There are lots of Italian cars that we would love to ride and possibly hide deep into our treasure islands. After all, Italian cars are as romantic as their old cities. Think of Rome for a moment.
The Italian automotive industry is a rich archive of historical milestones. While Leonardo da Vinci helped to figure and fashion automobiles in their modern look, lots of contributors have helped to propel the industry in a totally different direction. The prototype of a car using an internal combustion engine was presented by Isaac de Rivaz in 1807. In the 1850s, Italian engineer, inventor, and priest Nicolo Baranti designed the engines and patented them in England, France, Belgium, Prussia, and Piedmont. FIAT (Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino) is among the oldest automakers in the world, dating back to 1899. In their first year of operation, they built eight units of the Fiat 3½ hp cars.
It’s been a rollercoaster ride of wins and losses along the way. Needless to say, Italy is among the nations with the most vibrant automotive industries today. From Lamgobhirnis to Ferraris, Maseratis to Paganis, there is no shortage of exemplary ideas for the Italian market.
Some cars fell off along the path and aren’t anywhere on the scene today. If you happen to come across them, you are tempted to stare more than is socially acceptable, yet you can’t hide the admiration. Check out some of Italy’s vintage cars that we would love to see reincarnated.
10 1952 Siata 208 Corsa Spider
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Siat started as a tuning company specializing in Fiat cars. They had quite an intimate knowledge of Fiat cars and it almost came naturally to them that their cars had an innate resemblance to Fiats.
The Siat 208 Corsa Spider carries a 2.0-liter Fiat capable of 110 hp. The 5-speed manual transmission sends power to the rear wheels. Its aluminum body is credited for its relatively light curb weight of about 2,200 pounds.
The Siata 208 is a beautiful piece for its time. The open-top and convertible versions were the most popular, but the general lightweight and smooth handling won this small Italian many adherents. It’s a true classic worth revisiting.
9 1947 Cisitalia 202 SC
Another spectacular Italian carmaker of the last century is Cisitalia, a company based in the automotive hub of Turin. One of their famous cars is the 202, which came in several variations such as the CMM, the SMM. The cabriolet design was a genuinely desirable thing back in the day. Although coupes were first to arrive, the cabriolet version is rarer since the company built only 60 of them out of the total production of 170 cars.
The 202 hosted a 1.1-liter straight-four engine producing 63 ponies. Like many engines of the time, this one came from Fiat. The Cisitalia car is acknowledged as one of the most influential cars of postwar Italy and beyond.
8 1963 Iso Grifo A3/L
In January 2021, Bloomberg noted that any iteration of the Iso Grifo would fetch an exorbitant price, far more than some exotic Ferraris. The Iso Grifo is an extremely rare gem.
Production ran from 1965 to 1974. Iconic designer Girgettor Giugiaro did the styling while the exceptional Giotto Bizzarrini had his hand in its mechanical operations.
Company owner Renzo Rivolta was keen at incorporating American style into his cars, and the Iso Grifo became one of his favorites. They carried V8 engines mated to four-speed and five-speed manual gearboxes and became quite a sensation.
7 1953 Fiat 8V
Fiat was already an established automaker by 1953, and its engines were largely in use across several brands. The 8V is regarded as one of the company’s greatest production cars. It was labeled “the biggest surprise of the year,” by a leading magazine in 1952 when it was introduced at the Geneva Motor show. It well deserved this recognition.
Apparently, the 8V, or Otto Vu, was developed secretly. It was the first vehicle by Fiat to carry an eight-cylinder engine. It heralded a new era for the company, with its chassis and beautiful stying. Only 114 examples were built. With all its lovely attributes, it's easy to see why Hemmings says that, “Encountering an example of this GT inevitably invokes shock and awe.”
6 1955 Lancia Aurelia B24S Spider America
There was something very striking about the Lancia Aurelia introduced in 1850. It had to do with its considerably progressive mechanical features, such as the front and rear independent suspension and the inboard rear brakes. It took up a 1.8-liter V6 engine that later became the world’s most popular and vastly produced V6.
A total of six generations were built, with well-deserved enhancements being witnessed in each model. In 1955, the company introduced the open-top version, with the B24 Spider America leading the way. Among its most captivating features was the coachwork done by the folks at Pininfarina. The curved front and rear haunches were certainly a sight to behold. Only 240 examples of the B24 spider were built, and the company emphasized its intention to sell them in the states by adding the America nomenclature to the models.
5 1961 Osca1600 GT Coupe
Three brothers who had all worked at Maserati for ten years went on to form a small company known as OSCA. The year was 1947 and they had a special focus on developing racing automobiles. Their cars, however, only came to the track occasionally. They made about 30 cars a year, with all of them focused on competing.
In 1959, OSCA went into contract with Fiat to build engines that could be used by both companies. This resulted in the 1600 cc engines that were racing-oriented. The company used these engines to build 128 OSCA 1600 GTs, which became the first road-going vehicle built by OSCA. They debuted at the 1961 Turin Motor Show. They are extremely rare species today.
4 1959 Fiat-Abarth 750 GT
Auction house RM Sotheby's says that after the Abarth Zagato launched in 1956, “it didn’t take long for it to start making news.” In the years that followed, the Zagato built in collaboration with the coachbuilding firm became one of the highly recognizable vehicles from the company.
The Fiat Abarth 750 fell into a series of these cars. It derived its name from the 750cc and was made with several models, including the Gran Turismo. With its bumpy rear that looks like a blown balloon, this car was inevitably conspicuous in any crowd.
3 Maserati Ghibli Spyder
The Maserati Ghibli spider designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro had everything you could desire from a master’s hand. It was so well done that it placed Maserati on a very competitive platform in the class of front-engine V8 cars. The Ghibli spider had a fabric roof that folded away smoothly and neatly into the rear deck panel sitting behind the seats. Things were taken a notch higher by the 4.7-liter in the standard engine and the more potent 4.9-liter found in the Spider SS. The company built 125 of them in a period of five years.
2 Alfa Romeo 8C
Many enthusiasts will point to the more modern Alfa Romeo 8C, but this nameplate appeared in a series of race and sports cars back in the 1930s. The moniker came back in 2004 and was smacked on a V8 engine concept.
The 8C of the 1930s were bespoke cars that looked daring and sporty. Several versions brought out some of the best designs from the marque and propelled it to a competitive position. The modern version of the car is still at a distinguished level.
1 Maserati A6 GC
The Maserati company takes pride in its relatively rich history. Part of it is that it was founded by the Maserati brothers, Alfieri, Bindo, Ernesto, and Ettore. It was Alfieri Maserati who steered one of the company’s cars dubbed the Tipo 26 to a well-deserved win in 1926.
The A6 series incorporated grand tourers, racing cars, and single-seater cars. One of the most famous is the 1954 Maserati A6GCS designed by Pininfarina. It was an elegant and beautiful car that was made even more unique by splitting it into special editions. The Maserati A6GCS/53 Berlinetta is a great example of what folks can do when motivated to be special and stand out.