And this year it’s all about the Italians
Since 1992, the Tour Auto has been invoking the spirit of the original Tour de France Automobile as it gathers together the most beautiful, expensive and evocative classic cars for a rally like no other.
Taking in French B-roads, circuits and special stages, it’s an awe-inspiring spectacle of auto exotica – and the 2018 edition was perhaps the biggest yet.
As more than 240 historic sports cars descended on Paris last Monday for the start of a five-day journey that saw the magnificent machines snake the length of France, the focus was on historic Italian marques – this year’s honoured guests.
The event was ultimately won by a Lotus Elan R26, with a Shelby Cobra 289 second and another Elan third, but it was those stunning Italian competitors that really caught our eye.
With that in mind, here’s a selection of our favourites.
1961 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale
Alfa’s Giulietta Sprint Speciale – or Giulietta SS – broke cover in 1958 as a curvaceous, long-nosed Italian sports car.
Designed by Bertone’s Franco Scaglione, it went through three iterations during its seven-year lifespan, including the 1.3-litre Tipo 101.20, which carried a higher nose and 124mph top speed – as fielded by Pierre Macchi and Isabelle Martrou in the Tour Auto.
Average value? According to Hagerty’s, somewhere around £85,000.
1968 Alfa Romeo 1750 GTAm
What’s in a name? When it comes to Alfa’s racing GTAm, quite a lot – though no-one’s quite sure what that little ‘m’ stands for. The 1750 GTAm was a lightened, more powerful derivation of the Giulia, equipped with twin ignition and aluminium components.
Only 40 or so were officially built by Alfa’s competition arm Autodelta, which is probably why they can fetch around £250,00 at auction – but it looks much better on French asphalt, right?
1975 Autobianchi A112 Abarth
Autobianchi was essentially a Fiat test platform, but that didn’t stop its A112 Abarth from being a proper hot hatch. Launched in 1971, the diminutive Italian machine reached its peak in 1975 with power amped up to 69bhp – and, with a few tweaks, it could be made into a real rally demon.
Very few exist in happy running condition today (most having been run ragged by boy racers), so the presence of a little green A112 on the Tour Auto is heart-warming indeed.
1974 De Tomaso Pantera
Powered by Ford, designed by Ghia, the De Tomaso Pantera was a real head-turner when it launched in 1971 – though not always because of the looks. Plagued by mechanical woes and a grumbly transaxle, it was nevertheless a magnificent machine, with 150mph within its reach.
Built right through until 1991, it’s the early, Ford-sanctioned Panteras that are most desirable – much like this 1974 example on the Tour Auto.
1976 Ferrari 308 Michelotto
Ferrari might be best known as a tour de force in Formula 1, but the Prancing Horse has regularly made forays into other forms of motorsport too.
Prepared by Michelotto – then the marque’s equivalent of a competition arm – with Ferrari approval, just 11 308 GTBs were created to contest FIA Group 4 events (just like the one pictured here on the Tour Auto), with later editions made up to Group B regulations.
1980 Ferrari 308 Michelotto
Supplied as bare chassis by Ferrari, Michelotto made the 308 into an ultra-lightweight, supremely powerful machine: think 1050kg and 300bhp. That combination was a winner, with a 308 claiming victory in the 1981 Targa Florio rally, among other successes.
Extremely rare today, they can fetch upwards of £650,000 at auction – so to see six of them raced in anger on the Tour Auto tells you something about the participants.
1973 Fiat 124 Abarth
Fiat and Lancia remain unrivalled in their history as rally marques and a large part of their story began with the 124 Abarth. With the first Fiat factory team formed in 1970 and the new 124 a perfect platform, it was Abarth’s involvement from 1972 that saw the coupé hit its stride.
Progressively developed, tuned and refined, the 124 Abarth might never have won a World Championship, but it was undoubtedly a force on the European rally scene – which makes its presence on the Tour Auto a worthy one.
1960 Lancia Flaminia Sport Zagato
Lancia’s luxury Flaminia might not have seemed like a prime sporting candidate, but in its Sport guise the 2.8-litre machine benefited from a not insignificant 152bhp from its V8 engine.
More to the point, it looked astounding: bodied by Zagato, the shorter wheelbase Sport carried stunning curves and swooping lines that were way ahead of their time. Of 344 built, three took part in this year’s Tour Auto – including this 1960 example.
1971 Lancia Fulvia 1600 HF
As boxy as they come, Lancia’s famous Fulvia nevertheless proved its worth as a rally machine, establishing the marque’s sideways prowess in the process.
Lightweight and equipped with a 1.6-litre engine good for 165bhp in rally spec, the Fulvia reached its pinnacle in HF 1600 guise, claiming a raft of rally wins and going on to clinch the World Rally Championship for Makes in both 1972 and 1974. Six were on the Tour Auto, including a rarer 1969 Fanalone model.
1974 Lancia Stratos Gr. IV
Last of the Lancia machines is the Stratos – a bold and instantly recognisable legend of rallying. Bodied by Bertone and based on the Stratos Zero concept, the wedge-shaped Lancia soon proved to be an apt replacement for the Fulvia, flying to three consecutive Championship victories between 1974 and 1976.
Powered by a Dino V6 engine and designed to win, the Group 4 model pictured – one of two on the Tour – is truly symbolic of a dominant force in '70s rallying.
1957 Maserati 200 SI
An unquestionably stunning automobile, Maserati’s 200SI evolved from the 200S to qualify for 2.0-litre racing categories. The result? A forgiving racer that matched power with drivability – and looked absolutely beautiful to boot.
As rare today as they ever were (only 32 or so 200S and 200SI models were built), to see this late-‘50s racer carving up the French countryside is a treat to be savoured.
1958 Osca Maserati 750 Sport
Last of our picks from the 2018 Tour Auto is a related but distinct wagon. Built by the Maserati brothers under their adopted moniker of OSCA (after splitting from the marque that bore their name in 1947), the 750 S was a lightweight, low-displacement racer that looked every bit as good as its Maserati contemporaries.
Only 18 were ever built, with several competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and few surviving today – one of which is the brilliant crimson number pictured.