Eight Best Italian Sports Cars for the First-Time Collector

Ferrari, Fiat, Maserati, OSCA, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo. When people think of sports cars they often think Italian. After all, take a red Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider, a sunny day, a pair of wrap-around shades, and even the nebbish Dustin Hoffman looks like Marcello Mastroianni. The reputation Italian cars have for mechanical unreliability and expensive maintenance can argue against one as a choice for a first-time collector. But with the right car and a good mechanic, Italian sports cars can be a reasonable and certainly enjoyable choice.

One of the most important things to consider when buying an older Italian car is its history. Because many became rather inexpensive used cars before they became collectible, maintenance may have been deferred, or the car serviced by a ham-handed, shade-tree mechanic. If one is well serviced by an experienced and knowledgeable technician, it should prove to be as reliable as any car.

Parts should not be a problem for anything on our list. A large and active roster of suppliers (though certainly not in the league of those supplying British cars) supports vintage Alfas, Fiats, and Ferraris. Although smaller, a network of sources also exists to support pre-1975 Lancias as well. As with any collector car, owners clubs are a crucial source of information about how to keep your Italian on the road.

The cars here are rather different in character, but they all share a uniquely Italian approach to driving, delivering the maximum involvement all the time. Whether being driven at nine-tenths on a track or at one-tenth on a leisurely Saturday evening cruise, the sounds they make, the way they handle, even the way you sit in them all tell you that they were designed by and for people who wanted every minute behind the wheel to be a passionate experience.

1964–66 Alfa Giulia Spider Veloce, $40,000–$52,000

The Giulia was introduced in 1963 as a successor to Alfa’s first small sports car, the Giulietta. The differences were not great, but the engine was bumped up to 1,600 cc, making the car a more relaxed driver than its predecessor. “Veloce” denotes a higher state of tune for Alfas of the 1950s and 1960s. Twin-choke Weber carbs, hotter cams and 129 hp (rather than 108 in the Normale) were part of the package.

Pros: Classic shape; great handling; SCCA racing heritage; good creature comforts for a ’60s roadster

Cons: Rusty floors; cars out of long storage will likely need brake and steering work; watch out for “Abnormales”—Normales with Weber carbs and Veloce badging stuck on

Bottom Line: A true thoroughbred Italian sports car for the price of a new Mustang

1971–74 Alfa 1750/2000 Spider, $6,750–$13,000

The successor to the Giulia Spider was the iconic 1600-cc Duetto, or round-tail spider. The revised Kamm “square-tail” spider appeared in 1971 with a larger 1779-cc engine, and was given the more evocative name 1750 to tie it to the legendary Alfa six-cylinder of the 1930s. A 2-liter engine arrived in 1972. It remained in production, continuously evolving (not always for the better), until 1993. For a collector, the pre-1975 cars are the ones to have, offering a classic feel, svelte chrome bumpers, and modern drivability and comfort. The bad reputation of their SPICA mechanical fuel injection is mostly a result of ignorant mechanics. Properly set up, it works well.

Pros: Clean lines; handling; sweet, direct-action 5-speed gearbox; superbly engineered top; active club and great parts support

Cons: Rust; values do not support full restorations; weak second-gear synchro; valve jobs good for 45,000 miles; dashes crack easily

Bottom Line: A Pininfarina-designed classic, fun to drive, great exhaust sound, an Italian convertible experience at a reasonable cost

1974–79 Ferrari 308 GT4, $20,000–$29,000

If you’re willing to ignore the old adage “four seats is two seats too many for a Ferrari,” the Bertone-designed GT4 has many charms for the first-timer. They were conceived as “everyday” cars and will typically have higher mileages than most Ferraris. If you can give up the style of the 308 GTB/GTS that followed, Ferrari performance and road holding can be yours for Camry money. The usual cautions about service apply: Be sure it has been serviced regularly, not just with respect to mileage, but also age, as the cam belts have to be replaced every five years, to the tune of $2,500–$5,000.

