From Abarth’s offended little stingers to V12 Ferraris and all the things in between, Italy affords one of many world’s most numerous portfolios on the subject of sports activities vehicles. As completely different as they’re, what unites all of them is that they’re engineered with ardour and overflowing with character.
In any case, Italy is understood for its zealous dedication to discovering magnificence and pleasure in all the things, which positively displays on our favourite automotive section. With that in thoughts, it’s close to unattainable to make a definitive listing of Italy’s best sports activities vehicles with out it being an encyclopedic assortment. So, right here’s our collection of fifteen wonderful Italian sports activities vehicles that each one performed necessary historic roles, shaping the automotive world to this very day.
#1: Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 Sport
Earlier than the Ferraris, the Maseratis, the Abarths, and the Lamborghinis, Alfa Romeo was the quintessential Italian sports activities automobile maker—and there’s a typical consensus that it began with the 6C 1500 Sport. It was a 1.5-liter straight-six-powered 2-seater inbuilt a number of specs, together with ones with twin overhead camshafts and a supercharger.
No matter specific specification, the 6C 1500 Sport was particularly constructed to compete in all forms of races—together with the fabled Mille Miglia, the place it gained in 1928, scoring the primary out of 10 victories for Alfa Romeo.
Along with competing in prestigious occasions, Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 Sport appeared in quite a few native races, pushed by aces who have been but to show themselves to the growing racing world. Certainly one of them was Enzo Ferrari, who established Scuderia Ferrari in 1929 as an Alfa Romeo racing group because of his success with this automobile. So the 6C 1500 Sport not established Alfa Romeo as motorsport royalty but in addition helped create what would develop into essentially the most recognizable sports activities automobile maker on the earth.
#2: Cisitalia 202
Established by Piero Dusio in 1946, the Cisitalia model didn’t survive lengthy within the unforgiving financial local weather of post-WW2 Italy. Nonetheless, it’s considered one of the vital influential Italian automotive corporations regardless of being comparatively nameless outdoors of automobile fans’ circles. The primary motive for that’s this very car. The Cisitalia 202 was conveyed as each a street and a race automobile and was partly engineered by Carlo Abarth.
The chassis and physique design was the primary undertaking carried out by a younger designer named Battista Farina, and it proved to develop into one among his most influential ones. The Cisitalia’s fluid, sculptural physique with an extended hood and a brief cabin set a blueprint for generations of berlinettas and barchettas.
The design quickly gained worldwide recognition when the Cisitalia 202 was included in MoMA’s 1951 exhibition named 8 Vehicles. By that point, although, each Farina and Abarth had arrange their blossoming companies, creating different automotive icons one after the other.
#3: Maserati A6 1500
Similar to Enzo Ferrari minimize his tooth in racing earlier than transferring to street vehicles, the Maserati brothers additionally employed their expertise from motorsports to create quick avenue going cars. The A6 nameplate thus appeared nearly concurrently on some very completely different vehicles, all powered by vigorous straight-six engines.
The alphanumeric designation stood for Alfieri Six-Cylinder, whereas the numbers signified engine displacement of both 1.5 or 2 liters. Humble by at present’s requirements, the engines have been enough for late Nineteen Forties Italy, and the race vehicles’ success was adopted by a roadworthy A6 1500.
Maserati brothers commenced the A6 collection’ improvement earlier than the struggle, ending it in 1947. Since Pinin Farina drew this automobile as nicely, the A6 1500 was a streamlined coupé with an extended hood, very like the earlier automobile on the listing. In its three-year manufacturing span, Maserati constructed 61 of those vehicles, upgrading to the A6G 2000, A6GCS/53, Maserati A6G/54, and the A6GCM single seater. The momentum Maserati gained with the A6 collection gave beginning to the 3500 GT—a automobile which put Maserati on par with the business’s best names (and the place it stays to today regardless of all its ups and downs).
#4: Fiat Abarth 595
Submit-WW2 Italy has had it fairly tough, balancing out between uncooked materials shortages and a necessity for an financial rebuild. This case gave beginning to the Fiat 500, a brand new Italian individuals’s automobile launched in 1957. With a rear-mounted 2-cylinder engine, it was hardly something however a household automobile—however its charming design and reasonably priced price ticket made it the nation’s favourite.
