Spada’s Finest
Ercole Spada is among the greatest designers of the 20th century, and this lovely bright blue 1966 Lancia Fulvia Sport Zagato is one of this most accessible creations. Thanks to its redesigned aerodynamic bodywork, the Fulvia Sport is capable of reaching an impressive top speed of 170 km/h. However, we imagine any owner of this little Lancia would prefer to take it slow and savour that 1.2-litre V4’s charismatic howl and the ultra-sweet handling of this beautiful 1960s sports car.
This example, chassis number 1017, was the 17th Fulvia Sport built, and is one of only 202 aluminium-bodied examples to feature the 1.2-litre engine. Having been restored to its original colour combination of blue over black, this Fulvia Sport is in great but usable condition. Even better, it currently resides on the salt-free roads of Japan, meaning corrosion on any of the non-aluminium running gear shouldn’t be a worry for its next custodian.
Cookie O’Clock
Air-cooled 911s have reached eye-watering values over the past decade, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still a few reasonably-priced peaches out there, ripe for the picking. This 1982 Porsche 911 SC is one such example, and while it has plenty of miles in its past, it has been fastidiously maintained and consequently remains in stunning condition.
Fuchs are the go-to wheel choice for many porscheholics, but we absolutely love the ‘cookie cutter’ style wheels on this example, especially as you see them so rarely nowadays. The rest of the spec is pretty perfect too, with wonderful Light Blue Metallic bodywork and a to-die-for Pasha interior rounding off this classy SC. If you want a classic 911 to drive every day, this would be a great choice.
Pillarless Perfection
Okay, full disclosure: I own almost this exact model, albeit in silver, so I am a little biased. However, having covered thousands of deeply relaxing highways miles in the armchair-like seats of my E320 Coupe, I can report that there are very few cars that cover long distances as effortlessly as this 1990s autobahn devourer. Additionally, with the AMGs of this era reaching stratospheric sums, this rare Sportline variant of the C124 represents the next-best-thing for a fraction of the cost.
This 1995 Mercedes E320 Coupe wears an extremely handsome combination of Dark Blue Metallic paint with a grey interior and rides on some tasty 18 inch AMG rims. Even better, it has recently enjoyed some mechanical TLC, with new brakes and an overhauled gearbox offering factory-fresh performance. So, if you want a bulletproof daily from Merc’s peak over-engineering phase, give this Bruno Sacco-designed cruiser a try.
One Cool Cat
Soap-bar styling doesn’t get much better (or more ovoid) than this 1998 Jaguar XKR. The looks might not be for everyone, but with modern sports cars becoming ever more angular and aggressive, the pebble-smooth surfacing on this big cat feels like a breath of fresh air. And if you don’t like the looks, you’ll surely enjoy the scream of that supercharged V8.
This XKR is as attractive as they come, featuring a very rare combination of Antigua Pearl Blue Paint and an Oatmeal interior that looks impressively fresh, probably thanks to this example’s low mileage of just 44,315 miles. Some drivers may turn their nose up at the ZF 5-speed gearbox, but this 363 horsepower Jag is more of an old-school grand tourer than an outright sports car and should be enjoyed with one arm on the sill and a heavy right foot.
Black Bomber
Finishing off the week with a bang, we have one of the greatest M cars of the 21st century: the mighty BMW 1 M Coupe. Only available in black, white or a really rather unsavoury shade of burnt orange, this example from 2011 was fortunately finished in the former, and looks all the better for it. Admittedly, the 1 M Coupe is a bit of a parts bin special, borrowing components from larger BMWs of the time rather than going all-out race car. However, those that have driven these pocket rockets all agree: the 1 M Coupe has all the ingredients found in the best M cars of all time.
Originally delivered to Sweden, this 335 horsepower coupe currently shows just 31,815 miles on the clock and looks to be in fabulous condition. Although once modified, this example has been returned to factory specification and comes with a number of choice upgrades as spare parts, including an Akrapovic exhaust which we would absolutely refit. These 1 M Coupes have become a fan-favourite among collectors and journalists alike, so we wouldn’t be surprised if they climb in value in the coming years.