Pros: Room for small kids or big grocery bags; near everyday usability and dependability; total parts availability

Cons: Origami styling; four seats; parts and maintenance costs high relative to value; production volume (2,826) makes appreciation unlikely

Bottom Line: A great way to enter the Ferrari life at a reasonable price; above all else, buy only with documented history

1999–2004 Ferrari 360 Modena, $125,000–$150,000

When this successor to the 355 was introduced in 1999, it was hailed as a major step forward in the “basic” Ferrari. With its 400-hp engine, available paddle-shift F1 transmission, and clean lines, it was the ideal car to take Ferrari into the 21st century. Lessons were also learned from cars like the Acura NSX; it is agreed the 360 is the least idiosyncratic and easiest-to-live-with car ever to come from Maranello. Offering reasonable luggage space (room for the proverbial golf bag) and comfortable, yet supportive seats, it can be used far more often than you might think.

Pros: Easy to live with; factory support; modern conveniences; looks; performance

Cons: Still depreciating; fairly common; F1 transmission clutches can be short-lived

Bottom Line: Offers the Italian sports car experience with modern comfort and reliability

1969–72 Fiat Dino Spider,$39,000–$62,500

Ferrari’s need to homologate a 2-liter V6 engine for Formula 2 competition resulted in two of the most interesting Fiats ever offered. The coupe, designed by Bertone, was attractive, but the Pininfarina-designed Spider was stunning. In spite of the superb engine and design, the car was a tough sell when it was new. Not many people (7,500 coupes and spiders made in six years) wanted to risk their lire on low Fiat prestige with high Ferrari running costs. The cars were rushed into production, so early ones had problems with engine reliability and build quality.

A 2.4-liter version was introduced in 1969, when assembly was moved to Ferrari to improve quality. Look for these later cars, as they have more horsepower, a better gearbox, and an independent rear suspension. As with every Ferrari-powered car, as complete a service history as possible will minimize unpleasant surprises.

Pros: Flexible, tuneful Ferrari V6; stunning looks

Cons: Major engine repairs can approach the value of the car; Fiat badge gets no respect; cars were born with rust; crappy Fiat switchgear

Bottom Line: A great buy if you can manage the risk and don’t have a bad case of Prancing Horse envy

1967–72 Intermeccanica Italia, Coupe $28,000–$45,000 / Convertible $35,000–$50,000

This is a car in the hybrid tradition: Italian style with American horsepower. The story is convoluted, so suffice it to say that the cars we’re talking about here are the fifth iteration of the car, built from 1967–1972 and powered by a Ford 302 V8. Beautifully styled by Franco Scaglione, well-built and powerful, the cars found steady buyers until production was stopped by tightening U.S. emissions and safety standards in 1972.

Pros: Great performance; reliable, inexpensive-to-maintain mechanicals; rarity

Cons: Unobtainable trim; no “heritage”; thin market for resale

Bottom Line: Muscle car performance in a svelte Italian package

1965–76 Lancia Fulvia Coupe, $11,000–$18,000

The Lancia Fulvia was the successor to the Appia, the small-car offering of the innovative Italian firm. Introduced in 1965, the factory-designed coupe featured a narrow-angle, overhead-cam V4 engine, front-wheel drive, and a clean design. Beginning with 1.2 liters, the engine grew through 1.3 to 1.6 liters. The second-series cars, introduced in 1970 following Fiat’s takeover of Lancia, added a five-speed gearbox to the mix. There was also a high-performance model called the HF, which formed the basis of the championship-winning Fulvia rally cars of the 1970s. The HF coupes will be at the higher end of the price range, with the most expensive being the 1.6-liter HF model. Any Fulvia is a great handling, fun car to drive, and will set you apart from the crowd.

Pros: Superb design; racing history; rarity

Cons: Scarcity; parts availability; small resale market

Bottom Line: The individualist’s choice, rewarding to own and to drive

1971–74 Pantera, $40,000–$65,000

Another Italo-American hybrid. Commissioned by the Ford Motor Company as a Corvette fighter for its Lincoln-Mercury dealers, the Pantera had all the right ingredients: a slick body designed by Tom Tjaarda for Ghia, the powerful Ford 351 Cleveland engine, and the backing of one of the world’s largest automakers. The direct Ford connection lasted from the introduction in 1971 until 1974, though production continued until 1989 under the DeTomaso banner. Panteras offer ample interior room and amenities such as electric windows and air conditioning. Thanks to the tuneability of the high-performance Ford engines, many Panteras have been extensively customized. The best bets for a beginning collector would be one of the early (pre-’75) models, in stock or relatively stock form.

Pros: Creature comforts; performance; usual appeal; ease of service; club support

Cons: Difficulty in finding stock cars; loud, “street-racer” image

Bottom Line: An Italian alternative to the Corvette