Back to back: 1100 TV or Abarth Monomille?

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In some circles ‘Padua’ stands for Europe’s eldest botanical garden, but for most of us the Italian city is synonymous for the most Italian of all Italian classic car shows/autojumbles. And Bonhams will be there, too, selling a great number of cars. There’s no doubt their focus is on Italians and so we pick out two rather nice examples of those. The eldest of the two is a 1955 Fiat 1100 TV for ‘Turismo Veloce’. That’s the somewhat oddly shaped coupe with body by Pininfarina. 

For this model, Fiat raised the power from 36 of the standard 1100 to 50bhp, giving the TV a top speed of 135km/h. This model was raced extensively by Fiat's more sporting customers, its most prestigious victories including class wins at the Mille Miglia in 1954 and 1955. Of the around 780 built cars, this one is also prepared for motor sports and comes with ASI and CSAI passports “and thus represents a relatively inexpensive means of participation in this prestigious historic event” (estimate 70- 80,000 euros, mind you). The auctioneer also states that all the original parts are kept with the car, would a new owner want to bring it back to standard road spec. See and read more about it here.

Today’s other choice is perhaps pretty similar in concept, make and colour. But that’s also where the similarities end. The Fiat-Abarth Monomille GT Coupé is also a tuned Fiat, but it’s quite a lot more advanced. There is an eight-year time gap in between both models, with this one being built in 1963. It’s quite a lot rarer, too, with just four known survivors with similar Sibona & Basano body. What’s more: it is based on the rear-engined 600 rather than the front-engined 1100 and offered some 60bhp from it when new, and supposedly 80bhp now. It was expensive, too (some 30% more than the contemporary Porsche 356), with this one ending up in Austria in the late 1960s. There it stayed until this day, and the car was restored recently and comes with invoices totalling €66,736 and two files of photographs (full description here). That and its rarity should justify the 90- 120,000 euros estimate, although you won’t be able to enter this one in the Mille Miglia Storica… Your favourite? Do let us know!

(Words editor, pictures Bonhams auctioneers)

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