AUTO ITALIA ISSUE 324 ON SALE 5 JANUARY www.auto-italia.co.uk
This month’s Auto Italia is full of unique surprises. On UK roads, there’s just one Alfa Romeo Crosswagon Q4 (the all-wheel drive Alfa 156), and we’ve driven it, putting in back-to-back with an almost equally rare 33 4x4, 159 Q4 and Stelvio Quadrifoglio. Also unique is an Enzo Ferrari in factory matt black. And yet another is the Vignale-bodied Fiat 8V convertible – the only ‘Otto Vu’ drop-top made in period. And as for Bertone’s 1965 Fiat-850 Spider based Abarth OTR 1000 coupe, that doesn’t exist at all. Luckily, someone’s made a superb replica and let us drive it! We’ve also now sat in the new Abarth 500e electric (and heard it…) as well as testing the new Fiat Doblò. We also round up our favourite concept car cabins of all time. And we’ve been out and about a lot this month, including Imola (to the Ferrari Finali Mondiali), Padova, Birmingham NEC, Goodwood and our own Autumn Motorsport Day at Brooklands.
Featuring:
ALFA ROMEO 4X4 GROUP TEST – Alfa’s all-wheel drive heroes: 33 4x4, 156 Crosswagon, 159 Q4 & Stelvio QV
FIAT 8V VIGNALE – Only one ‘Otto Vu’ was ever made as a convertible in period, and we’ve driven it
ENZO FERRARI – The story of the one and only matt black Enzo, once owned by the Brunei royal family
FIAT-ABARTH OTR 1000 – We drive a superb replica of Bertone’s 1965 Fiat 850 Spider-based Abarth prototype
ABARTH 500e – What do we think of Abarth’s all-new electric offering, having seeing it in the metal?
CONCEPT CAR CABINS – From Ferrari Modulo to Maserati Boomerang, which are our favourite ever interior designs?
GOODWOOD REVIVAL – AUTUMN MOTORSPORT DAY – AUTO E MOTO D’EPOCA – NEC CLASSIC MOTOR SHOW – FERRARI FINALI MONDIALI – FIAT DOBLO – OBSCURATI

Ah, Alfa Romeo’s 4C – a much maligned and misunderstood sports car, yet a hidden treasure for those who know. And our full expert Alfa 4C guide tells you everything you need to know when buying. We test another all-time classic – the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio – in facelifted Model Year 2024 form for the first time, alongside the new Stelvio Q. One final Alfa story this month is a centenary salute to the hugely successful P2 racer. Is it really 40 years ago that Ferrari launched not one but two of its most iconic supercars, the 288 GTO and Testarossa? It is – and to celebrate, we drive them both. We also sample Maserati’s glorious Khamsin. Fiat fans will delight in our round-up of coachbuilt Fiat 500 sports cars, and the beautiful Fiat Vignale 125 Samantha, while we also give our verdict on the new Fiat 600e. We have show reports from the US, Switzerland, France and Brooklands. Oh, and as always, all the latest Italian car news, cars for sale and a full 2024 events diary. 

CONTENTS 
FERRARI 288 GTO & TESTAROSSA – Celebrating 40 years of twin icons from 1984 – a very good year for Ferrari!
ALFA ROMEO 4C BUYERS’ GUIDE – Expert advice on owning Alfa’s misunderstood modern classic
ALFA ROMEO QUADRIFOGLIO MY2024 – Facelifted Giulia and Stelvio Q on test: better than ever?
ALFA ROMEO P2 – All-conquering Alfa racer turns 100 years old
FIAT 500 SPORTS CARS – Coachbuilt coupes and spiders on Fiat’s baby 500, from 1957 to 1970
VIGNALE FIAT 125 SAMANTHA – Rare 1969 time-warp coupe driven
FIAT 600e – Electric five-door hatch tested on UK roads
MASERATI KHAMSIN – Classic 1970s V8 grand tourer with an extraordinary brown-on-green colour scheme
ICE ST MORITZ – Superclassics on ice: winter concours report
RETROMOBLIE – Best of the Italian cars on show in Paris
CAVALLINO CLASSIC PALM BEACH – Ferraris on parade in Florida
OBSCURATI – Fiat 1500 Lunga: riding a taxi in Capri

What was the world’s first ever hot hatchback? Well, Italy invented the genre in 1971 with the fabulous Autobianchi A112 Abarth – and we’ve driven two of these pocket rockets to find out just how fabulous. And talk about handsome: we feature two of Bertone’s finest coupes of all time: a unique Aston Martin DB2/4 and a restored Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint Speciale – almost certainly the best in the world. Surely one of the best saloon cars of the 1950s was Lancia’s Aurelia B12 – that’s our verdict after driving a superbly preserved original. We get under the skin of the spectacular Fiat S76 (the infamous ‘Beast of Turin’) and investigate how Ferrari’s ‘Palace Coup’ of 1961 kick-started Modena’s vaunted Motor Valley. We also have a new team car (a super-rare Abarth Punto Scorpione) and a report on Alfa Romeos in New Zealand. Finally, we line you up perfectly for Italian Car Day on 4 May 2024 with a celebration of 30 years of our very own show at the Brooklands site. Don’t miss it!
CONTENTS 
AUTOBIANCHI A112 ABARTH – Pocket Rocket twin test
ALFA ROMEO GIULIA SPRINT SPECIALE – Road test of probably the world’s best SS
ALFA ROMEO 156 – Revisiting the 1998 launches of Alfa’s saloon in Lisbon and UK 
LANCIA AURELIA B12 – Superior 1950s saloon driven
FERRARI: AFTER THE REVOLUTION – The fallout from the infamous 1961 ‘Palace Coup’ 
FIAT ‘BEAST OF TURIN’ – Full story of Fiat’s fire-breathing 28-litre S76
BERTONE ASTON MARTIN DB2/4 – Glorious coupe from the pen of Franco Scaglione
ABARTH PUNTO SCORPIONE – Ultra-rare hot hatch on the Team Cars roster
LANCIA YPSILON & ABARTH 600e – News of the latest Italian car launches
AUTO ITALIA AT BROOKLANDS – 30 years of Italian Car Day at Brooklands
NEC CLASSIC SHOW REPORT – Classic Car Show highlights from Birmingham NEC
ALFAS IN NEW ZEALAND – AROC’s 49th Fest Annuale
OBSCURATI –  Barison BRM H16: a mysterious F1-powered 1960s supercar


Ever wondered what owning a Ferrari V12 is like? Now could be your moment to live out that fantasy: our guide to buying V12 Ferraris showing exactly what to look for in six classics, available from as little as £40,000. Alfa Romeo enthusiasts will delight in the story of a freshly restored 6C 2500 Berlina, as well as our exclusive track test of two AlfaWorks racers – including the world’s first manual gearbox 4C. The affordable mid-engined revolution began in the 1970s in Italy, and we investigate just how interlinked the Fiat X1/9 and Lancia Montecarlo were. Scoring a sensational goal is a Fiat Panda Italia ’90 special edition, one of a handful of survivors, and we’ve got lots of design stories, including a true oddball you’ve probably never heard of. On, and of course full reports on Italian car events in the UK and Italy, a drive to Sardinia, and introducing our very own Fiat Multipla.
CONTENTS 
FERRARI V12 DREAMS – Should you buy a V12 Ferrari for £40k? What could possibly go wrong? 
ALFA ROMEO 6C 2500 BERLINA – Story of a superb restoration of a 1951 saloon
ALFA ROMEO 4C & MITO RACERS – Two extreme AlfaWorks racers with 860hp between them, tested on track
LANCIA MONTE CARLO & FIAT X1/9 – Italy’s 1970s mid-engined trailblazers compared
FIAT PANDA ITALIA ’90 – Football dreams truly come in Fiat Panda-shaped form
ADOLFO MELCHIONDA: ODDBALL OF BOLOGNA – A truly iconoclastic engineer and designer with Alfa, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati links
ART OF THE CAR DESIGNER – Original sketches from the golden era of car design
MODENA CENTO ORE – Full report on four days of classic motorsport action
AUTO E MOTO D’EPOCA – Europe’s biggest and best classic car show moves to Bologna: full report
MITCAR 2023 – AROC’s celebration of Italian cars at Burghley House in the Midlands
TEAM CARS – Our very own Moto Guzzi Triking goes to Sardinia, and we introduce Roberto Giordanelli’s Fiat Multipla
OBSCURATI – FV La Venturina: a miniscule Fiat 500-based ‘veteran’


