Italy is famous for many things – piazzas, pizza and Pisa are just three.
As we all know, Italy also produces world-class cars. The historical lineage of Italian racing cars is stronger than Rome’s Colosseum, with Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Lamborghini and Ferrari all known for their motorsport pedigree. In fact, the intense rivalry between Ferrari and Lamborghini is due to Enzo Ferrari being rude about Ferruccio Lamborghini’s tractors. We digress… here are the best Italian cars to buy right now.
Fiat Grande Panda
- Bursting with character inside and out
- Low prices
- Electric and petrol mild-hybrid versions available
The old Fiat Panda was a characterful thing but it was slow, unrefined and lacked some pretty basic safety tech. That didn’t matter to Italians, as the Panda was the best-selling car in Italy year after year. Now that the Panda has finally shuffled off, the Grande Panda takes up the baton. It actually boasts modern equipment like a big touchscreen and LED lights, while the top-spec car gets recycled materials and a bamboo glovebox. Pandas and bamboo, geddit!?
Read our Fiat Grande Panda review
Alfa Romeo Giulia
- Fantastic to drive
- Rare and exclusive
- Sporty engines
It feels like the Alfa Romeo Giulia launched at around the time Da Vinci painted Mona Lisa’s unimpressed portrait. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing – the interior is lovely because it doesn’t revolve around TV-sized touchscreens. The fundamentals are timeless and spot on: a rear-wheel-drive saloon, powerful engines and delightful handling. Plus, the Giulia feels exotic next to a BMW 3 Series, and just look at it! You simply can’t help looking back at it once you’ve parked.
Shop used Alfa Romeo Giulia cars for sale or read our Alfa Romeo Giulia review
Abarth 600e Competizione
- Competizione gets a limited-slip differential and extra power
- In-yer-face styling
- Can be cheap to run if you can charge at home
Abarth is known for its high-performance petrol versions of the Fiat 500, which have a similar temperament to a chihuahua – small but feisty, and deadset on biting your ankles. Now fully electric, Abarth is swapping noisy engines for speakers, and petrol burning for electron zapping. The top-spec Abarth 600e Competizione turns the wick up to 280hp – it’s the most powerful Abarth ever – and gets sticky tyres, big brakes and extra handling goodies.
Shop used Abarth cars for sale
Fiat 500e
- Zippy power around town
- Sherpa mode ekes out maximum range
- Easy to park
It’s fair to say that the previous Fiat 500 saved Fiat – and, by extension, a good chunk of the European car industry. The new one is even better and feels modern, with a crisp touchscreen and new tech. And it’s fully electric, so a full charge (which gives up to 199 miles) could cost just a few quid if you can charge at home. There’s a hybrid petrol version coming, which’ll suit you if you can’t recharge from the mains.
Shop used Fiat 500e cars for sale or read our Fiat 500e review
Alfa Romeo Tonale
- Eye-catching design
- Mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid options
- Tactile interior
Try as they might, the Mercedes GLA, BMW X1 and Audi Q3 can’t hold a candle to the Alfa Romeo Tonale in terms of styling. It’s quite an achievement to make a smallish family SUV look this enticing. And yet, the Tonale – named after an Italian mountain pass – has the driving experience to back the looks up. Plus a stylish interior that perfectly balances digital tech and analogue sensations.
Shop used Alfa Romeo Tonale cars for sale or read our Alfa Romeo Tonale review
Fiat 600
- Petrol and electric options (unlike the EV-only Abarth)
- Usable rear seats
- Chic interior
If you love the looks of the Fiat 500 (who doesn’t?) but need a bit more space, the Fiat 600 is the car for you. An extra pair of doors means the rear seats are usable for normal people, not just gymnasts, and there’s enough room for adults to sit behind one another. There’s an electric version with up to 250 miles of range, or a petrol engine with mild-hybrid tech to save a bit of fuel.
Shop used Fiat 600 cars for sale or read our Fiat 600e review
Alfa Romeo Stelvio
- Most practical Alfa Romeo model
- Great to drive
- One of the best-looking SUVs
The Alfa Romeo theme continues. Alfa’s largest SUV, the Stelvio, is more exclusive and more evocative than the BMW X3, Audi Q5 and Lexus NX. It makes rivals feel as interesting as magnolia paint. The Stelvio – again, named after a mountain pass – is a lovely place to sit, and it’s lovely to drive too. It’s the Alfa to buy if you need a big boot and adult-sized rear-seat space.
Shop used Alfa Romeo Stelvio cars for sale or read our Alfa Romeo Stelvio review
Maserati GranTurismo
- Six-figure prices
- Trofeo version hits 199mph and 0-62mph in 3.5 seconds
- Bold colour options available
With the Maserati MCPura supercar taking all the limelight, it's easy to forget that the Maserati GranTurismo still exists. Even though it's still knee-tremblingly pretty. Maserati isn't a big player in the UK and most of its sales come from the Grecale and Levante SUVs, but you can still get the GranTurismo in several different power outputs. There's even an electric one, called the Folgore (that's Italian for lightning) with a whopping 761hp and a 202mph top speed. We'll take the most powerful petrol one, thanks. You'll need a very large purse or wallet for a GranTurismo, and you can get very carried away with costly options.
Shop used Maserati cars for sale or read our Maserati reviews
Lamborghini Revuelto
- Lamborghini's first PHEV
- Still comes with a V12 engine
- Eight-mile electric range
It might be a plug-in hybrid, but Lamborghini’s latest range-topper isn’t much bothered about saving fuel. In fact, the three electric motors are there to provide extra oomph, and the Revuelto isn’t short of that. Coupled with a naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 engine, this raging bull pumps out 1,001hp.
Shop used Lamborghini Revuelto cars… haha, we wish!
Ferrari Amalfi
- A rare modern Ferrari that's classically beautiful
- 200mph top speed
- No hybrid stuff
Ferrari’s model range is as confusing as its gearboxes, but the Amalfi replaces the Roma as Ferrari’s road-focused GT model. The Roma’s best angles remain, with a few areas tidied up and a new front end borrowed from the SUV-but-don’t-let-Ferrari-hear-you-call-it-that Purosangue. The Amalfi has plenty of power courtesy of a 640hp 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8.
Imagining yourself in an Italian car? Shop all used Italian cars for sale at Motorpoint.
