Looking back can be really good sometimes. Browsing the album of all the cars that belonged to Passione Classica’s collection may occasionally be more satisfying than searching for the next car, the one I would like to buy, the one that today makes my heart beat. These cars tell stories about beautiful days spent with my family: loud summers on the beach, a long drive for a special weekend, exhilarating days on the track, the first drive around the town after a demanding restoration.
It makes me want to buy them all over again.
![banner-storie-di-auto-mobile Automobili d'epoca in vendita - Passione Classica](https://www.passioneclassica.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/banner-storie-di-auto-mobile.jpg)
Stories of cars
Who passed through here?
LANCIA FLAVIA CONVERTIBILE VIGNALE
This Lancia is an emblem of great technical innovation and a stylistic example of original sobriety. Born at the beginning of the swinging Sixties and produced in limited numbers, the Lancia Flavia Convertibile Vignale is a rare cabriolet destined for a handful of lucky collectors.
MASERATI INDY
“Made in Italy” icon par excellence, this Maserati Indy evokes the style of the wonderful ’70s also through the colour of its body. Vignale design and V8 engine with a unique, satisfying sound for a 4-seat coupé of exceptional beauty.
After a few years in my collection and several trips on Venetian roads, this car leaves Passione Classica for a new owner.
TVR TUSCAN SPEED SIX
English thoroughbred built by a company world-famous for the distinctive way it designs its car. Great competitive tradition, style, power, lightness: this is the Tuscan, take it or leave it. Now it is in the hands of a careful collector who can appreciate its virtues and flaws, savouring the true exclusivity of a completely artisanal product.
ALFA ROMEO GIULIA SUPER 1.6
The Italian movie car par excellence, protagonist of many Italian films (and not only!) from the ’70s, it was purchased by an Alfa Romeo fan who lives abroad and who, after comparing various offers, was not able to resist this Giulia in excellent shape. Metallic medium grey body and “Cinghiale Maremma” interior, with an engine that takes you back to the ’70s, when this Italian car had very few rivals regarding both performance and driving pleasure.
OPEL GT ROADSTER
The Opel GT Roadster, crowned the most beautiful spider of 2007, lived in the shadow of its own marque without ever receiving proper recognition amongst the open two-seaters.
This small Corvette, as its fans call it, is an instant classic of great prestige: fast and efficient thanks to its 264 hp engine and its refined chassis.
Its new owner is already in love with it.
LANCIA FULVIA MONTECARLO
The Fulvia Montecarlo is amongst the most appreciated historical cars ever, thanks to its unique nautical-inspired design by Piero Castagnero and its competitive achievements that evoke the ancient splendour of one of the most appreciated marques worldwide. This gorgeous specimen, certified by the mother company, is now owned by a Lancia enthusiast who made a youthful dream of his come true, like it often happens in these cases.
Bon voyage!
JAGUAR E-TYPE ROADSTER 3.8
One of the most beautiful cars in history, a true sculpture on wheels.
After about 14 years spent in our home garage, this gorgeous Jaguar E-Type is leaving. Its destination: Italy. The garage waiting for it belongs to a great enthusiast, who will take care of it with the same dedication we had for it during all this time.
FERRARI MONDIAL T CABRIOLET
Balanced, comfortable, performing.
The Mondial T Cabriolet, last evolutionary stage of an undeniably fascinating model, combines the performance of a supercar with the comfort of a grand tourer, resulting in an impressive payload capacity and a setup suitable for long distances. Passione Classica’s “Red”, just a little over thirty, was handed over after a few years in the collection.
To its new owner, the pleasure of possessing and driving this jewel “made in Maranello”.
ALFA ROMEO ALFETTA GTV6 2.5
Jeremy Clarkson, well-known host of Top Gear and Grand Tour, put it in his list of the ten coolest cars ever: impossible not to agree. The GTV6 has a great competitive past (just think of the victories at the European Touring Car Championship from 1982 to 1985), but it is also a movie star featured in several films: for instance, “Octopussy”.
Passione Classica’s 2.5 left the garage to take a place of honour in the collection of a great enthusiast of the marque.
FORD STREETKA
A toy that lasted a very short time. This entertaining Streetka, whose behaviour on the road reminds one of high-performance sports cars, is a genuine “sleeper”, that is, a relatively young vehicle with a promising future as a historical car. It was sold in record time, an object of contention amongst several buyers who, alas, did not even have the time to sleep on it for a couple of nights…
FIAT 2300 S COUPÉ
Unjustly forgotten for decades, this prestigious coupé was sold to a collector who was able to appreciate its importance. Splendid in its pastel blue coat with grey fabric interior, this 2300 S Coupé is the symbol of an Italy that designed and produced artworks. Ghia, Abarth and Lampredi: the creators of one of the most beautiful cars of the Sixties.