Miniature in dimensions and with a canvas roof saving up on metal, the five hundred was a super automobile to buzz round slender Italian metropolis streets. Because it shortly turned out, many thought the five hundred may do it quicker, and one pace specialist went to the best lengths to show it.
By the point Fiat launched the five hundred, Carlo Abarth had already established a enterprise reference to Fiat, which made the method simpler. In Abarth’s workshop, the five hundred first bought its energy upped from 13 to 21 horsepower, however the first substantial change got here in 1963 when the engine’s displacement was elevated to 593 cubic centimeters.
The Fiat Abarth 595 was the muse for all additional enhancement, in addition to different Abarth initiatives inside Fiat, till he finally bought his firm in 1971. Lastly, when the five hundred Nuova was reborn in fashionable guise, the 595 made a roaring comeback, proving simply how massive of an impression this tiny sports activities automobile had on the Italian automotive scene.
#5: Ferrari 250 GTO
On the utterly reverse aspect of the spectrum is essentially the most superior Italian sports activities automobile of the Nineteen Sixties, crème de la crème of the famend 250 Sequence and essentially the most helpful basic automobile on the earth: the Ferrari 250 GTO—Gran Turismo Omologato.
The 250 GTO was constructed from 1962 to 1964 to fulfill homologation necessities of FIA’s Group 3 (the uppermost GT class), and as such, it gathered Italy’s best engineers: Giotto Bizzarrini, Sergio Scaglietti and Mauro Forghieri. In a heated improvement course of, the 250 GTO was born and produced in 36 examples.
As its identify steered, this automobile was supposed for use in racing, each by Scuderia Ferrari and privateers personally accepted by Enzo Ferrari. After an illustrious racing profession, the Ferrari 250 GTO grew to become sizzling in collector circles for its rarity, magnificence and motorsport provenance within the golden period of GT racing. And the remaining is historical past.
#6: Lamborghini Miura
Ferrucio Lamborghini’s first automobile was gorgeous with none doubt however was hardly revolutionary, because it was a direct reply to Ferrari’s V12 grand tourers. The Miura, however, was precisely what a tractor producer from Sant’Agata Bolognese wanted to show itself to the world—and, extra importantly, disrupt Enzo Ferrari himself.
What made the Miura so unforgivingly revolutionary wasn’t its attractive physique (it famously didn’t want one to infuriate Enzo on the 1965 Turin Motor Present). As a substitute, it was Giampaolo Dallara and Paolo Stanzani’s novel semi-monocoque bare chassis with a transversely mid-mounted V12. This second marked the beginning of the fashionable supercar, reworking the world of sports activities vehicles eternally.
#7: Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
In its lengthy and illustrious historical past, Alfa Romeo had dozens of actually iconic sports activities vehicles and though every of them left a giant mark on the nation’s automotive historical past, one automobile specifically guidelines above all of them.
It was the legendary Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, a avenue worthy Alfa Romeo 33/2 prototype given a brand new physique by grasp designer Franco Scaglione. Low, voluptuous and with butterfly doorways, the 33 Stradale blurred the traces between street and race vehicles. Solely 18 chassis have been ever created, 5 of which grew to become essentially the most influential idea vehicles of the Nineteen Sixties and the Nineteen Seventies.
At present, the unique 33 Stradale is taken into account to be essentially the most lovely sports activities automobile ever created. Seeing it in individual is the automotive equal of experiencing an important work of Renaissance artwork.
#8: Fiat 124 Spider
Again within the days, Fiat had a historical past of manufacturing an entire vary of various vehicles below one platform, and such was the case with the 124 as nicely. Initially a household sedan or a wagon, the Fiat 124 was extra famously a coupé and a convertible.
The extra well-known of the 2, the 124 Spider mated considerably easy mechanics with an alluring physique from Pininfarina’s Tom Tjaarda, changing into an prompt hit not solely in Europe however throughout the pond, too.
In its native continent, it was an reasonably priced piece of l. a. dolce vita with a rallying pedigree—and in America, it grew to become one of the vital profitable Italian imports. Launched amidst the continued security disaster, when most producers deserted growing new convertibles, the 124 Spider continued on promoting in america all the way in which to 1985.
