Antas V8 – Flying an Etruscan Eagle
Simon Park drives a one-off bespoke supercar built by F&M in Tuscany. He writes: “These are passionate men, with little time for the high-technocracy of today’s motor industry. They work daily with examples of the best of (mostly) Italian automotive art from the 1930s to the 1960s – for them, a ‘golden age’ – and this has fired the imaginations which have, in turn, delivered the Antas into ‘a world invaded by too many regulations, conformity and lack of fantasy’. Ain’t it so.”

Vittorio’s Secret
Auto Italia drives a magnificent coachbuilt Alfa Romeo 6C – this one with a V12 secret. Simon Moore writes: “In fact, when you open the bonnet to look at the engine, the initial reaction is that it is indeed a straight-six with twin overhead camshafts – but look carefully! The effect is exacerbated by the valves being in a single line at 30˚ to the cylinder, ie vertical in this 60˚ inclined engine.”

Fiat 500 Happy 50th
One issue before we deliver John Simister’s definitive verdict on the new Fiat 500, we think it fitting that we make a tribute to the original car with a group test of nine of the little darlings. Richard Dredge writes: “How could I possibly refuse the invitation to put four and a half litres of Italian machinery through its paces around the Auto Italia test track? My mouth was watering at the prospect; would my steed have a prancing horse, a rampaging bull or a trident on the nose? Sadly, it was none of these, because this was the total displacement of no fewer than nine cars added together – all of them Fiat 500s. I’d be lucky to get up to 70mph on the back straight, never mind 170mph…”

Q Car
What happens when you take a stock Alfa Romeo 166 saloon and you add a supercharger and sports suspension? Adam Swift finds out: “Serious thrust is on offer, particularly evident in third gear, which will happily waft you into illicit figures on the speedo… and all the time there is the nicely subdued but sonorous sound from that musical V6 engine and the Autodelta exhaust system.”

Quick Silver
Roberto Giordanelli track tests a rare lightweight 275 GTB on the infamous Norsdschleife: “Today Auto Italia is in an empty corner of Germany and we need to telephone our insurers to advise them of the day’s activities. The owner of this silver car, chassis number 10207, purchased it in 1968 when it was nearly new to replace his steel-bodied 275 GTB/4. Good decision, as I am unable to put a price on an alloy-bodied 275 GTB/4 long-nose. I would not even hazard a guess at how many digits in the price tag. Six digits? Seven digits? Mobile phone to his ear, the Editor takes a stab in the dark, ‘Yes that's right, three-quarters of a million UK Pounds, and yes, on a race track’.”

Concorso D’eleganza

The Editor takes a trip to Lake Como to report on the Villa d’Este concours: “There seemed to be fewer Italian cars at the event this year but quality made up for quantity; take Francesco Bonfanti’s Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 for instance, and Lorenzo Orta’s stylish 1934 Stabilimenti Farina Lancia Astura Cabriolet, complete with its Swastika-emblazoned ADAC badge. A couple of etceterini were worthy of note including a delightful Siata 300BC 750 Sport and an amazing 1959 Fiat 600 Abarth with Viotti bodywork, and only 7800km from new!”

All fired up…
A report by Martin Holmes about the triumphant return of Abarth to world rallying: “Fiat's official return to rallying started off with success to a greater degree than anyone could imagine. By coinciding their arrival with the reality of the FIA's Super 2000 formula they had come back at a most significant time. After some years of laying dormant in the regulations of the FIA this new motorsport concept had suddenly grabbed the attention of the sport and Fiat was there to take full advantage. It was the perfect background for a return to rallying for the Italian motor industry.”