. The upgrades included a limited-slip differential on all turbocharged models, as well as the naturally aspirated inline-5. The Fiat Coupe was also featured in the BBC’s Top Gear, where Jeremy Clarkson turned his Coupe into a police car – with the expected results.

Related: Here's What Everyone Forgot About The Fiat Coupe

1 Maserati Biturbo ($17,000)

maserati-biturbo-1991-01
source:mecum

The Maserati Biturbo was a series of GT and sedan cars from the Italian luxury marque. All cars were fitted with a twin-turbocharged V6, ranging from a 2.0-liter to a 2.5-liter and ending with a 2.8-liter. The Biturbo had many different names over the course of its production, which lasted 13 years between 1981 and 1994.

Maserati Biturbo - Rear
Via Mecum Auctions

The Maserati Biturbo was the first production car to feature a twin-turbocharged engine and was also the first production engine to feature 3 valves per cylinder – which was later upgraded to 4. The Maserati Biturbo is the genesis point for engine technology for most sports cars and supercars currently available. The Grand Tour also has a hilarious segment on the Biturbo, including a bit where Jeremy Clarkson’s Biturbo’s brakes fail, Richard Hammond crashes into things and James May drives off a port – pretty normal then for those three.