Enjoyable reality: the 124 Spider demonstrated one of the vital Italian engineering efforts of all time. To fulfill minimal headlamp top necessities within the States, engineers at Fiat merely made the 124 Spider’s suspension increased as a substitute of redesigning the entrance finish—as a result of no one messes with Italian design.
#9: DeTomaso Pantera
Though this automobile proudly wore an Argentinean flag on its emblem and was famously powered by a palette of Ford V8 engines, the De Tomaso Pantera was nonetheless engineered and made in Italy—successfully making it an Italian automobile.
Alejandro De Tomaso primarily based his automotive operations in Northern Italy, house of each sports activities automobile maker that mattered, and his predominant objective was to supply a aggressive fashionable sports activities automobile to rival the business’s greats. The primary automobile to return shut was the Mangusta, however the Argentinean industrialist hit a homerun with its successor, the Pantera.
What made the Pantera so nice, although, was not simply the truth that it supplied a style of Italian exotica for a fraction of the value, however that it additionally outsold all its competitors by a landslide. At present, Ferraris and Lamborghinis are promoting within the tens of hundreds, however with over 7,000 vehicles produced from 1971 to 1992, the Pantera was a pioneering mass-produced Italian mid-engined sports activities automobile.
The key of the De Tomaso Pantera’s success was in Ford’s in depth dealership assist in america, essentially the most profitable abroad marketplace for excessive efficiency cars. Efficiency-thirsty Individuals have been supplied a automobile that seemed and carried out like a thoroughbred unique with the working prices of a Ford. Within the longer run, De Tomaso couldn’t sustain with the remainder of the business, leaving the Pantera as the corporate’s best success and a milestone automobile for impartial Italian carmakers.
#10: Lamborghini Countach
Similar to the Miura despatched shockwaves by means of the business in 1965, the Lamborghini Countach did just about the identical in 1971 as an idea and in 1974 as a manufacturing automobile. Minimalist, razor sharp and hostile, the brand new Lamborghini flagship was one other masterpiece by Marcello Gandini.
The V12 was mid-mounted once more, however this time longitudinally with the gearbox up in entrance. The notoriously cramped inside was simply part of the drama, as a result of upward-opening scissor doorways utterly stole the present because the automobile’s standout function.
The Countach was not solely one of many wildest manufacturing vehicles ever to return from Italy, however its quite a few updates have rendered it much more excessive than Gandini initially envisioned. With its gratuitous use of aerodynamic addons, the 5000QV and twenty fifth Anniversary variants epitomized all of the Nineteen Eighties extra, changing into the last decade’s best popular culture icons.
Past simply its cultural significance, the Countach is immensely necessary because it was pivotal for Lamborghini. Its fundamental structure remains to be a necessary piece of Lamborghini’s id, each mechanically and style-wise, which is what makes the Countach the milestone automobile for Sant’Agata Bolognese.
#11: Lancia Stratos
Lancia’s ascension in the direction of rallying stardom started within the mid-Nineteen Sixties, when Fiat took over and Cesare Fiorio fashioned HF Squadra Corse. The nimble front-wheel drive Fulvia took on the nationwide and European rallying scene, however to stay on the prime of highest rallying echelons after the 1972 world title, Lancia wanted extra. There got here the Stratos, the primary automobile purpose-built for rallying.
From its brief wheelbase to the panoramic windshield, every a part of the Stratos put operate over kind, however its physique was all however forgettable. Gandini’s genius shined as soon as once more, making a wedge-shaped weapon of a automobile with a staggered stance and alien-like aura.
For the efficiency to match the appears, the Stratos was Ferrari-powered, sporting a 2.4-liter V6 from the Dino 246. As soon as homologated, the Stratos demonstrated its dominance, successful three consecutive world titles from 1974 to 1976 and scoring victories as late as 1981. The Stratos revolutionized rallying by making it extra radical and experimental, altering the game eternally and pushing the boundaries of sports activities automobile design to an entire new degree.
#12: Ferrari F40
Enzo Ferrari was famously against the concept of mid-engined vehicles, however the BB collection broke the ice and Maranello entered a brand new period. The 308 grew to become the corporate’s staple sports activities automobile and the 288 GTO supercar revived the enduring nameplate as a homologation particular constructed to compete in Group B. Its successor was launched in 1987 to rejoice 40 years of Enzo and his firm creating the world’s most unique sports activities vehicles—and as anticipated, it ended up being the world’s best sports activities automobile.
