Auto Express – August 20, 2019

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk SpecialIssue 53

50

MODERN

CLASSICS Italy

FIATCOUPE

Years produced: 1993-2000

Price range: £300-£5,000 Rarity:★★★★★

Maintenance:★★★★★Investment:★★★★★

THEhead-turningFiatCoupéwasdesignedby

ChrisBangle,perhapsthemostcontroversial

carstylistintheworld,whoismostfamous

forhisworkatBMWinthe2000s.

Theslash-sidedCoupéwasactuallybasedon

thehumbleTipohatch,butithadplentyofpower,

thankstoanenginerangethatincludeda220bhp

five-cylinderturbo.Expensivemaintenance(a

£1,000-pluscambeltchange)killedmanyoffwhen

theywereunfashionable,andthey’renowrare.

Fiat Panda 4x4

Years produced: 1983-1995

Price range: £500-£8,500 Rarity:★★★★★

Maintenance:★★★★★Investment:★★★★★

THEhumblePandamighthavebeen

envisagedasano-frillscitycar,butthe

4x4versionhasbecomethechictransport

ofchoiceinposhskiresortsthroughout

Europe.Itscombinationofcompactsize,

easymaintenanceandalmostunstoppable

abilityinsnowandmudmeanthelittle

Fiatischerishedinmountainareas.

ThesamewastrueforanyoneinBritain

whoneededproperoff-roadabilitywithout

havingtobuyandrunabigSUV.Peoplein

remoteareaslovedtheirPanda4x4s,and

Fiatevencashedinonthetrendfor

‘lifestyle’SUVswithaposhermodelcalled

theSisley. Butbecausethesecarswere

usedasintended,theyhadahardlife;

oncetheybecamebatteredanddissolved

onsaltyroads,theywereconsidered

almostworthlessandmanywerescrapped.

Thecar’susefulnessandchicimage

meantheremainingPanda4x4sare

highlyprized.Thebestcarsareshooting

upinpriceasaresult,andsomeare

evenbeinglovinglyrestored.

Lancia Delta

Years produced: 1979-1999

Price range: £3,000-£10,000 Rarity:★★★★★

Maintenance:★★★★★Investment:★★★★★

EVERYenthusiastwilllustaftertheiconic,rally

homologationspecialLanciaDeltaHFIntegrale

Evoluzione,whichisabonafideclassicalready.

Butforthoseofuswithoutthe£50,000neededto

buyone,there’sanalternativeavailableforlessthan

afifthoftheprice;andit’s90percentthesamecar!

LesserversionsoftheDeltaarestillexcitingtodrive

andarerareenoughtobeinteresting,especiallythe

Turbo.Keeptherustatbayanditwillneverlosevalue.

Fiat Uno

Years produced: 1983-1995

Price range: £300-£5,000 Rarity:★★★★★

Maintenance:★★★★★Investment:★★★★★

FIAT’SUnowasabrilliantsuperminiandanamazingsuccess

forthebrandintheeighties,scoopingupplentyofawards

andsales.Itwasspacious,economical,funtodriveand

remarkablyreliable,especiallycomparedwiththelacklustre

models,such astheMetro,thatitrivalledatthetime.

ButwhileUnoswereonceascommonaslampposts,

theItalianhatchbackisareallyraresightnow,anda

survivorisworthcherishing.Thedigitaldash-equipped

Turbo(shownbelow),plusthebasemodels,arelikely

tobeespeciallyinterestingforfuturegenerations.