You can’t be a true car enthusiast until you’ve owned an Alfa Romeo – and you can’t be a true Alfista until you’ve owned a Busso V6-powered Alfa. This month we celebrate Alfa’s magical Busso with no fewer than seven iconic models: Alfa 6, GTV6, 75, 164, 916 GTV, 156 and GT – everything from 2.0 to 3.2 litres, 12-valve to 24-valve and turbo/non-turbo. Find out which one’s our favourite in this issue. We have a drive story on a superb Cegga Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa recreation and a full report on Ferrari’s Finali Mondiali event at Mugello. Abarths feature strongly this month, with a wonderful 750 GT Zagato, readers’ double-bubbles and some modern 595s. New cars on test this month include the Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo and the bonkers Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato at the Nardò off-road track. Add in events, news, and cars and parts for sale, and Auto Italia is as unmissable as ever.


CONTENTS 

ALFA ROMEO BUSSO V6 GROUP TEST – Seven Busso V6 Alfas on test: which one is our favourite?
MASERATI GRANTURISMO TROFEO – New 550hp GT tested on UK roads
LAMBORGHINI HURACAN STERRATO – Driving off road at the Sterrato’s birthplace: Nardò
CEGGA FERRARI 250 TR – We drive an incredible recreation of a famous Swiss racer
FIAT ABARTH 750 GT ZAGATO – Rare original ‘double bubble’ restored
ABARTH 500 & 595 – Owners from around the world tell us their stories
FERRARI FINALI MONDIALI – End of season track action at Mugello
CONCORSO D’ELEGANZA VARIGNANA – Report from the newest concours event to hit Italy’s Motor Valley
CASTLE COMBE AUTUMN CLASSIC – Classic race action from the west country
OBSCURATI – Two modified Lancia Betas: Michelotti Mizar & Felber FF V

How’s this for a striking livery? Ferraris in bright red with blue stripes and blue wheels. There’s a fascinating story behind this Maranello Concessionaires racing livery, told via a thunderous Daytona that raced at Le Mans, and two tribute acts: a 296 GTB and Monza SP2. We head to Mugello for more Ferrari action, witnessing the debut of the 499P Modificata, the customer version of the LMH racer. We celebrate the end of a glorious era with two Italian super-stallions: the 510hp Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio and 580hp Maserati Ghibli Trofeo – but which is best? On the Alfa theme, we test a superb evocation of the racing Alfetta GTV Turbodelta by CSR. Three versions of the Fiat Ritmo/Strada face off in a group test, including the legendary Abarth 130TC. And speaking of Abarth, we pit the new 500e against the editor’s own rorty 595 Competizione. Oh, and we also have newcomers to the editorial fleet, plus reports from events featuring Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and more. Get your copy now!

CONTENTS 
BLUE-STRIPE FERRARIS – The story of Maranello Concessionaires racers, plus modern 296 GTB and Monza SP2 tributes 
FERRARI 499P MODIFICATA – 870hp customer version of the 499P LMH racer is unleashed
ALFA GIULIA QUADRIFOGLIO V MASERATI GHIBLI TROFEO – Which of these 510hp V6 and 580hp V8 super saloons is better?
ALFA ROMEO ALFETTA GTV TURBODELTA CSR – Incredible replica of a legendary wide-body turbo racer
FIAT RITMO/STRADA GROUP TEST – 105TC, Abarth 130TC and Cabrio compared
ABARTH 500E V 595 COMPETIZIONE – Can electric possibly be better than petrol?
TEAM CARS – New arrival Lombardi Fiat 850 Grand Prix joins Fiat 124T, Alfa Romeo SZ, Lancia Appia and more
FERRARI F40 TOUR – Report on the first of Ferrari’s new Legacy Tours, toasting the F40
AUTUMN MOTORSPORT DAY – Brooklands resonates to racing car thunder
AUTUMN ITALIAN CAR DAY – Carlton Towers in Yorkshire welcomes Auto Italia readers
OBSCURATI –  How the German-made Neckar Student became the prototype for the Siata Spring

Our December issue sees us review the highlights of the year that was 2023: our favourite cars, stories, events and awards. Our cover story this month is a heart-warming tale of a father and daughter who own two very different Italian classics, both of which are orange: an Alfa Romeo Montreal and Fiat Punto Sporting. Alfa enthusiasts will also love our Giulia Spider Veloce racer track test, as well as the full story of the Alfa Nuvola prototype of 1996. We road-test the new Fiat 600e and two classic Fiat-based Morettis: a Sportiva 850 and a 124 Coupe. In the exotic stakes, we have the stories of Zagato’s sensational 250 GTZ TdF, an aircraft-inspired 1965 supercar called the Strale and the little-known tale of how Lamborghini almost made cars in the UK during the 1990s. Show season is in full swing as we report on superb events like Silverstone Festival, Salon Privé, National Alfa Day and the Festival of the Unexceptional. All in all, it’s discoveries, rediscoveries and glimpses of the future – all in one beautiful package!
END OF YEAR REVIEW – All the highlights of 2023 as well as our coveted awards 
ALFA ROMEO MONTREAL & FIAT PUNTO SPORTING – Two orange classics, owned by father and daughter 
ALFA ROMEO GIULIA SPIDER VELOCE – Classic racing star tested on track
ALFA ROMEO NUVOLA – So nearly a revival of the coachbuilt Alfa
FERRARI 250 GT LWB TDF ZAGATO  – One of five Tour de France 250 GTs by Zagato
MORETTI SPORTIVA & 124 COUPE – Driving a pair of rare Fiat-based sports cars
LAMBORGHINI: MADE IN BRITAIN? – Curiously, Sant’Agata once courted Albion
FIAT 600 – All-new Fiat 600e road tested in Italy: is this the family car to make you go electric?
OUTER LIMITS: STRALE – An extraordinary almost-ran 1960s Italian supercar with jet-age pretensions
SILVERSTONE FESTIVAL – SALON PRIVE – NATIONAL ALFA DAY – FESTIVAL OF THE UNEXCEPTIONAL – SPRING FLING NEW ZEALAND 
OBSCURATI – Vignale Fiat 1100 TV Désirée

Alfa Romeo sports cars are back – and in sensational fashion. We get a personal viewing of the spectacular new 33 Stradale supercar and interview its creators, while also profiling the all-time classic that inspired it: the 1967 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale. Our road test this month is the new fabric-roof Ferrari Roma Spider, while a our classic twin test covers two generations of Lamborghini Diablo. We celebrate 25 years since Fiat launched its controversial Multipla and investigate how Fiat became a jet turbine pioneer with the fabulous Turbina of 1953. We’ve got a new staff car to report on – an Alfa Romeo 147 – while there are road trip stories in an Alfa Stelvio and Maserati Khamsin, too. Our track test this month is a famous Alfa Romeo Alfasud racer, while we being you all the track action from Festival Italia at Brands Hatch. Add in reports on Lancia and Alfa Romeo rallies and there’s something shiny and Italian for everyone.
CONTENTS 
ALFA ROMEO 33 STRADALE – Up close and personal with Alfa’s new supercar
SCAGLIONE’S ALFA 33 STRADALE – Inspirational 1967 masterpiece in detail
ALFA ROMEO ALFASUD – Napolina-liveried racer tested on track
FERRARI ROMA SPIDER – Top down in Sardinia: how does Ferrari’s latest model drive?
FIAT TURBINA – How Fiat pioneered jet turbine technology in 1953
FIAT MULTIPLA – Celebrating 25 years of clever, ugly beauty plus an interview with the Multipla’s designer, Roberto Giolito
FIAT 600 MULTIPLA – How the 1956 Multipla invented the MPV genre
FIAT ADVERTISING – Our favourite ads from Fiat’s promotional back catalogue
LAMBORGHINI DIABLO SV & VT – Pre- and post-Audi era Diablos driven back-to-back
ALFA ROMEO 147 – Why has Roberto Giordanelli bought himself an Alfa 147?
FESTIVAL ITALIA – Brands Hatch action both on and off the circuit
LIME ROCK PARK HISTORIC FESTIVAL – Sensational Alfa collection in the spotlight
OBSCURATI – Fiat 500 Anliker Piccolo Red Gold Dream

