24 highlights from the Auto e Moto d’Epoca show

Sensory overload at Auto e Moto d’Epoca Padua

With 11 halls, 1600 exhibitors and more than 5000 cars, the Auto e Moto d’Epoca doesn’t leave you wanting when it comes to automotive temptation and a taste of the exotic – with plenty of head turners like those pictured here.

The 2021 edition of the show is on right now (it runs from 21-24 October), and sees a celebration of Bertone, with several of its most outlandish concepts for the likes of Ferrari, Fiat, Jaguar and BMW in one place. The Lancia Dilambda’s centenary is also marked with a special display.

It’s not all about Italian marques, though – Bentley, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz are in attendance, bringing along a selection of curios from their heritage sections.

This being Italy, motorsport is a key part of it and for 2021 the show is paying tribute to the Italian Super Turismo Touring Car championship with a line-up of cars from Alfa Romeos to Audis.

It was tough to select some highlights, so here are 24 reasons why we thought it was a super show – from the magnificent to the mad, with plenty of British and German cars to savour as well as the home-grown talent.

1. 1930 Alfa Romeo P2 Italia

The Alfa Romeo P2 was a highly successful racer – Antonio Ascari took the Vittorio Jano-designed eight-cylinder machine to victory on the 200 miles of Il Circuito di Cremona on its debut.

It was the first of a string of victories, including the Italian Grand Prix and two European Grands Prix, securing the first World Manufacturers' Championship, driven by Gastone Brilli-Peri.

The model was modified in 1930, winning the Circuito di Allessandria and the Targa Florio, this time with Achille Varzi behind the wheel.

2. Alfa Romeo… but not as we know it

If the previous Alfa Romeo was a little too sporty for you, how about this, to the left of the picture? It’s a 1968 T12 Pulmino, pictured here with (from left) a 1955 Fiat 1100/103 Camionetta, Fiat 1100/103E and another Alfa Romeo Pulmino, this time dating from 1960.

Now, who’s thinking of camping conversions for the new Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio? 

3. Fiat Multiplas are multiplying

The original Fiat Multipla was a masterpiece of packaging, managing to fit six people in a space just 50cm longer than the original Austin Mini.

The underpinnings are based on the Fiat 600, but use the 1100’s front suspension. Power came from a 21.2bhp 663cc inline four-cylinder engine, matched to a four-speed manual gearbox. It would be in production for 11 years between 1956 and 1967.

4. Maserati Biturbo and Ghibli II Primatist

The Maserati Biturbo celebrates its 40th birthday this year, so here are two high-performance examples from either end of the twin-turbo V6 lineage. The car on the left is the rare Italian-market SI, which used a fuel-injected 2.0-litre twin-turbo that provided a BMW 325i-trouncing 220bhp back in 1986. 

Fast-forward a decade and the Biturbo had been long replaced by the Marcello Gandini-styled Ghibli II. The Italian-market versions of this car used a 2.0-litre twin-turbo V6 that produced 305bhp. It also powered a boat – Guido Abbate’s attempt on the ‘Flying Kilometre’ at Lake Lugano.

The boat set a new world record with an average speed of 216.703kph. To celebrate this, Maserati built 34 special editions called the Primatist, with bespoke trim inside and out. The interior is a mixture of metallic blue and turquoise leather.

5. Fiat… thing

This peculiar-looking Fiat is called the Sparadadi. With coachwork from Fissore over 1100/103 underpinnings, this was created in 1953 for a company called Mensital to advertise the ‘Prest soup cube’.

Its cannons used compressed air to fire furry dice at events across Italy, including the Giro D’Italia. It later found use advertising the Dancing 007 club in Rivazzurra, which is still running today.
 

6. Lamborghini tractors

There are several Lamborghini Miuras here in Padua, but here’s some early history… Ferruccio Lamborghini made his name and fortune with tractors, and only set up the car company after clutch problems with his Ferrari.

The tractor firm is still running today, but under completely different ownership to the car company. The tractor company outdoes its car namesake in one regard – one of its models has nearly 1000Nm of torque…

7. MCA Centenaire

The MCA Centenaire does exist! If you were a child of the ’80s, you may remember the flamboyant MCA Centenaire toy in Bburago model form. Well, here’s the full-sized version…

Rather than using the powers of your wrist and any gravity nearby, the real thing uses a twin-turbocharged V12 from a Lamborghini Countach, tuned to around 700bhp. Just five were built from the 100 planned.

8. Rover 820 Sterling and Ford Fiesta RS Turbo

If the previous slide was a bit too exotic, here are two cars you’d commonly see in the UK. The Rover 820 Sterling bridged the gap between upmarket Fords and Vauxhalls, and thanks to a manufacturing agreement with Honda, quality was much improved.

The Ford Fiesta RS Turbo was an instant cult hero, packing a walloping punch in a small package. Many have been thrashed and discarded, leaving survival rates almost as poor as the Rover next to it.

9. Super Turismos

Italian Touring Car championships have been the breeding ground for great racing drivers – and cars, too.

This special display at this week’s Auto e Moto d’Epoca in Padua spanned the eras, from the remnants of Group A with the Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo in the foreground driven by Giorgio Francia, through to the electric Alfa Romeo Giulia further along the line.

In this image you can see the BMW M3 E30 from 1992, as campaigned by Roberto Ravaglia, and the Alfa Romeo 155 GTA of Alessandro Nannini.

