Small, specialist manufacturers created many GT cars in Europe in the 1960s, which, owing to their ingenuity and inventiveness, rivaled those of the big car makers. Hardtop coupes became increasingly popular, and trends toward front-wheel drive or even mid-engine layouts were appearing Aerodynamic testing produced...
The 1930s saw the ultimate flowering of the coachbuilder’s art. The most exotic chassis, often adapted from state-of-the-art racing cars into road going performance machines, were dressed in the most stylish, streamlined, luxurious, and even decadent bodywork the world had yet seen. It is no...
One of the finest models ever produced by Alfa Romeo, the 6C 1750 is often considered to be the first true Grand Tourer. Equally at home on the road and the racetrack, the 6C was supplied as a rolling chassis upon which specialists ranging from...
The name Robert Opron may not be widely known, even among car enthusiasts, but the extraordinary sweep of his achievements is still greatly admired by those who appreciate the craft of styling. A colorful man with a fondness for brash bow ties, his remarkable designs...
In the 1970s, North America simply couldn’t get enough of imported sports cars, and demand especially from the “sunshine states” was a lifeline for many European marques, such as the UK’s MG and Triumph, and Italy’s Alfa Romeo and Fiat. Roadsters like the MGB and...
Arguably the greatest name in the history of car styling, Nuccio Bertone’s company was one of the world’s longest-lived design brands. Under Nuccio’s guidance the company created pioneering and commercially successful designs for the likes of Alfa Romeo and Lamborghini, applied ideas of genius to...
The sonorous name of Maserati was, for its first two decades, chiefly associated with pure racing cars. In the 1960s, however, its various GT and luxury saloon models established the marque in the same sphere as Ferrari, Aston Martin, and Porsche. Nonetheless, plenty of ups...
Italian marque Alfa Romeo is a fully paid-up member of the classic car establishment. For enthusiasts, it stands for relatively affordable sports cars and roadsters with, in the classic period, exceptional mechanical sophistication and driving pleasure. But Alfa's portfolio also includes sports saloons and historic...
The 1960s were the heyday of the sports car. Never before had there been such a choice of fast roadsters, with Europe leading the way. Alfa Romeo, MG, and Austin-Healey were the biggest names, and the sports cars they offered blended ruggedness, torquey performance, and...
Alfa Romeo SZ, 1989 SZ This limited edition GT was a collaboration between Fiat’s styling centre, where the original idea came from, Alfa Romeo, and coach-builder Zagato, the last of which looked after construction of the 1,035 examples that were built between 1989 and 1991. Its codename...