Colour bursts from every page of this month’s Auto Italia. Our cover story is all about modern classics of the 1990s – the last daring decade of Italian car design – starring the Alfa Romeo SZ, Alfa GTV, Alfa 156, Fiat Coupe and Fiat Barchetta. But we shun red when it comes to Ferrari, asking dozens of experts their views about which colours they love best that aren’t Rossa Corsa. Italy really embraced supercharging in the early 1980s; we investigate how well it did with road tests of the Fiat 131 Volumetrico and Lancia Beta Coupe VX. There’s more to celebrate for Alfa Romeo fans with features on a superb Midnight Purple Alfetta GTV restomod and how we imported a rare Giulia 1300 Ti. We also feature the full complement of Frua-bodied Maserati 5000GTs – all two of them! Summer event action is in full swing, too, with full reports on the Abarth Festival, 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed, our Northern Italian Car Day at Raby Castle and Italy’s superb Silver Flag hillclimb.
CONTENTS
﻿ITALY’S DARING DECADE OF DESIGN – 1990s icons gather: Alfa Romeo SZ, Alfa GTV, Alfa 156, Fiat Coupe & Fiat Barchetta
FERRARI NOT ROSSO CORSA – Experts choose their favourite Ferrari shades
FIAT & LANCIA SUPERCHARGED – Fiat 131 Volumetrico and Lancia Beta Coupe VX driven
ALFA ROMEO ALFETTA GTV – Amazing Midnight Purple restomod on test
ALFA ROMEO GIULIA 1300 TI – Our correspondent on how he imported his rare 105 Series
MASERATI 5000GT FRUA – Luxury in spectacular early 1960s style, times two
VERNASCA SILVER FLAG – Classic hillclimb action from Castell’Arquato in Italy
ABARTH FESTIVAL – Report from the UK’s biggest event for Abarths
NORTHERN ITALIAN CAR DAY – Raby Castle hosted a huge variety of Italian cars
GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED – All the Italian highlights of this year’s festival
OBSCURATI – ﻿﻿Lampra: one man’s Fiat 850-based one-off

It’s a giant Alfa Romeo birthday this month: the famous Quadrifoglio badge turns 100 years old. We celebrate every Cloverleaf Alfa from 1923 right up to today’s Giulia Quadrifoglio. And our four-strong group test is a lucky charm for any Alfa fan, featuring the Alfasud Ti QV, 155 Q4, MiTo Cloverleaf and Giulia GTAm. As an Alfa bonus, we also track-test one of the most successful historic racers, a Giulietta Ti. We’ve been over to Italy to experience the new Ferrari SF90 XX – a track-focused but road-legal limited edition – as well as the new Fiat 600e and Topolino at Lingotto. We recount the never-before-told story of a one-off Ferrari 365 GT4 2+2 by Fly Studio, and report on the Ferrari Cavallino Classic Modena concours event. Martin Buckley explains his fascination for the Fiat 130 Coupe and Berlina. Two extremes of road testing this month are the Abarth 500e (on UK soil for the first time) and the very last Maserati V8 ever: the Ghibli Trofeo 334. As always, we focus on the best events, too, like Viva Italia at Sywell and Goodwood Festival of Speed.
ALFA ROMEO QUADRIFOGLIO AT 100 YEARS – From 1923 to 2023, we celebrate Alfa’s lucky cloverleaf symbol
ALFA ROMEO QUADRIFOGLIO GROUP TEST – Four cloverleaf-badged Alfa icons on test: Alfasud, 155 Q4, MiTo & Giulia GTAm
ALFA ROMEO GIULIETTA TI – Successful Goodwood St Mary’s Trophy racer track tested
﻿FERRARI SF90 XX – New, extreme, track-developed and road-legal special edition
FERRARI 365 GT4 2+2 ‘FLY’ – Exclusive: the story of Fly Studio, from F1 tech to a one-off coachbuilt Ferrari
FIAT 130 COUPE & SALOON – Why our man Martin Buckley is so obsessed with the big Fiats
FIAT 600e – Fiat’s crucial new 600e electric hatchback unveiled in Turin
FIAT TOPOLINO – Fun, frivolity and frugality from Fiat’s new micro-EV
ABARTH 500e – First road test of the electric Abarth on UK roads
MASERATI GHIBLI TROFEO 334 – We drive Maserati’s runout V8 – the fastest saloon on the market

It was 50 years ago that Ferrari put its first V8 engine in a road car - a great reason to celebrate with four generations of V8 Ferraris, from 308 GT4 to SF90. There’s much more Ferrari action this month with stories on triumph at Le Mans, driving a Purosangue and the 1963 250 GTE Le Mans pace car.  Featured Alfa Romeos this month include the 1900 Matta 4x4 and Brera. We also test two Fiats that think they’re Abarths - an Uno Turbo and Seicento Turbo - as well as the new Abarth 500e. Add in a tribute to the late Giotto Bizzarrini and loads of Italian car event reports and it’s another great month for Auto Italia enthusiasts. 

50 YEARS OF FERRARI V8S
Four generations of Ferrari V8 classics
ALFA ROMEO 1900 M 'MATTA'
Going crazy in Alfa's military off-roader
FIAT SEICENTO & UNO 'ABARTH'
Tuned Abarth-engined Fiats with serious power
ABARTH 500E
Tested at last on road and track
FERRARI AT LE MANS 2023
A fairy tale ending for Ferrari’s first return in 50 years
FERRARI DRIVE TO LE MANS
The road to a classic race, on board two Ferraris: 296 GTB & Purosangue
FERRARI 250 GT 2+2
Story of the 1963 Le Mans pace car
GIOTTO BIZZARRINI OBITUARY
Our tribute to the late Italian engineering genius
TOUR AUTO FRANCE
Superb event in France featuring Italian classics
PRESCOTT ITALIA
Hill climb action and show - full report
FUORISERIE AERO
Concours tribute to the Ferrari BB and more
ALFA ROMEO BRERA
One 15-year-old's love affair with Alfa's Brera

What would an Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider GTA have been like if the factory had actually built it? That’s the tantalising question answered by this month’s cover car, the unbelievable Alfaholics Spider R. From a sublime Alfa, next we travel to a troubled one, celebrating 25 years of the 166 saloon. Ferrari fans have two delights this month: the inside story of the very first 365 GTB4 Daytona prototype and an extensive interview with the designer of the Testarossa, Diego Ottina. New cars on test include the bonkers Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato, Maserati’s sublime new MC20 Cielo roadster and the Grecale. Now that summer has definitely arrived, we push the boat out with a photo story on classic Italian beach cars, from Fiat Ghia Jolly to buggies. And with the 2023 show season in full swing, we bring you full reports on Auto Italia’s Brooklands Italian Car Day, AROC’s Spring Alfa Day and twin celebrations in Italy: Autodelta’s 60th birthday and 100 years of the Quadrifoglio badge.

