The Italian Viper
This 2010 Alfa Romeo TZ3 has to be one of the most spectacular, yet unknown of Zagato’s modern coach built wonders. In part, that’s because just nine of these were ever made, built as both a tribute to the bewilderingly beautiful Giulia TZ and TZ2 of the 1960s and to celebrate Alfa Romeo’s 100th birthday. However, while the exterior screams Italian opera, under the hood you’ll find pure American heavy metal.
That’s right, unlike the 8C Competizione-based prototype, the nine production versions of the TZ3 were based on the Dodge Viper ACR as a result of the ongoing FCA merger at the time. Raise that enormous bonnet, and you’ll find a 600 horsepower 8.4-litre V10 connected to a six-speed manual gearbox. Move round to the rear, and you’ll notice the TZ3 adopts the TZ2’s Kamm tail, while there’s a curious lack of exhausts, which instead exit out the sides just like the Viper. If you ask us, the TZ3 represents a perfect blend of rarity, Italian style, and American muscle, so don’t miss out on Gooding’s Pebble Beach sale on August 16th if you agree!
Spiaggina Season
After a long winter, summer is. finally here, and where better to source the ultimate set of sun-kissed wheels than Italy? There’s arguably no car better suited to a dash to the beach or a sunset cruise than this 1963 Fiat 500 Elegance Spider by Savio is dead ringer for Giovanni Agnelli’s spiaggina of choice.
Of course, Agnelli’s beach car was bodied by Boano, but after the studio was taken over by FIAT, production duties were handed over to Carrozzeria Savio and renamed the ‘Spider Elegance’. This particular example sat in a garage for more than 50 years before being totally restored, where even the wicker seats were hand-reconstructed by specialised craftsmen. In fact, this charming Fiat is so fresh from its restoration that its engine still requires some running in, and where better to do it than the fabulous roads skirting the Mediterranean coastline?
Holier Than Thou
Even among the already-legendary hypercar holy trinity that includes the Porsche 918 and McLaren P1, the Ferrari LaFerrari stands out. Boasting four extra cylinders compared to its British and German counterparts, the LaFerrari was also the only car to use its hybrid system purely for extra speed and power, lacking an electric-only driving mode. It was the most powerful of the three, with a whopping 946 horsepower, and — to our eye — the most dramatic, proving that Ferrari could still design a poster car without the help of Pininfarina. Overall, we can see why Ferrari thought it was so nice that they named it twice.
This particular example was delivered new in 2015 in the outstanding specification of Argento Nürburgring exterior over a Carta Da Zucchero interior with the desirable Opaco Carbon fibre option. With just 170km from new, this is one of the lowest-mileage LaFerraris in the world, and it comes with the extra benefit of a Ferrari Hybrid Battery Warranty until September 2025. There is just one issue we can see with owning this dream car: resisting the urge to add to that ultra-low mileage.
See the Light
Like a castaway desperate for fresh water, we find ourselves amidst a sea of two-tonne computerised hybrids yearning for the good old days when sports cars attained driving nirvana through lightweight construction and ultra-sweet handling. Luckily, the Classic Driver Market exists, and with it comes modern classic gems like this stunning 1997 Lotus Elise S1.
The Elise was arguably the car most closely aligned with Colin Chapman’s philosophy since the Elan of the 1960s, utilising an extruded aluminium chassis and fibreglass body for a weight of just 725 kg, or half of a Lotus Emira. This pure white example’s 1.8-litre Rover K-Series engine may be slightly lacking in power with just 119 bhp on tap, but spend 10 minutes in this little Lotus and you’ll realise just how far astray we’ve been led by chasing ultimate horsepower figures.
Diamonds are Forever
Each and every Pagani is a true work of art, hand-built over countless hours by some of Italy’s finest master craftsmen, but naturally there’s always an even more unique and exclusive offering for those with deep enough wallets. This unbelievable one-of-one Zonda 760 Roadster is the perfect example, dubbed the ‘Diamante Verde’ for its amazing green-striped carbon-titanium exterior.
Completed in 2017, the Diamante Verde borrows its bonnet from the Zonda 760LM, while it boasts wider front arches and an incredible Cinque-style snorkel to ensure maximum listening pleasure. Speaking of which, lift the Diamante Verde’s rear clamshell and you’ll find AMG’s monstrous 7.3-litre V12, capable of producing 760 Italian stallions and revving to an 8,000 rpm redline. Unsurprisingly, the Diamante Verde has been treated like the mechanical gem it is, covering only 700 km to date. So, if your collection is in need of a new crown jewel, look no further!
