Maserati Coupe
An exclusive report and pictures of the new Maserati Coupe, written by car designer Chris Hrabalek: “The new Maserati Coupe will certainly make an impact in Geneva, where the most recent Pininfarina-Maserati product will be measured against other Italian design house collaborations such as the limited edition Spyker C12-Zagato dream car and the TVR-Bertone fantasy.”

The Padova Show
Possibly the finest indoor classic car show in Italy, Padova is well worth a visit, says Chris Savill: “You won’t find a ‘ripe for restoration’ Ferrari poking out of a replica barn with live chickens perching on an exposed propshaft here. What you will find is a taste for what Italy was best at, from exquisitely engineered small cars to superior supercars, coachbuilders from Bertone and Boneschi to Viberti and Vignale and competition winners from Alfa’s 1500 of the late ’20s to Lancia’s Delta integrale of the ’90s.”

Nuovo Scudo
A first drive of Fiat’s brand new Ford Transit competitor in Turin. “In just over a year – 15 months to be exact – Fiat has reviewed its entire light commercial fleet, which accounts for an unprecedented level of activity and which takes it to market with the strongest commercial fleet range ever.”

Ferrari 612 Scaglietti HGTC
Phil Ward and Adam Swift fly to the French Riviera to pick up a rather special 612 Scaglietti from Monaco for special delivery to Maranello. “Slowing to make way for traffic, flipping down through the gears, the engine makes a delicious ‘woofling’ sound, gnashing, snarling, almost champing at the bit to be released again with another full throttle application.”

Ferrari 312 B3 ‘Spazzaneve’
Roberto Giordanelli pilots this rare Formula 1 car from 1972. “While the Spazzaneve served its development purposes admirably, it never raced and is therefore devoid of decals and roundels. Parked on the empty tarmac it was a time-warp scene. Surreal with just red paint, aluminium and Ferrari badges, we half expected the Commendatore to come strolling along the pit lane.”

Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT
Auto Italia takes an untrodden trip to the Salzburgring in Austria to test the dangerously rapid Reiter Engineering Lamborghini GT1 car. “Fast, furious and unforgiving, no gentleman drivers are allowed to race in GT1. It is for pro-drivers only, and with one German eyebrow raised, race boss Reiter says, “Even zen, zer are professionals und professionals.”

Fiat Panda Cross
John Simister takes to the rough stuff to try out Fiat’s mini jungle basher. “Here’s a gully filled with muddy water. Splash! The Panda is deluged in brown, wipers carving vision through the opaque windscreen, traction unfazed. There’s enough ground clearance for most adventures, and this little diesel engine – the smallest four-cylinder diesel of all, although blessed with an un-small 107lb ft of torque at just 1500rpm – is just made for lugging a Panda up some significantly 3-D terrain.”

Great Small Fiats – the 127
Richard Dredge takes a look at three examples of Fiat’s first hatchback. “Here’s your starter for 10: can you name the Car of the Year from a quarter of a century ago? There’s a sizeable clue on these pages to help you. In fact there are three sizeable clues, and they’re all Fiat 127-shaped. That’s right – the best new car of 1972 was Fiat’s oft-forgotten supermini.”

Alfa Romeo Giulia Super
Roberto Giordanelli samples some historic racing in South Africa. “I found some Minis and sailed by, although I did not have to negotiate any stairs, sewer pipes or jump across roof-tops. Watch the 1969 film again – not the 2003 rubbish remake. Having achieved its best-ever Zwartkops lap times by some seconds, I should have returned the car to the pits, but I liked this car so much that I kept lapping the circuit until the fuel in the tank got too low.”

Wales Rally GB
An account of a first in class for the Walkers Garage Fiat Stilos. “This is the story about colleagues Rodney Bennett and Steve Smith, who stumbled upon an ideal class and gained a remarkable 1-2 class victory on the 750 mile long Wales Rally GB. It was in famous footsteps that Rodney and Steve set forth from Cardiff on their three-day tour of the forests of South Wales...”