ALFA ROMEO GIULIA SPIDER R – Sublime Alfaholics Spider R one-off tested
ALFA ROMEO 166 – Celebrating 25 years of Alfa’s misunderstood saloon
FERRARI 365 GTB4 DAYTONA NUMBER ONE – Full inside story of the very first pre-prototype 
DIEGO OTTINA INTERVIEW – The father of the Ferrari Testarossa, designer Diego Ottina, tells all
LAMBORGHINI HURACAN STERRATO – Huracán on stilts: are we right to raise our expectations?
MASERATI GRECALE – Full range on test in UK, from GT to Trofeo
MASERATI MC20 CIELO – Raising the roof on the roadster version of one of our favourite supercars
BEACH CARS – Get your deck chair out for some summer fun, Italian style
ITALIAN CAR DAY – Full report on Auto Italia’s big day out at Brooklands + All the action from the Alfa Romeo Owners Club event at Duxford + Two big Alfa anniversaries celebrated in style in Italy +  Highlights from Chelsea, from new car debuts to top-notch classics + Bell & Colvill’s ultra-rare Alfasud Turbo conversion

Two classic car group tests make this month’s Auto Italia unmissable. Fans of flares and Spangles will swoon at our 1970s coupe triple test, as the Fiat 128 3P faces up to the Alfasud Sprint and Lancia Beta Coupe. Which one wins? Fast-forward two decades and we pitch five five-cylinder modern classics against each other, including the Fiat Coupe 20vT, Stilo Abarth and diesel Alfa Spider. It’s a brave soul who declares anything ‘the world’s best’ but we reckon our millimetrically restored feature Ferrari 308 GTS is just that. We also look back at 30 years of the Fiat Punto and tell the roller-coaster story of the De Tomaso marque. New cars this month include Alfa’s Tonale Q4 and facelifted Giulia and Stelvio – all tested on UK roads – plus the new Lancia HPE and the long-awaited Lamborghini Revuelto. With the 2023 show season hotting up, it’s also time to enjoy the latest event reports as well as all the news in the world of Italian cars.

CONTENTS 
ALFASUD SPRINT V FIAT 128 3P V LANCIA BETA COUPE – Front-wheel drive 1970s coupes go head-to-head
FIVE-CYLINDER MODERN CLASSICS – Five-pot Fiat Coupe 20vT, Stilo Abarth, Marea, Alfa Spider and more
ALFA ROMEO TONALE, GIULIA & STELVIO – Facelifted Alfas and Q4 PHEV tested on UK roads
ALFA ROMEO 148 – How Alfa Romeo almost made a 33-based baby 4x4
FERRARI 308 GTS – This could very well be the world’s best Ferrari 308…
LAMBORGHINI REVUELTO – The new 1015hp V12 hybrid Aventador successor 
INTERVIEW: PAUL BREUER – Fiat 128 Coupe stylist on his life in car design
FIAT PUNTO AT 30 YEARS – Reflecting on the 1993 launch of an icon
LANCIA PU+RA HPE – Lancia’s all-new concept car under the spotlight
DE TOMASO STORY – From the Vallelunga to the Pantera
ISO AVVENTURA – New show in Turin pays tribute to the Iso marque 
INTERCLASSICS SHOW – Italian stars at Maastricht
OBSCURATI – 2011 Abarth Scorp-Ion sports car concept

It’s a truly huge moment for Ferrari this month, as our cover hints: the Purosangue is touted as a ‘true’ Ferrari, but is it really? We’ve driven it in the Italian Dolomites and have reached our conclusion. A second newcomer from Maranello is the Roma Spider, while another snow-covered road trip takes Lamborghinis across Denmark and Sweden. In the 1960s, Italians did six-cylinder engines like nobody else and we’ve gathered three super-saloons from Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Lancia to see just who did it best. Heading further back into the 1950sm we have a story on the glorious Alfa 1900C SS Zagato, while advancing ahead is Bertone’s Alfa 33-based Carabo, fully profiled. We’ve got a whole load of modern Abarth action this month, as Charlie Butler-Henderson recalls his season in a Trofeo Abarth 500 racer, Nathan Chadwick drives a Brazil-only Abarth, and we run down weird Abarths you never knew about. Add in Lancia Delta integrale rally action, plus the latest shows and events, and you have an issue absolutely crammed with Italian classics to enjoy.
CONTENTS 
FERRARI PUROSANGUE – Ferrari’s big new SUV is here, but how does drive? We head to the snowy Alps to find out
FERRARI ROMA SPIDER – Maranello returns to fabric soft-tops for its surprise new convertible 
ALFA 2600 V LANCIA FLAMINIA V FIAT 2300 – Three 1960s super saloons with six-cylinder engines slog it out
ALFA ROMEO 1900C SS ZAGATO – A truly quirky lightweight classic
BERTONE ALFA ROMEO CARABO – Gandini’s pioneering Alfa 33-based wedge
LAMBORGHINI HURACAN & URUS – Epic winter drive through Scandinavia
TROFEO ABARTH 500 – Charlie Butler-Henderson recalls a season of race action
FIAT FASTBACK BY ABARTH – Driving the Brazil-only coupe-SUV
ABARTH PULSE – The first ever non-European Abarth 
RARE FIAT-ABARTHS – Weird world Abarths you never knew about
RALLY LEGENDS – FESTIVAL ITALIANO V – RETROMOBILE – ICE ST MORITZ – TEAM CARS – OBSCURATI

It’s mid-engine month at Auto Italia. As the amazing Bertone Lancia HF Stratos Zero hits UK soil, we reflect on its significance in design history. Not only that, but we profile three of Italy’s absolute mid-engined pioneers: ATS 2500 GT, Ferrari 250 LM and Lamborghini Miura, the latter a spectacular homage to the very special Jota. Our cover cars this month are two Zagato coupes born in the 1960s – the Alfa Romeo Giulia Junior Z and Lancia Fulvia Sport Zagato – but which one do we reckon is better to drive? One car that’s definitely great to drive is JP Tuning’s baby Fiat 500 with some tasty restomod upgrades, while we tell the story of how Fiat effectively scared off all its potential competitors for the 500 in a real ‘microcar war’. Fabia Maserati, the granddaughter of the marque’s founder, gives us an exclusive interview, and we tell the story of the Maserati brother’s other marque, OSCA. With plenty of rallies, events and news to entertain, this month’s Auto Italia will turn all of your winter blues to green, white and red!
CONTENTS
ALFA ROMEO GIULIA JUNIOR Z v LANCIA FULVIA ZAGATO – FERRARI 250 LM – ATS 2500 GT – LAMBORGHINI MIURA – LANCIA HF ZERO & PU+RA – FABIA MASERATI INTERVIEW – OSCA – FIAT 500 RESTOMOD – FIAT’S MICROCAR WARS – CONTINENTAL REPORT – 12 IN 12 & HANNIBALL RALLIES – GOLDEN AGE OF RALLY – MODENA CENTO ORE CLASSIC

