Alfaholics Annonymous

Picture the sun just dipping over the mountains of northern Italy, the narrow twisty roads leading to your favourite bistro with some muffled pop music passing though the speakers. There’s one car that springs to mind for us, and that is an Alfa Romeo Spider. 

But what if I told you this 1977 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce can do all of the serene driving with complete ease, but also handle itself more than capably out on the racetrack? Well, that’s exactly what Alfaholics have created with this drop-top racer. The basis for the conversion was a right-hand-drive 2000 Spider Veloce that had been first registered in the UK on 13 May 1977. The car was in need of restoration and its long-term owner was a track-day enthusiast who commissioned Alfaholics to turn it into something that he could drive hard on track, as well as drive it to and from the circuits themselves. Underneath, expect to see upgraded suspension, adjustable dampers and six-pot brakes, making it a truly thrilling machine to drive.

As for the engine, Alfaholics’ Twin Spark ‘four’ was installed with big-valve head and race valve gear, with forged pistons and 45mm Webers running with Alfaholics’ 3-D mapped ignition system. All of these upgrades make it certainly no slouch, with a peak power output of 216bhp revving all the way up to 7300rpm!

One to One Six One Two

A car that divided opinions when it was first launched back in 2006, the 612 Scaglietti has matured into a perfectly capable and stylish 2+2 GT, building on Ferrari’s rich heritage in this unique motoring sector. Sharing its engine with the now iconic (and very expensive) 575 Superamerica, the 612 certainly had the right goods under the bonnet, it was the styling that caused the most debates.

It's important to consider the intentions behind the designs before making a complete judgement, where Pininfarina paid homage to one of its most famous creations – the fabulous 375MM commissioned by renowned Italian filmmaker Roberto Rossellini for his wife, Ingrid Bergman, and first seen at the Paris Salon in 1954. This incredible machine had the long nose and scalloped sides, of which are clearly echoed in the Scaglietti.

This example is the ‘One to One’ edition, Ferrari’s personalisation programme that had been introduced on the 612 at the 2008 Geneva Salon. Thereafter, the 612 was only available through this special order process, which was later extended to the entire Ferrari range and is now the ‘Tailormade’ atelier we see today!

The Super S2

It’s a car that dominated the World Rally Championship, driven by some of motorsports bravest names, and is widely regarded as one of the best sounding race cars ever made. The Audi Quattro has true legend status, and for good reason, but when Audi released the Coupé that would eventually replace the Quattro, fans weren’t quite so loved-up. 

That being said, when the S2 Coupé was released in 1991, featuring a high-revving and glorious-sounding inline-five 20 valve turbo engine, the world’s press sat up from their slumped position. This compact, simplistic machine was, and very much still is an immensely powerful car, capable of reaching 62mph from a standstill in just 5.8 seconds. After becoming incredibly rare in today’s market, these S2s are now starting to rocket in price, and will give you a real feel for the pedigree this car has derived from.

Seriously, does it get any better?

We don’t need to say a great deal on this one – just look at it. Take in all of its style, presence and charm, and once you’re done, go out and experience it on the road. The W111 280 SE Cabriolet is one of Mercedes Benz’s finest automobiles, portraying their then unrivalled quest for ‘The Best or Nothing’. Every single element of the car has been considered, leaving effortless styling and a fantastic cabin space.

This example is one of just 1,232 examples ever built and is finished in a fantastic colour combination with a completely original interior. This lavish cruiser can be lived with in complete ease, thanks to Mercedes’ durability and refinement. It also is one of the few convertibles than can comfortably seat five occupants. Now, buy it before we all pool our money together!

Ready to race?

The Saleen S7 is a car that might just jolt your memory back to the early 2000s, and is a machine you might have forgotten about, until now. It was an American car that brought the fight to its European rivals, holding the crown for the fastest production car in the world when it launched in 2000. A regular road-going version of the S7 has now become an incredibly rare car, but this example is perhaps the rarest of them all.

One of just 15 examples ever made, this 2005 Saleen S7R was bought new by the iconic German racing team "Zakspeed" and entered in the FIA GT Championship. At that time, the car was driven by Sascha Bert and the Czech Jaroslav Janis and was a multiple race winner. Since then, it has passed through many passionate racer’s hands, and actually won a gruelling endurance race at San Luis in Argentina, where it now carries the same livery that is had during this momentous win. 

This is your opportunity to experience one of America’s purest supercars that has motorsport in its veins!