First off, let’s discount anything wearing a Lamborghini, Maserati or Ferrari badge, as any of these will be well outside an average enthusiast’s budget. Instead, we’re concentrating on a selection of more practical machinery produced by the big three Italian volume manufacturers: Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Lancia. Of these, Fiat is recognized as the largest producer of vehicles in Italy and this long-established company can trace its roots back to 1899 and its first factory in Turin.
Alfa Romeo wasn’t far behind and started to produce automobiles in Milan in 1911. A strong sporting heritage helped boost the marque’s image, especially in the UK, and Alfa has been part of the Fiat group since 1986. Lancia was formed in 1906 and the company became part of the Fiat empire in 1969. Despite dominating the world rally scene for many years, the marque was unfortunately tarnished with issues relating to build quality and Lancia-badged cars are sadly no longer officially imported into the UK.
In 2014 Fiat joined up with Chrysler to form the Fiat Chrysler Automobile Group and over the last 50 years Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Lancia have produced an impressive range of cars catering for all tastes and budgets. Obviously there are far too many to cover in detail here, but the following line up covers what we think is an eclectic mix of what’s available today when it comes to practical Italian classics.
FIAT
500 (1957-75)
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 2019-Ausgabe von Classic Car Mart.
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3D Technology To Preserve Classics?
Traditionally, the unavailability of a critical component has had major repercussions for owners of historic vehicles, putting the brakes on a restoration project or even forcing a historic vehicle off the road.
UPCYCLING
Two British-made modern classics which made credible sporting saloons despite their unlikely origins.
NICHE WORK
A crossover model before the term had even been invented, the original Range Rover could well be the perfect multi-purpose classic.
CLASSIC REVIVAL
Fancy an MGB without the welding and SUs? The much modernised RV8 should fit the bill.
1980s FLEET FAVOURITES
We profile a line-up of popular mid-sized '80s company cars ranging from the ubiquitous Sierra and Cavalier repmobiles through to the king of the company car park, the BMW 3-Series.
Solid State
Although a well-preserved Volvo 120 Series ‘Amazon’ makes a good choice as an occasional everyday classic driver, the range can be confusing. We play the numbers game and reveal some of the Amazon’s main foibles.
Round-Up - 1990s Jaguars
Following Ford’s acquisition of an independent Jaguar in 1989, the Coventry-based luxury car maker underwent a transformation that led to the introduction of a range of capable models that today are reasonably affordable as well as being fun to own and drive.
Myth And Rumour
The Stag may have suffered a poor reputation when new, but in the 21st century it’s one of Britain’s most popular classics – and justifiably so. We take a look at the pros and cons of investing in Triumph’s sporting flagship.
The Full English
An English-built Citroën meets English wine as we enter a slightly bizarre parallel universe.
Tailgate Revolving Doors
Paul Guinness looks back at his experiences from 35 years ago, when he helped to arrange a club stand at the first-ever Classic Motor Show at Birmingham’s NEC