What is the greatest Ferrari ever designed? That’s the question we’re answering in astonishing detail in this month’s Auto Italia. Over no fewer than 21 pages, we break down who were the design heroes behind such all-time greats as the 166 MM, 250 GT Lusso and 365 GT/4 Daytona. We also mark the 102-year collaboration between Zagato and Alfa Romeo with two big features – including an exclusive interview with Andrea Zagato about the superb new Giulia SWB Zagato. Another classic Alfa reviewed this month is an Autodelta-prepared Alfasud Sprint racer. It’s a big moment for Maserati as it launches its all-new 2023 GranTurismo – we’ve now driven it and our verdict is in! Two very different Abarths are under the spotlight, too: an incredible Abarth Simca and the new electric 500e. We also look back at the Fiat Uno’s launch 40 years ago and revel in a Lancia Fulvia HF’s famous victory at this year’s Rallye Monte-Carlo. 
CONTENTS 
FERRARI DESIGN HEROES – Surprises and delights: leading designers and their best Ferrari designs of all time
ALFA ROMEO GIULIA SWB ZAGATO – Interview with Andrea Zagato about his spectacular new Giulia SWB – the ‘new SZ’
102 YEARS OF ALFA ROMEO & ZAGATO – Of all Zagato’s 170+ Alfa Romeos, which are the greatest?
ALFA ROMEO ALFASUD SPRINT GROUP 2 – An immaculate genuine Autodelta racer gets a track test
MASERATI GRANTURISMO – We finally test-drive Maserati’s all-new GranTurismo in both petrol Trofeo and electric Folgore forms
ABARTH 500e – We’ve now seen Abarth’s electric 500e on UK soil – so what do we think?
FIAT UNO AT 40 YEARS – How Fiat launched its best-selling Uno at Cape Canaveral in 1983
ABARTH SIMCA – The story of the famous ‘RB 38’ Scorpion, RALLYE MONTE-CARLO HISTORIQUE, MILANO AUTOCLASSICA, LAS VEGAS CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE, OBSCURATI – Bristol’s 401

LATEST ISSUE

ON SALE 1 DECEMBER


It’s here! The all-new electric Abarth 500e aims to upset the hot hatch apple cart with its 155hp battery power – but can it succeed? We have all the details you need. We also drive the new Alfa Tonale Plug-In Hybrid Q4 to find out if it’s the version enthusiasts have been craving. Ferrari fans will delight in our drive story of a sensational concours-winning 330 GTC, plus a (hopefully) Le Mans-winning new racer – the 499P. Our cover car is another racer from six decades ago – the amazing Lancia Aurelia B20 GT – while we also reveal the tragic tale of Lancia’s aborted Flavia SS Zagato. A pair of Fiat Uno Turbos (one a TV star) get our juices flowing, while we also look back at why the Uno – and 11 other Italian cars – won the Car of the Year award. With loads of event and rally reports, the latest news and dozens of cars for sale, this month’s Auto Italia is absolutely unmissable!


CONTENTS 

NEW ABARTH 500e – We reveal everything you need to know about Abarth’s all-electric newcomer
FERRARI 330 GTC – Sensational concours-winning beauty driven
FERRARI 499P – Maranello’s all-new Le Mans Hypercar revealed
FIAT UNO TURBO – Two exceptional turbos, including a bodykitted TV star
ALFA ROMEO TONALE PLUG-IN HYBRID Q4 – New 280hp Tonale 4x4 on test in Italy
ALFA ROMEO INTERVIEW – CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato reveals Alfa’s future plans
LANCIA AURELIA B20 GT – Is this the best-looking road-racer of all time?
LANCIA FLAVIA SUPER SPORT ZAGATO – How Zagato’s coupe so nearly reached production
ITALIAN CAR OF THE YEAR WINNERS – Why Italian cars have dominated the COTY awards for decades
SILVERSTONE CLASSIC – On track action with Italian classics
CONCOURS OF ELEGANCE – Hampton Court welcomed a stately parade of greats
ALFA ROMEO AT AUTOWORLD – Report from a very special Alfa exhibition in Belgium
PETROLHEADONISM LIVE – Abarths took centre stage at Knebworth 
OBSCURATI – Lancia Ardennes: the little-known French-built Aprilia

Thirty years ago, Maserati launched its Ghibli II – the car that the Biturbo should have been all along, as we find out with a triple test of 2.8 GT, Ghibli Cup and racer. You can also meet its current-day successor by reading the full story of the all-new 2023 GranTurismo. Fiat and Alfa Romeo both made great family four-door saloons in the 1970s with the 128 and Alfasud – but which do we prefer today? Two more Alfa stories are a first UK drive of the Tonale SUV and a report on ‘Tribe Days’ in Italy that celebrated Monza circuit’s 100th anniversary, and Alfa’s 112th. We also check into the Lancia Beta’s 50th birthday party. Exotic car fans will love two newcomers with very different takes, both on test this month: Ferrari’s new 296 GTS and the revived Bizzarrini 5300 GT Corsa. You can also luxuriate in spectacular imagery from a new book by Piotr Degler, readers’ cars, club gatherings, events and all the latest news – including how you can now visit the FCA Heritage Hub in Turin for the first time. 
MASERATI GHIBLI II – Triple test of an underrated classic on its 30th birthday: Ghibli Cup, racer and 2.8 GT
MASERATI GRANTURISMO – Full details of the all-new GranTurismo coupe from Modena
FIAT 128 V ALFASUD – 1970s four-door family saloons go head to head
ALFA ROMEO TONALE – We drive to Yorkshire for a first right-hand drive road test of Alfa’s new SUV
ALFA ROMEO TRIBE DAYS – It’s party time in Italy as Alfa pays tribute to Monza circuit at 100 years old
FERRARI 296 GTS – New open-top star from Maranello: full road test in Tuscany
BIZZARRINI 5300 GT CORSA REVIVAL – We drive a new British-built Italian track icon
MADE IN ITALY – Stories and images of Piotr Degler’s amazing new homage to Italian car design
LANCIA BETA – Full report on 50th anniversary celebrations
SALON PRIVÉ – Our highlights from Blenheim Palace
OBSCURATI –  Ultra-rare rebodied Alfa Romeo 1900 by Fibrocar

It’s a huge month for Ferrari, as the covers come off the new Purosangue, Ferrari’s first production four-door – we’ve seen it and we’ve reached our verdict. We’re also proud to reveal the full story behind the mysterious figure who designed such Ferrari greats as the 250 GT SWB, 275 GTB, P4 and more. More down to earth, we have a cracking triple test of three iconic 1960s coupes from Alfa, Fiat and Lancia, and an Alfa Spider twin test – literally, as they have consecutive chassis numbers! Another twin test is a Lamborghini V12 back-to-back – Countach versus Diablo. We celebrate 50 years of Fiat’s everyman X1/9 sports car, introduce a new Fiat 500 electric to our fleet and have a brilliant story on a man who’s owned 55 Fiats in a row. There’s plenty of Italian event action this month, too, from Festival Italia to National Alfa Day. All in all, an unmissable issue!

CONTENTS 
FERRARI PUROSANGUE – We’ve been to the unveiling of Ferrari’s all-new V12 SUV – here’s our verdict
FERRARI DESIGNER – The virtually unknown styling genius behind the 250 GTO, GT Lusso, P3 and more
ALFA ROMEO GIULIA V LANCIA FULVIA V FIAT 124 COUPE – Classic 1960s coupe triple test
ALFA ROMEO SPIDER 2000 VELOCE – Reuniting twin Spiders with consecutive chassis numbers
LAMBORGHINI COUNTACH VS DIABLO – We drive the very last examples off the line in an unforgettable back-to-back
FIAT X1/9 AT 50 – X1/9 fans gather in Italy to celebrate 50 sporty years
ALTERNATIVE HISTORY OF ITALIAN CARS – What if... things had turned out differently?
FESTIVAL ITALIA – Full report from Brands Hatch, both on track and off
NATIONAL ALFA DAY – AROC’s record-breaking event at Bicester
FESTIVAL OF THE UNEXCEPTIONAL – Cars so ordinary, they’re extraordinary 
TEAM CARS – Welcome to our new long-term Fiat 500 electric
READERS’ CARS – The amazing story of one man who’s now on his 55th Fiat 
OBSCURATI –  Sbarro’s Lancia Ionos: V10-powered modern Stratos

ON SALE 2 SEPTEMBER


Yellow and blue are the colours of the Ukrainian flag, but they’re also the colours of Modena – and of our main cover cars, the star children of Modena’s finest car maker. The new Maserati MC20 meets the first ever mid-engined model from the Trident brand, the 1971 Bora. At the opposite end of the spectrum – but every bit as exciting – is a group test of Abarth 500s and 595s, all of which are tuned to deliver even more fun than standard. Another very surprising baby Fiat is a 1937 Topolino ‘sleeper’ hot rod with a 180hp twin-cam engine under the bonnet! Italian metal takes a back seat to plastic as we investigate glassfibre cars made in Italy, from the Ferrari 308 Vetroresina to coachbuilt one-offs. Alfa Romeo fans will revel in our test of a unique 8C Competizione; a report on this year’s Classic Alfa racing series; and the rare Alfa Plus Alfasud. Add in event reports from the UK and Italy, plus the latest news, interviews and book reviews, and you really couldn’t wish for more!


