Not the most exciting of catalogues this time around - not when coming from an Italian bent, anyway. But, there was still plenty tempting us to raid the italicar piggy-bank. The Fiat 130 Coupe is well known to us, and was actually purchased from a previous ACA sale, the OSCA-engined Fiat 1500 Spider was nothing short of a masterpiece and the guide price on the 116 GTV6 certainly grabbed our attention (read on to see if the car did likewise!). In fact, it seemed everything was listed with very reasonable guide-prices - indicating some caution in the market perhaps?
If that was the case, the fact that 75% of entries sold (with many sailing past even their upper guide prices) would suggest that the investment boom isn't over just yet and the valuers' hesitation misplaced. Below the line we detail each Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Fiat and Lancia entry, giving our opinion on their condition and revealing their final sale price.
2000 Alfa Romeo 156 2.0 Twin Spark Lusso
As anyone who has had even the most fleeting of glimpses at our work here at italicar will attest, we are pretty vocal champions of the superb 156. However, even we struggled to see a reason for this nice, but far from extraordinary, 101k-mile, 6-owner example being guided between £1500-£2000. A very good price for this car.
£1400 SOLD
1983 Alfa Romeo GTV6
With values of Busso-powered 116 models sky-rocketing in recent years, the come-and-buy-me reserve on this GTV6 had us salivating. However, seeing it on the preview day soon brought the conservative guide (£5-£6k) into perspective. Quickly tidied up rather than a proper overhaul, paying near £10k left nowhere enough to budget getting it right.
£9116 SOLD
1981 Ferrari Mondial 8 Coupe
Since the 308 Dino has suddenly become a bona-fide classic, the Mondial surely has to be the most unloved Ferrari? This looked a decent example, but it appears to have been driven through freshly painted road markings en route, as the freshly refinished Rosso livery was flocked with white paint specks. Shame!
£20,000 - £24,000 UnsOLD
1968 Fiat 124 Spider AS
This definitely piqued our attention, having sold several 124 Spiders over the years and currently working on a '78 1800. This AS was gorgeous, restored in Italy and the beautiful interior was one of the best we've ever seen in any 124. One we'd have loved to bring back to Norwich's Little Italy for sure.
£20,000 - £24,000 UnsOLD
1972 Fiat 130 Coupe
We know this car very well, having watched a friend buy it in another ACA sale a few years back. We love its decadent Mafioso styling, its searingly 70's orange upholstery and its over-engineered Lampredi V6 engine. At this price, this is an absolute bargain - even allowing for some paintwork to be rectified on the rear wing. Should have bought it!
£13,780 SOLD
1966 Fiat 500 Nuova
Restored in 2004 to the tune of £17,000 and residing in Monaco until 2011, this little 500 sat very well indeed. The paintwork was sumptuous, although I'm not sure the heavily metallic finish was original! Definitely a 500 that had been treated very well. A couple of years back this would have flown away (in fact, ACA sold it for £13,780 in 2013!)
£7000 - £9000 UnsOLD
1968 Fiat 500L "Abarth"
Usually, a classic 500 described in a catalogue as an "Abarth Evocazione" infers that it's got some Scorpion stickers pasted onto the freshly painted bodywork. This one at least appeared to have been done quite well, but there's no doubting the market is absolutely flooded with these creations. The sale price was probably a mere fraction of the build cost.
£11,660 SOLD
1975 Fiat 500L "Abarth"
See above. This had no more connection to an actual Abarth 595 than me painting some sunflowers and trying to pass it off as a Van Gogh. The Giallo Fly paintwork was nice and bright, but the car would have been so much more appealing to us had it just been left as a standard 500L. And much more valuable too.
£6360 SOLD
1973 Fiat 500R
A recent Italian-imported 'Rinnovata' that, while undoubtedly requiring work to most areas, was a lot more appealing to us than most of its other Cinquecento brethren in the sale. Paperwork from the 500 Club suggests it still had its correct 594cc engine. Here's hoping whoever restores it avoids those infernal Scorpione stickers!
£4770 SOLD
1963 Fiat 600D
Imported from California, it definitely retained some of that states' sunny appearance! Required registering in the UK but looked solid enough, as you'd expect. Its modifications work, given its quirky provenance, and we'd love to see it with a couple of surfboards strapped to the roof, Malibu style.
£5000 - £6000 UnSOLD
1965 Fiat 600D
This 600 lacked the sunroof and the in-your-face posturing perhaps, but looked the better buy to us. Italian import (again with no UK papers) and largely untouched. Something you could really get your teeth stuck into. Surprised to see it go unsold with this very reasonable estimate.
£2500 - £3500 UnSOLD
1961 Fiat OSCA 1500S
The absolute star of the show. A beautiful soft-top borne of a Fiat chassis matched to a Pininfarina body and powered by an O.S.C.A (of Maserati brothers fame) engine. This is Italian motoring history on four deliciously poised wheels. Nothing short of exceptional condition, it was near perfect and a sound investment at this figure.
£42,930 SOLD
2001 Fiat Seicento Sporting
Possibly the least 'classic' car of the day, but the condition was actually very impressive. Tuck it away in storage and this could well prove to be the best bargain of the day. Remember when people were throwing away old 500s? Wasn't that long ago. A good result for a very nice looking little car.
£1600 SOLD
1986 Fiat Uno Turbo IE
My mother taught me that if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all so it's probably best that I keep my lips sealed on this one. We've been hunting for a decent Uno Turbo for decades now, suffice to say, this wasn't it.
£2756 SOLD
1961 Lancia Appia Coupe
From Lancia's arguably most stylish period, this was gorgeous. Originally, this had been offered as a private treaty sale, as part of a huge collection being thinned out. It needed finishing off, but wouldn't have taken a lot of work at first glance. Could £10,000 get you more glamour and refinment in a classic car than this?
£10,000 - £12,000 UnSOLD
1976 Lancia Fulvia S3 Coupe
A presentable, usable looking S3 Coupe in one of my favourite colours. I still really struggle to understand why 105-series Alfa coupes have continued to rise northwards of £25k while Fulvias stagnate in the low teens. I know where I'd rather put my money, and which I'd rather drive.
