Fiat-Siata Coupé

This little beauty is typical of the bijou Fiats of the 1950s – cars that look more and more appealing as prices of the more glamorous marques outstrips all financial reality.

Not that this 1952 Fiat- Siata 1500 Coupé special will go for chump change.

Apparently based on an earlier coupé version of Fiat’s big selling 1400, this car has an interesting history. It’s selling at RM’s forthcoming Monterey auction – and was originally shipped over by a US soldier who had been stationed in Italy.

And a man of great taste, said serviceman obviously was.

The Siata brand was kind of a tuning company that worked with Fiat in the postwar years – and eventually began bringing their own branded cars to market – the firm went bust in the early seventies, apparently – and it’s one of those brand whose very essence is cool.

The Logo is really nice too.

Squint and this lovely motor brings to mind Ferrari’s 250 SWB and a rat of other fast backed glamour pusses like the staggeringly beautiful Maserati A6 series.

And in a way, this sought of Fiat-branded rarity is cooler than those multi-million dollar indulgences.

Your correspondent, would, dear reader, still have to flog a vital organ to get it in his garage.