CONTENTS 

MASERATI MC20 & BORA – The all-new Maserati MC20 meets the very first mid-engined model from Modena
ABARTH 500/595 MODIFIED GROUP TEST – What are the best routes to tune your Abarth, whether you have a budget of £1000 or £50,000?
FERRARI 308 GTB VETRORESINA – Why Maranello’s plastic-bodied 308 is one very special car
ITALIAN PLASTIC CARS – Why did so few Italian cars ever have glassfibre bodywork?
FIAT TOPOLINO HOT ROD – Shock: a 1937 Fiat mouse that’s a roaring lion on the road
ALFA ROMEO 8C COMPETIZIONE – One-of-one ultramarine paint scheme for Alfa’s GT star
ALFA ROMEO HRDC CLASSIC ALFA SERIES 
NORTHERN ITALIAN CAR DAY 
ABARTH FESTIVAL
VERNASCA SILVER FLAG
BRITISH GT CHAMPIONSHIP 
INTERVIEW: COLIN SOWTER

Is it really 25 years since Alfa Romeo launched the 156? Yes indeed – and the Alfa 156 is a silver jubilee worth celebrating: this emerging classic is universally liked. We also get behind the wheel of Alfa’s new Tonale up the hill at Goodwood – and of course we have a full report of all the new and classic Italian cars at the Festival of Speed. It’s a big month for Lamborghini stories. We drive André Villas-Boas’ Miura P400 and investigate the inspirations of designer Marcello Gandini. We also say ‘arrivederci’ to the Lamborghini Aventador with a drive of the run-out Ultimae. Our other main cover story this month is an incredible pairing of Maserati GranTurismos, including a bonkers MC Trofeo racer converted to road use. We also drive the latest Ferrari hybrids – 296 GTB & SF90 Spider – to Le Mans. Add in all the latest Italian car news, events and staff car reports and you have all the ingredients you need for hours of classic Italian enjoyment!


CONTENTS 

ALFA ROMEO 156 AT 25 YEARS – Celebrating an emerging modern classic
ALFA ROMEO TONALE – Driving Alfa’s new SUV up the hill at Goodwood
FERRARI 296 GTB & SF90 SPIDER – Going to Le Mans in Ferrari’s latest mid-engined hybrids
MASERATI GRANTURISMO – An MC Trofeo converted for the road plus the MC Stradale
FIAT 128 – Tastefully upgraded two-door saloon restomod
LAMBORGHINI MIURA TWIN TEST – P400 S and SV go head to head in the Portuguese mountains
BEFORE THE LAMBORGHINI MIURA – Investigating the inspirations for the Miura
LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR ULTIMAE – Is the last-of-the-line V12 the ultimate Lambo to drive?
GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED – All the Italian car action from Sussex 
REAL ALFA CONCOURS – Alfa’s Arese museum hosts a 112th anniversary gathering of Alfas
CAVALLINO CLASSIC MODENA – Classic Ferraris compete for trophies in Italy’s car heartland
TEAM CARS – Abarth 595, Alfa Giulietta TI, Alfa 147 GTA, Fiat Panda and more
OBSCURATI – Colani’s utterly bizarre articulated Lamborghini Miura

You could say we’re doing a ‘double Drogo’ this month with two Drogo-themed Ferraris. Richard Heseltine writes about the infamous Ferrari 250 GTO Breadvan, which was the star of the Prescott Italia hillclimb, which also features this month. Our second ‘Drogo’ Ferrari is a superb Allegretti-bodied 250 GT. We’re also doing a ‘double Delta’ this month, with an incredible single-owner Lancia Delta integrale pairing: the very purple Victrix Ludorum one-off and a Group N rally car. The world’s most affordable mid-engined car, the Fiat X1/9, turns 50 this year so we had to celebrate its golden anniversary in style. Alfa Romeo fans will delight in an incredible barn-find Giulietta Sprint, 20 years of the 147/156 GTA, and a trip to Scotland in a new Giulia. Supercar stories this month include a track outing in Pagani’s Huayra Roadster BC and a full guide to buying a Lamborghini Huracán. And of course, we have full event coverage and all the latest Italian car news – it’s another unmissable issue.
CONTENTS 
FERRARI 250 GT BREADVAN – Turning up the heat on the famous racing legend
FERRARI 250 GT ALLEGRETTI – Sensational evocation of a 1960s Drogo-bodied classic
LANCIA DELTA INTEGRALE – Purple-painted Victrix Ludorum one-off and a Group N rally car
FIAT X1/9 AT 50 – Golden celebration of Fiat’s mass-market mid-engined hero
ALFA ROMEO GIULIETTA SPRINT – Amazing restoration of a lost 1956 coupe found abandoned after 50 years
ALFA ROMEO GIULIA VELOCE – To Skye and Scotland’s Skyfall road in Alfa’s 280hp saloon
ALFA ROMEO 147/156 GTA DAY – Celebrating 20 years of Alfa’s fast GTA pairing
LAMBORGHINI HURACAN BUYERS’ GUIDE – Does Lamborghini’s most popular car make a great used buy?
PAGANI HUAYRA ROADSTER BC – Flying around Goodwood circuit in Pagani’s end-of-an-era spider
PRESCOTT ITALIA – All the action from the Italian-themed hillclimb
CONCORSO D’ELEGANZA VILLA D’ESTE  - AUTOMOTORETRO  - MUGELLO CLASSIC 
OBSCURATI –  The Bertone Jaguar FT

Our cover this month announces a ‘Two Prancing Horse Race’ as we decide whether the little-fancied Ferrari 348 might actually be a better choice than its more illustrious successor, the F355. We bring the mid-engined V8 Ferrari story bang up to date with a road and track test of the mighty, 1000hp SF90 Stradale Assetto Fiorano. Alfa Romeo fans will be dying to know how the new Tonale drives  – our verdict is in – while we get behind the scenes of a major new Alfa TV film that features our very own editor!. There’s a Fiat/Alfa face-off with the Brava and 146 battling it out for 1990s hatchback honours, while we test the latest Fiat 500X and Tipo hybrids. Exclusive to Auto Italia is a proposed revival of OSCA – called the R 70 – based on the Fiat 124 Spider, while we also celebrate 40 years of Lancia’s all-conquering Rally 037. Show season is now in full swing, so there’s lots to catch up on, from our own huge Brooklands event to Goodwood and Salon Privé. 
CONTENTS 
FERRARI 348 VS F355 – Can the 348 hold a candle to its successor, the F355?
FERRARI SF90 STRADALE – Testing 1000hp of hybrid power on road and track
ALFA ROMEO TONALE – At last, our test-drive verdict on Alfa’s crucial new SUV
ALFA ROMEO: DESIGNING DREAM CARS – Behind the scenes of a major new TV documentary
FIAT BRAVA VS ALFA ROMEO 146 – Two ultra-rare family cars from the 1990s battle it out
OSCA R 70 – Proposed OSCA revival from renowned stylist Enrico Fumia
LANCIA RALLY 037 – Celebrating 40 years since the rally legend’s debut in 1982
FIAT 500X & TIPO HYBRID – Brand new hybrid Fiats on test in Italy
ITALIAN CAR DAY AT BROOKLANDS – Full report on Auto Italia’s massive spring event 
GOODWOOD 79MM – All the action from the 79th Members’ Meeting
SALON PRIVE LONDON – Rich Italian content starred at the new Chelsea show
OBSCURATI – The Ellenator is a bizarre ‘three-wheeled’ Fiat 500

