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Road ,News
DEC 01st 2022

Dan Trent

The ten best Italian cars on sale in 2023

There is no shortage of stereotypes when it comes to Italian cars, the more positive ones being the ability to inject supercar spirit into superminis, an effortless sense of style and – of course – making purely descriptive terminology sound somehow sexy and exotic. Because, let’s face it, ‘Maserati four-door’ was never going to sound cool in English, was it. 

 

There are, of course, less favourable assumptions about Italian cars that linger to this day. It’s not like cars built by other nationalities haven’t had their issues with rust, reliability and general build quality over the years but the Italians have found these associations harder to shake, given the apparent overlap with broader (and often unfounded) cultural stereotypes. Of course, considered more favourably, for many fans this identity with the idealised national temperament is exactly the appeal. And what makes Italian cars so much more interesting than those built anywhere else in the world. Here are some of our current favourites of the genre.

Alfa Romeo Giulia 

The Alfa Romeo Giulia has been brandishing a bit of Italian flair and verge in a segment dominated by Germans since its introduction in 2016. The news for 2023 is that the Giulia has been given a round of updates, taking in a refreshed design inspired by the new Tonale SUV, new tech including updated infotainment nand digital instruments, and a new ‘Competizione’ version of the car, to sit as a regular range-topper. The fire-breathing Quadrifoglio version and its 510PS (375kW) twin-turbocharged V6 has yet to be revealed sporting the same range of updates, but it’s still the jewel in the crown of a saloon range that takes some beating from behind the wheel.

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Abarth 595/695

Just like the rear-engined original, Abarth branded versions of the Fiat 500 have put a little extra spring in the step of the iconic city car and the modern iterations have mercilessly milked that pedigree. With its Scorpioneoro, Monster Energy Yamaha edition, Biposto, Maserati Edition, Tributo Ferrari, Competizione, esseesse and more besides you’d be forgiven for thinking the hot 500 has descended into scorpion-branded self-parody and, true enough, the source material is showing its age now. Thankfully it’s also as appealing as ever, the formula of big boost, noisy exhausts and cherry-picked components from the likes of Sparco, Koni, Magneti Marelli, Brembo, Eibach, Akrapovič and others making it a genuine hoot to drive.

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Abarth 500e

It was inevitable that following the successful launch of the all-electric Fiat 500, that a spiced up Abarth version of the brand’s compact EV would follow. This is the Abarth 500e – the first all-electric car to wear the Abarth badge - and it’s here to serve up the same urban tearabout thrills of the 595 and 695 ranges but (near) silently and emissions free. It’s less potent than its raucous petrol counterparts with the electric motor system serving up 154PS (113kW), but Abarth claims it laps the Balocco test track used to develop all things in the Abarth universe quicker than the more powerful internal combustion cars. That’s said, it does try to mimic the raucous soundtrack of its counterparts, with a new ‘Sound Generator’ feature reproducing an electronically composed version of the turbocharged 1.4-litre T-Jet engine. 

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Ferrari 296 GTS

We’ve already seen Ferrari’s stunning new 120-degree 2.9-litre V6 engine coupled with hybrid power in the astonishing 296 GTB. The GTS takes that formula, but takes the roof off, creating the first convertible Ferrari-badged V6 road car ever. With a thumping peak power output of 830PS when engine and electric motor are working together in perfect harmony, Ferrari claims 0-62mph in only 2.9 seconds, and a top speed of 205mph. And thanks to the 7.45kWh on-board battery the newest member of Ferrari’s ‘Spider’ lineage can drive silently on electric power only, for up to 16 miles.  

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Ferrari Purosangue

Perhaps it was inevitable that one day, Ferrari would find itself joining the likes of Lamborghini, Bentley and Porsche in making an SUV. But the Prancing Horse sees the Purosangue differently. Far from referring to it as an SUV, this is simply the first four-door, four-seat Ferrari ever made, and it shares its platform with the stunning Roma 2+2. But it’s not without any compromise on power. In fact, making quite the statement under the bonnet is a naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12, developing 725PS and granting Ferrari’s first tall-riding, family friendly vehicle the sort of soundtrack you’d expect from one of the company’s flagship Berlinettas.  

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Pininfarina Battista

Given the emotive qualities of sound are so linked with Italian internal combustion engines the shift to electrification arguably presents the nation’s carmakers a bigger challenge than most. Style is just as important and from Fiats to Ferraris, Pininfarina is associated with some of the most iconic Italian cars ever made, too, so its move into the electric age with a car named after founder Battista ‘Pinin’ Farina is a big moment. With nearly 2,000PS, a production run of just 150 examples and a starting price well over 2m euros the Battista will be an exclusive piece of kit and is among a new wave of electric hypercars on the way. Its Rimac-sourced powertrain and fact fully formed cars are actually out there being tested adds credibility and asserts Italian ‘ownership’ of the post-petrol engined supercar.

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Lamborghini Countach LPI-800

Reviving a supercar as iconic as the Countach was never going to be an easy task for Lamborghini, so perhaps we shouldn’t be too surprised to see that the limited-run, reborn legend is not just a tribute to the past, but a nod to the future. It leverages its hybrid powertrain from the Sian FKP 37, using a 6.5-litre naturally-aspirated V12 in combination with a 48-volt electric motor and a supercapacitor, to deliver an electrically assisted 814PS. It’s a sign of where Lamborghini is going, as it looks to introduce an electrified replacement for the Aventador in 2023. Just 112 will be made, and all of them are already sold.

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Lamborghini Urus Performante

It’s easy to be dismissive of traditional sports car and supercar manufacturers making SUVs, but put simply, these sorts of models pay the bills. The money that is made from cars like the Lamborghini Urus goes directly back into development of next-generation supercars and hypercars, and in the case of Lamborghini’s first SUV since the ludicrous LM002, it’s the reason why the Italian marque reported its best sales figures ever in 2021, with the SUV accounting for more than half of the firm’s business. It’s not surprising, then, that a new ‘Performante’ version of the profitable Urus is now with us, taking power up to a devilish 666PS. 

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Maserati MC20

It would be unfair to describe Maserati as an also-ran alongside the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini given its historical significance, but it’s true it has never quite enjoyed the same recognition. The Ghibli, Quattroporte and Levante are respectable but niche alternatives to the Germans in the luxury saloon and SUV sectors, but the arrival of the all-new mid-engined MC20 is a bold move back into supercar territory. An all-new turbocharged V6 with 630PS in a slinky, lightweight body all looks good and an all-electric version will keep it relevant beyond 2030. Convertible ‘Cielo’ versions of both are coming too. Without doubt, the sportscar world will be a better place for Maserati having a place in it.

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Effeffe Berlinetta

Ever wished the Italians still built little lightweight berlinettas like the Alfa Romeo Giulia TZs, OSCA 1600 GT and super rare (but stunningly beautiful) Abarth 205 Vignale? While the big V12-engined Ferraris of the ‘50s and ‘60s grab the attention this sub-culture of tiny, space-framed coupes running tuned-up four-cylinder engines spawned some captivatingly beautiful featherweights, these themes reimagined for the modern-day by Effeffe and its Alfa Romeo engined Berlinetta Café Racer. With a hand-beaten aluminium body over a tubular steel spaceframe, the Effeffe follows the template of those classics from the ‘50s and ‘60s, the carb-fed 180PS output more than enough when you consider it weighs just 780kg dry and has an on-road footprint and power to weight ratio far more conducive to flinging along narrow mountain roads than any modern supercar.

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