ISO RIVOLTA FIDIA
The first 4-door coupé was the brainchild of Piero Rivolta’s brilliant mind. Presented in Athens in 1969, it was produced in very limited numbers and boasted first-class build quality. This elegant blue-coated specimen, a true object of worship, was given to a big Italian collector.
LANCIA FULVIA COUPÉ
It is a shame to remove the number plates (1965 originals) from this small coupé.
Fulvia’s Series I “Leva Lunga” is the beginning of a car fairytale dotted with achievements in competition, on the market, and in terms of historical revaluation. Highly sought after by aficionados, it is preparing for a new life in the New World.
ALFA ROMEO 75 1.8 I.E. TURBO QUADRIFOGLIO VERDE
This 75 was sold to a huge fan of the marque. After all, Passione Classica’s “Turbo” is really one of a kind due to its state of preservation; the “601” black paired with the velvet interior give this car an appearance that is elegant and sporty at the same time. Mats and number plate holder are from the dealership that delivered it in 1991. Barely thirty years old, but with the charm of a much older historical car, bolstered by its competitive past and the diehard fans scattered all over the world. And you: would you be brave enough to drive it to its limits in the rain? Only a true Alfista would do that…
TOYOTA CELICA TURBO 4WD “CARLOS SAINZ” LIMITED EDITION
The Toyota Celica Carlos Sainz is not only the ultimate “anti-Delta”, the car that more than any other managed to stand up to the legendary Italian Integrale. This is a high-quality Japanese car, suitable for everyday driving, that thanks to its road configuration offers great comfort and first-class performance.
With five World Rally Championships under its belt, this car lent great prestige to Passione Classica’s garage.
LOTUS ELAN TURBO S1 (M100)
Mistreated by purists, or rather, integralist fans of the marque due to the front-wheel drive, the Elan Turbo is taking massive revenge in the classic car market. After all, the quality is all there, especially considering the extremely expensive project GM supported to conceive it. Innovative lines, first-class performance, allure in spades. This Lotus leaves Passione Classica’s garage to reach its new owner, a new enthusiastic admirer of this little blue toy.
FERRARI 512 TR
The Ferrari Testarossa is one of the most beautiful Ferraris ever, and the 512 TR represents its perfect evolution. The Pininfarina design and the Ferrari V12’s engine created a masterpiece with no equals in the automotive world. One could spend hours staring at this car without ever getting tired of it…
This gorgeous yellow-coloured specimen was in Passione Classica’s garage for a long time, and today it belongs to a great estimator.
FIAT COUPÉ 2.0 TURBO 20V
The Fiat Coupé Turbo 20V is extremely fast: with its declared 250 km/h (and actually confirmed on track), is under “special surveillance” amongst the youngtimers about to become historical cars “with a pedigree”. This is due to several factors that already assigned it historical relevance back when it was first launched (1994). Such relevance was confirmed with the introduction of the extraordinary 220 hp 5-cylinder turbocharged engine in 1996. First-class performance, then, Pininfarina design (by Chris Bangle), and standard Viscodrive front differential.
Passione Classica’s Rosso Speed, such a rare sight with its sand-coloured interior and the panoramic roof, now belongs to an attentive fan of Italian historical cars. I am sure it will be treated with due regard. Bon voyage!
SAAB 900 TURBO 16V COUPÉ AERO
I have always been in love with my Saab 900 Coupé Aero.
Not only because of its design, so innovative and nonconforming, but also because this model was for years the icon of a formidable company that, after numerous successes, became victim of mismanagement, changed several owners and was overwhelmed by business and production philosophies that perhaps did not suit them (and ended up the way we all know…)
Still, I am optimistic about the future of this marque, still alive in the hearts of many fans; a marque that, I believe, will be back in production (and not only in China) with successful models inspired—why not— by this 900, the true symbol of Saab and progenitor of a series of lucky models.
My coupé is now in the hands of an aficionado who has already enrolled it in its Italian club: bon voyage!
ALFA ROMEO SPIDER 2000 VELOCE
The famous Duetto Coda Tronca left the collection in autumn—right when, one would think, spiders are no longer so attractive.
The cliché was debunked by an Alfa Romeo enthusiast, who proved that there is no more or less appropriate moment to buy a classic car, and will enjoy this Spider 2000 even on nice winter days.
LANCIA THEMA LIMOUSINE
This aristocrat from Turin moved elsewhere and therefore had to leave behind its original number plates that, just like a coat of arms, represented the splendour of the wonderful Eighties, when this flagship transported prominent industrials to and fro between their company and the airport, or modelled in front of a commercial photoshoot.