What’s the greatest car ever made in Italy? That’s the almost impossible question we’re answering in this month’s specially extended, 116-page issue of Auto Italia. Our cover displays our shortlist of the Greatest Italian Cars of All Time – but which one, out of Ferrari F40, Fiat Panda, Fiat 500, Lancia Delta HF integrale, Alfa Romeo Giulia and many more is our number one? There’s only one way to find out… New cars driven this month include the new Estrema versions of Alfa Romeo’s Giulia and Stelvio, plus the monster 530hp Maserati Grecale Trofeo. Abarth fans will love our stories on a record-breaking Abarth 1000GT Bialbero ‘Duck-Tail’ and Pininfarina’s one-off 2000 Scorpione concept – including how it nearly starred in Stanley Kubrick’s film, A Clockwork Orange. We celebrate 50 years of Enzo Ferrari’s purpose-built Fiorano test track and take a Fiat 124 Sport Spider to Silverstone. Add in reports on The Amelia concours and Rétromobile, and, as ever, you can read about the fullest possible spread of Italian cars.


CONTENTS 

GREATEST EVER ITALIAN CARS – Over 40 pages, we decide the best of all time
ALFA ROMEO GIULIA & STELVIO ESTREMA – New ‘junior Quadrifoglio’ editions on test
MASERATI GRECALE – We test drive the Trident’s new 530hp Trofeo SUV
ABARTH 1000GT BIALBERO – Rare, record-breaking ‘Duck-Tail’ scorpion
ABARTH 2000 SCORPIONE – How Pininfarina’s 1969 concept was nearly a film star
FIAT 124 SPORT SPIDER – A superb rally replica tackles ‘The Pom’ at Silverstone
FIORANO CIRCUIT AT 50 – Celebrating Enzo Ferrari’s legendary test track, now 50 years old
THE AMELIA – Concours action from the rebranded American classic
RETROMOBILE – Italian classics on holiday in Paris
OBSCURATI – Exotic looks in a tiny package: the OTAS 820 Tigre

2022 marks the 75th anniversary of Ferrari and to celebrate we’ve plenty about Prancing Horses in this month’s issue. Not only do we have a full road and track test of the new 296 GTB – Ferrari’s first ever V6 road car – but we do a run-down of the 75 greatest cars ever made at Maranello. We have news of three more highly important newcomers this month: SUVs from Alfa Romeo (Tonale) and Maserati (Grecale), plus 2023’s Maserati GranTurismo (with fully 1200hp). Turning the clock back to the early 1960s, we compare three six-cylinder coupe legends: the Alfa Romeo 2600 Sprint, Fiat 2300 S Coupe and Lancia Flaminia Coupe. And as Fiat’s 126 turns 50 years old, we defend a much-maligned city car. Another car being defended is the Alfa 159 3.2 V6, with one owner asking whether its V6 engine is in fact just as good as a Busso. We also have big features on Italian-designed British cars (think Aston Zagato and AC Frua) and the Alfa 75 Turbo-engined Michelotti Pura one-off. 


CONTENTS 

FERRARI 296 GTB – How does Ferrari’s new V6 hybrid era play out on road and track?
FERRARI AT 75: THE TOP 75 – Our favourite road Ferraris of all time ranked from 1 to 75
1960s COUPE SIXES – Alfa 2600 Sprint v Fiat 2300 S v Lancia Flaminia 
MASERATI GRECALE – All the lowdown on the Trident’s vital new SUV contender – including the 530hp Trofeo
ALFA ROMEO TONALE – We’re at the unveiling of Alfa’s all-new SUV, while our new columnist, designer Matteo Licata, gives his verdict
ALFA ROMEO 159 3.2 JTS Q4 – How modifications can transform an unpopular V6 engine
FIAT 126 AT 50 – Championing Fiat’s much misunderstood minicar on its 50th birthday
ITALIAN-DESIGNED BRITISH CARS – We choose the best ever British cars styled in Italy
MICHELOTTI PURA – We drive an Alfa 75 Turbo-powered one-off
OBSCURATI – How GM staff pranked their design chief’s Ferrari Daytona

Fiat makes great small cars. Arguably it has always made the best pocket rockets, too – and our back-to-back of the Uno Turbo, Punto GT and Abarth F595 showcase three generations of brilliant tiny turbo tearaways. We’ve got the full inside story on Alfa Romeo’s exciting new Tonale, and not only do we celebrate 50 years of the Alfetta with a five-car group test but also the very first Alfetta – the 158 Grand Prix car. Design fans will revel in the crème de la crème of Pinin Farina’s output from the 1950s, penned by an almost unknown hand – Francesco Salomone – while Michelotti’s Ferrari 400i-based Meera S gets a full profile. We’ve been on two memorable road trips this month, blasting around Scotland in Lamborghinis and from London to Brighton with Club LanciaSport – as well as going to see some classic Monte Carlo rallying. Yes, it’s another action-packed month!

CONTENTS 
FIAT UNO TURBO V PUNTO GT V ABARTH F595 – Three generations of tiny turbocharged tearaway
ALFA ROMEO TONALE – Full lowdown on Alfa’s crucial new SUV
ALFA ROMEO ALFETTA – Celebrating 50 years of the boxy transaxle saloon
ALFA ROMEO ALFETTA TIPO 158 – Amazing Jim Stokes Workshop racer recreation
PININ FARINA DESIGN – We laud an almost totally unheralded styling hero: Francesco Salomone
FERRARI MEERA S – Michelotti’s curious Ferrari 400i one-off 
LAMBORGHINIS IN SCOTLAND – Across the highlands in the Huracán STO, Aventador SVJ and Urus 
LANCIA LONDON TO BRIGHTON-ISH – Club LanciaSport’s fun road run 
MONTE CARLO HISTORIQUE – Italian racers in the forefront at Monaco
OBSCURATI –   A cruel joke played on a Ferrari Daytona

To drive one Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer is, for most, a life-long dream. To drive three BBs back-to-back is the stuff of impossible fantasy – but it’s the reality of this month’s cover story and an absolute treat to read. Another triple test this issue pitches three absolute legends of the 1990s against each other in North Yorkshire. Which of our ‘Masters of Grip’ did we prefer – Alfa Romeo SZ, Lancia Delta integrale or Maserati Ghibli Cup? We enjoy a first drive in Maserati’s new Grecale, a first taste of a dramatic new supercar from Italy, the Mazzanti Evantra, and take a riotous little Fiat-Abarth 1000 TC Corsa wide-body racer around the track. We’ve also been to Mugello to witness Ferrari’s 2021 season ender and report on the Festival Italiano show in the US. There’s a round-up of our roller-coaster rides in our own cars – from Fiat 124 to Alfa 147 GTA – and a surprising Fiat Seicento reader’s car. And finally, trivia fans, have we got a treat for you with six pages of little-known facts!