10. Mercedes-Benz 190E Elektro

The Italian show highlighted the cause of classic cars converted to run on electricity, but here’s one Mercedes-Benz prepared earlier.

Called the Elektro, it was built for the 1990 Hanover Fair, and would serve as a test bed for the developing technology.

When it appeared at the Geneva show a year later, it featured two DC permanent motors, one for each rear wheel. It had a total of 44bhp, and a range of 68 miles on one charge.

11. Fiat X1/23

Keeping the electric theme charged up, say hello to the Fiat X1/23 from 1972. Said to be the first electric micro car, it was on display on the FCA Heritage stand.

Its 13.5bhp engine means it has a top speed of 75kph and a range of 70km at a constant speed of 50kph.

12. Range Rover

The passion for British cars in Italy is strong, with plenty of attention on Land Rovers and Range Rovers.

We loved this stunning early Sandglow Yellow Range Rover on the Registro Storico Range Rover stand.
 

13. MGA

We promised some British interest, so here’s a little more. And while this particular MGA looked beautiful under the show lights, its history was just as alluring.

Christened Mabel, this classic was driven by Nancy Mitchell and Pat Faichney in the 1956 Mille Miglia. They finished first among the all-female teams, and third in class.

14. Bertone Autobianchi Runabout

Bertone had a great history of outlandish concepts and few were quite as eye-popping as this, the Bertone Autobianchi Runabout.

Built in 1969 on A112 underpinnings, this mid-engined barchetta would inspire the Fiat X1/9.

15. Triumph Italia 2000

This rare, elegant machine is one of just 350 Triumph Italia 2000s built. Designed by Giovanni Michelotti and built by Vignale, it uses Triumph TR3 underpinnings. It was the brainchild of Standard-Triumph’s Italian importer.

Despite plans to build 1000 cars, Standard-Triumph never made it an official model. Leyland’s takeover of a cash-strapped Standard-Triumph meant it was never sold via official dealers, which accounts for its scarcity.
 

16. Lancia Lambda

It’s 100 years of the Lancia Lambda, and to celebrate a selection of cars has been brought together. In the foreground is a Series VI Tipo 217 Berlina Weymann, built in 1926.

Just behind it is a Series V Torpedo car, built in 1925.

17. Peugeot 205 T16 and BMW M3 E30

Two homologation specials; lovely.

The 200 examples of the Peugeot 205 T16, one of which is pictured in the foreground, were built to homologate the rally version. In the roadgoing variant, seen here, it produces around 200bhp, but in rallying form it’s twice that – and a lot more.

The BMW M3 E30, meanwhile, was designed to conquer all in Touring Car racing. Though often blown away for outright victories by the turbocharged Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth, the E30 M3 earned its drivers more championship titles through canny team management and reliability.

18. Citroën DS21 Décopatable

This 1968 Citroën DS21 Décopatable has to be one of the most elegant cars ever. Just 1325 were made – sorry, crafted – by Henri Chapron.

Values are much higher than that of its saloon compatriots, but looking glamorous has never been inexpensive. Would you stump up the €225,000 being asked?

19. Mercedes-Benz 350SL Koenig

From the sublime to the ridiculous? Well, it’s a matter of taste. And this Mercedes-Benz 350SL was certainly hard to ignore at Padua’s Auto e Moto d’Epoca.

The car first left Stuttgart in 1972, and was converted by Koenig 12 years later. Just 45 such conversions are believed to exist.

20. Fiat 500s

As you might expect, the Fiat 500 is on show in Padua in all its forms, from hardcore racing models to beach car examples, with almost everything in between.

We particularly liked this half painted, half bare metal example, which is said to be a one-of-one creation by artist Dario Austoni.

21. Flaminia or Aprilia?

Opportunities to drive home with something special jump out from everywhere, with something for absolutely everyone to be found inside and out.

Here’s one for the Lancia lovers – which would you choose, the totally original 1963 Lancia Flaminia on the left or the similarly untouched 1948 Lancia Aprilia 1500 on the right?

22. Mercedes-Benz W115 cabriolet

The Mercedes-Benz W115 was a stalwart German saloon car, if not the most dynamic. Its Paul Bracq-penned lines aped its bigger brothers’ styling, giving it a dignified air.

However, for those with the requisite Deutschmarks there were a number of coachbuilders who could turn it into something far more elegant. This particular example was converted by Bahr, and must be one of a handful left.

23. Fiat Ritmo Abarth and Volkswagen Golf GTI

While the VW Golf GTI has become a legend with a new variant every year, the Fiat Ritmo Abarth, or Strada as it was known in the UK, has largely been forgotten.

And we think that’s a shame because when it wasn’t rusting, the Strada/Abarth was an energetic, exciting hot hatch that provided raw thrills – memorably it bested the Golf in period road tests.

It was the last road car Abarth worked on in the company’s original form before it concentrated on Fiat Group competition projects.

24. Bugatti T37 227

This Bugatti T37 was built in 1926, and competed in the 1929 Le Mans 24 Hours. It didn’t finish the race, but scored a third place at the Pau GP the same year.

In later life this car starred in a detective film entitled Le Parfum de la Dame en Noir, and it was later owned by Tony Award-winning stage designer Peter Larkin. He displayed the car on a specially made terrace at his New York residence until 2019.