Constructed across the 288 GTO, the Ferrari F40 had each bit turned as much as eleven. The physique was a cleaned up 288 GTO Evoluzione, the two.9-liter twin-turbo V8 pushed practically 480 horsepower, and the stripped-down inside completely underlined Ferrari’s racing prowess.
To youngsters who dreamed of it, this iconic piece of equipment was a childhood poster automobile, and people fortunate sufficient to drive it discovered it to be essentially the most thrilling driving expertise cash may purchase. Furthermore, the F40 was an infinite success by hypercar requirements, making full use of the Nineteen Eighties financial growth by promoting over 1300 copies as a substitute of an initially-planned 400-car run.
On a tragic word, this was additionally the final automobile personally accepted by Il Commendatore, who handed in 1988. Three and a half a long time after its premiere, the F40 remains to be the epitome of an Italian supercar, and it’s simply one of the vital exceptional vehicles mankind has ever constructed.
#13: Lancia Delta Integrale
Born out of the monstrous Delta S4, the Delta Integrale was a simplified, extra serene tackle the enduring homologation particular. Within the aftermath of Group B’s demise, this all-wheel drive five-door hatchback continued the place the S4 was compelled to cease, successful six consecutive World Rally Championships from 1987 to 1992 below Group A laws and Martini Racing colours.
Parallel to its victories, the roadgoing Delta Integrale was evolving too—getting wider fenders, extra energy, and numerous revisions that made it extra assertive when pushed to its limits.
Because it turned out, the Delta Integrale was the final ray of sunshine in Lancia’s motorsport mythos. After the Integrale, all of it progressively went downhill for Lancia, and now it barely exists, awaiting its massive comeback or whole demise. Because of the Delta Integrale and all its accomplishments although, Lancia will eternally be remembered as one among Italian business’s best—it doesn’t matter what the longer term brings.
#14: Pagani Zonda
One other automobile with South American roots and a non-Italian powertrain, Pagani Zonda is Italian by its birthplace and spirit (and an all-time nice for disrupting the established order within the Italian unique business). Below Juan Manuel Fangio’s steering, Horacio Pagani left his native Argentina to pursue a profession in Northern Italy. Ultimately, he settled with Lamborghini, the place he pioneered the usage of carbon composites by constructing the light-weight Lamborghini Countach Evoluzione idea.
Following the dream of constructing his personal hypercar, Pagani based Modena Design and commenced engaged on his imaginative and prescient of automotive perfection. That automobile was the Zonda, a automobile constructed with most ardour and minimal compromises, encapsulating Horacio Pagani’s quest for automotive perfection on each a creative and technical degree.
When stationary, the Zonda is equal elements easy and dramatic, however as soon as the Mercedes-Benz V12 was fired up, all its vigor may come to life. Initially unveiled in 1999, the Zonda C12 was a giant step for Horacio Pagani, and the truth that he’s getting ready his third era hypercar is a residing testomony to the primary one’s greatness.
#15: Ferrari Enzo
The early 2000s was an period of large adjustments within the business, when high-tech supplies, electronics, and computer systems began taking up. It was additionally the period of hypercars that exploited this inflow of recent applied sciences to realize new ranges of efficiency.
After the F50’s unfairly lukewarm reception, Ferrari aimed for redemption with the Enzo. A automobile bearing the founder’s identify needed to be nice—and it most positively was, setting a generation-defining efficiency benchmark and spicing it up with Ken Okuyama’s offbeat-yet-awesome design.
What additionally makes the Ferrari Enzo so nice and irreplaceable on the listing is its affect on Maranello’s future. Initially, the hypercar’s structure gave us the good Maserati MC12, and the F140 V12 was not a one-car affair both. From the Enzo onwards, all V12 Ferraris carried the identical engine, from the 599 GTB Fiorano and its front-engined successors and offsprings all the way in which to the next-gen LaFerrari hypercar and extremely unique vehicles from the Icona programme. All of which is to say, the Enzo had an immeasurable impression on Ferrari in what’s presumably the ultimate period of V12 engines.