CONTENTS 

FERRARI BERLINETTA BOXER – A triple test to end them all: 365 GT4 BB v 512 BB v 512 BBi
ALFA SZ V LANCIA DELTA V MASERATI GHIBLI – Three legendary 1990s masters of grip go head to head
FIAT-ABARTH 1000 TC CORSA – 1970 wide-body racer tested on track
MASERATI GRECALE – Pre-production prototype test drive in Italy
MAZZANTI EVANTRA – We meet a wild new supercar as it sweeps on to UK soil
ITALIAN CAR TRIVIA – Dozens of little-known facts to amaze and amuse
FERRARI FINALI MONDIALI – Action from the 2021 season ender at Mugello
FESTIVAL ITALIANO – Stateside show report
TEAM CARS – Trials and triumphs with our own fleet of cars
FIAT SEICENTO – Heavily modified reader’s car in the spotlight
OBSCURATI –  Ferrari Abarth 166 MM Spider Bertone

Two beautiful early 1980s Italian classics star on our cover this month: the Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV 6 and Lancia Gamma Coupe. But which one do we prefer? Find out in our exclusive road test. There’s a distinct supercar flavour to this month’s issue, too. We’ve been to Italy to witness the unveiling of Ferrari’s sensational new Daytona SP3 at the Finali Mondiali, as well as driving the new Maserati MC20 over some legendary passes in Tuscany. We also tell the scarcely believable tale of Italy’s last 16-cylinder car, the Cizeta Moroder V16T. From the heart of the 1950s come a mysterious and unique Ferrari 195 Inter and a collection of ultra-rare Bandini sports and racing cars. And we drive a rally-prepared Fiat 124 Sport Coupe. We also have some exciting and exclusive news: an interview with designer Roberto Giolito about Abarth Classiche’s new Alfa 4C-based 1000 SP, which enters production this year. A round-up of all the latest events completes a month we’ll remember for many years. 
CONTENTS 
LANCIA GAMMA COUPE VS ALFA ROMEO ALFETTA GTV 6 – 1980s coupe pairing go head to head
MASERATI MC20 – We take Maserati’s glorious new supercar on a Tuscan test drive
FERRARI DAYTONA SP3 – Maranello’s stunning new LaFerrari-based hypercar
FERRARI 195 INTER – The mysteries of a very early road Ferrari
FERRARI TESTA ROSSA J – Road-testing the miniature new electric 250 TR ‘Junior’
CIZETA MORODER V16T – The full story of an extraordinary 16-cylinder supercar 
BANDINI – Ilario Bandini, the magician of lightness, is remembered by his nephew Dino 
FIAT 124 SPORT COUPE – In the hot seat of a classic rally car tribute
ABARTH 1000 SP – Exciting new sports car gets the production green light
ABARTH MONOMILLE COUPE – Delightful reader’s car profiled
AUTO E MOTO D’EPOCA – Perfection in the show pavilions at Padova
VERNASCA SILVER FLAG – Hillclimb action in Italy
POLTU QUATU CONCOURS 
BRITISH GT CHAMPIONSHIP
OBSCURATI

Our cover story this month is a very special Lancia Delta integrale: a Group A rally car so good that it deeply impressed the Italians at the recent Rallylegend event. Two modern classics from Alfa Romeo also feature: the Brera Prodrive S (both 2.2 and 3.2 V6 versions) and the much misunderstood 4C, about which we have a full buying guide. One of the most iconic classic Ferraris – the 156 ‘Sharknose’ F1 car – is joined this month by a UK drive in a very modern Prancing Horse, the Roma. Lamborghini has celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Countach by recreating the original 1971 LP 500 – we have the full story – and you can also read all you’ll ever need to know about Gandini’s extraordinary Maserati Chubasco prototype. Fiat fans will revel in a ‘gravel test’ in a genuine works Stilo Abarth Trofeo, while we have full reports on our Brooklands Italian Car Day and a drive in an Alfa SZ to the Italian Alps. Fun? For sure!
CONTENTS 
LANCIA DELTA INTEGRALE GROUP A – Flat out in a very special rally car
ALFA ROMEO BRERA PRODRIVE S – Unique-for-UK 2.2 and 3.2 V6 versions go head-to-head
ALFA ROMEO 4C BUYERS’ GUIDE – Why now is a great time to buy an Alfa 4C.
FERRARI 156 SHARKNOSE – How Maranello dominated the 1961 Formula 1 season
FERRARI ROMA – UK roads test on ancient straight Roman streets and twisty B-roads
LAMBORGHINI COUNTACH – How the 1971 LP 500 prototype has been recreated in 2021
MASERATI CHUBASCO – Full story on Gandini’s eye-popping 211mph prototype
FIAT STILO ABARTH TROFEO –Genuine works rally machine driven
FIAT TIPO CROSS – Fiat’s new hatchback-cum-SUV tested
OPINION: ENRICO FUMIA – Is retro-modern design a good thing? asks the ex-Pininfarina designer
ITALIAN CAR DAY AT BROOKLANDS – The welcome return of our very own Italian car event 
12IN12 RALLY – A madcap escapade over 21 Alpine passes in an Alfa SZ ES30
MILANO AUTOCLASSICA – Classic car show spectacular in Milan.
OBSCURATI – Giannini Fiat 128 NP S Sport Coup

We’re ticking two boxes this month – boxy-shaped classics, that is, in the form of a back-to-back test of the Lancia Fulvia and Alfa Romeo Giulia saloons. Which one drives and feels better? Amazingly, it’s 40 years since Maserati stunned the world with the first-ever twin-turbo production car – we celebrate with a big group test of our four favourite Biturbo variants. We follow that with a blast in the latest twin-turbo Maserati: the 580hp Ghibli Trofeo. Two untold stories finally get their moment in the sun, too: a secret wartime 12-cylinder Alfa racer emerges from the shadows, while we recount how Abarth’s X1/9 Stradale prototype came achingly close to production. We drive a super-rare Vignale-bodied Ferrari 225 S and we’ve got reports from a great summer of events, from Festival Italia to Salon Privé to MITCAR, with Ferraris at Silverstone in the mix as well. All in all, this is a month of Italian car action at its most exciting!

CONTENTS 
LANCIA FULVIA V ALFA ROMEO GIULIA – Two boxy saloon rivals from the 1960s slug it out
MASERATI BITURBO GROUP TEST – 40 years on, we assess the legacy of Maserati’s pioneering Biturbo
MASERATI GHIBLI TROFEO – New 580hp V8 saloon on test
FERRARI 225 S – We drive a super-rare 1952 Vignale masterpiece 
ALFA ROMEO 12C PROTOTIPO – Secret V12 wartime one-off racer rediscovered
ABARTH X1/9 STRADALE – The homologation road sports car that came so near to production
ALFA ROMEO STELVIO QUADRIFOGLIO – Recalling a memorable test drive at Balocco
MICHELOTTI WORLD – New exhibition celebrates the 100th anniversary of Giovanni Michelotti’s birth
FESTIVAL ITALIA – All the action from Brands Hatch, both on track and off
MITCAR – Report on a superb Midlands Italian Car Day held at Gaydon
SALON PRIVE – All the Italian concours stars at Blenheim Palace
FERRARI RACING DAYS – Silverstone hosts a weekend of Prancing Horse track action
OBSCURATI – The Marciano 268A, a one-off sports car with Alfa Montreal V8 power

Auto Italia Issue 339

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AUTO ITALIA ISSUE 336

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AUTO ITALIA ISSUE 334

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September 2023

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June 2023

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February 2023

Auto Italia magazine was created in 1995 as the World’s first specialist publication to celebrate the excellence of Italian automotive design and engineering. Auto Italia is essential reading for the owner, collector and enthusiast who is passionate about Italy and its motoring heritage. Complemented with top quality photography, Auto Italia’s informative features are produced by a dedicated group of UK and Italian writers, who all own, restore or race Italian cars.

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{{magzter}} is the World's largest and fastest growing self-service, cross-platform digital newsstand with over 87 million users since its inception in 2011 and thousands of magazines and newspapers across 40+ categories and 60+ languages. Headquartered in New York, Magzter has its local presence in Amsterdam, London, Mexico City, Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Singapore, and will soon be expanding to other countries. Founded by global entrepreneurs, Girish Ramdas and Vijay Radhakrishnan in June 2011, Magzter enables magazine and newspaper publishers around the world to create and deliver digital editions of their titles to global consumers.

Auto Italia Magazine - February 2023

Auto Italia Magazine - February 2023

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