This Lancia Thema Limousine, with its Lancia blue evening gown and its soft Poltrona Frau leather seats, leaves behind pleasant memories. With it we celebrated an important wedding and led processions of historical cars during several events.
Rare? More than that, this is one of 27.
FERRARI 575M MARANELLO
“M” like “modified”. A 12-cylinder Ferrari: outstanding progression, at any speed.
Born as the evolution of the 550 Maranello, this car had an even more aggressive appearance than the previous model, though without upsetting its aesthetic balance.
To give breath to the new 5,750 cc engine, the 575M had a larger air intake on the bonnet, as well as the whole grille and the air conveyors, both redesigned to offer a greater airflow to the radiators, and greater downforce. Because of this, the underbody was also modified to guarantee better stability at higher speeds.
Aesthetic adjustments were therefore minimal, aimed only at improving a design already close to perfection.
Passione Classica’s 575 was black, with the gear selector standing out in the exclusive white leather interior.
Timeless elegance.
FERRARI 360 SPIDER
Smooth and clean lines for a wonderful open car whose body was basically created in a wind tunnel, and so charming with its 3,585 cc V8 engine in full display under only a glass cover. A top speed of 290 km/h and 4.6 for a 0–100 km/h sprint: incredible performance and a colour combination (grey/Cartier interior) of undeniable appeal.
JEEP CJ-5
Loud, irreverent, iconic. This splendid CJ-5 5.0 V8—so hard to find with a 4-speed transmission—was Passione Classica’s ultimate car for the summer.
PLYMOUTH PROWLER
For a parade by the sea.
No car, not even the most high-end amongst sports cars, can catch the eye of onlookers like a yellow Prowler.
This bizarre car was created under the Plymouth brand, but ended its career as a Chrysler. Its design inspired a very popular car: the PT Cruiser.
Although its 3.5 L V6 engine produced 214 hp, awesome for 0–100 sprints, transmission and chassis made it virtually impossible to guide at elevated speeds; moreover, the interior was the same as the Chrysler Voyager. It cannot get any less refined or more Yankee than that—but the Prowler had been conceived for the one and only purpose of getting noticed, and in that, it knew no competition.
While driving it, I felt like a true rock star.
JAGUAR XJ-C
Here immortalised with its descendant (a 2003 XJR), Passione Classica’s XJ-C was one of the 200 with vinyl roof delivered in Italy. It was equipped with a 4.2 L I6 engine with a very progressive delivery. The interior’s quality was truly remarkable, with briar root details and soft blue leather seats resembling, even in weight, a living room sofa.
An unmistakable feature of the XJ Coupé is the absence of B-pillars: looking at its profile, maybe with the windows rolled down, there are no structural elements that can mar the side view and the rear, the true distinctive sign of Jaguar saloons.
My XJ-C was restored with great care for details and respect: as is appropriate for an icon of the British automotive industry.
JAGUAR XKR CONVERTIBLE
Many fans of this marque, the most diehard to be honest, consider it the last true Jaguar.
I do not agree with this at all: instead, I would rather say that it is one of the most beautiful modern Jags.
And this long sought-after, Sapphire Blue paint with cream leather interior, does justice to a model that in future years will be of certain historical revaluation.
Astonishing for its comfort and engine progression, with 505 N m of peak torque and a top speed of 250 km/h.
This car now belongs to the collection of a great enthusiast of the British marque.
LOTUS EVORA
Not a vintage car, at least not yet; but it is beyond dispute that it is an “instant classic”. The Lotus Evora 3.5, here with a 280 hp naturally aspirated engine with “Launch Edition” tuning, is a GT made by Colin Chapman’s company since 2009.
1350 kg, optimal weight distribution, and a chassis that could only have been made by Lotus engineers.
Elegant in its metallic black paint and tobacco leather with custom gold for the rims and the central line, in reference to the legendary John Player Special.
In some of these pictures, the British car is in good company.
LOTUS ELISE 111R
The Elise is the lucky model of a marque that still applies an artisanal approach to its work, always on the brink of bankruptcy, but with a history and know-how that put to shame the largest automotive companies—not to mention a horde of loyal fans.
When it comes to cars like this one, it is hard not to consider them a “classic”, even though they were made fairly recently.
Nowadays, the Elise Mk1 and Mk2 are starting to emerge on the classic car market, ready to entertain their new owners with their legendary handling.
Passione Classica’s Mk2 mounted a 1.8 Toyota engine with “Step-Two” tuning (from the standard 192 hp to 208 hp of the vehicle here): aluminium and fibreglass for about 800 kg.
Virtually unbeatable in high speed driving. A missile in a classic “British Racing Green” uniform with white stripes.