The 22nd running of Australia’s biggest Italian-car gathering, Auto Italia Canberra, lived up to the high standards set by previous editions of this famous event. Over 500 examples of Italian automobilia, including cars, motorbikes and scooters, recently descended on the nation’s capital for a day of Chianti, gelato and, of course, all manner of great Italian cars, from 500s to 512BBs.

Auto Italia has expanded from its origins as a ‘picnic day’ get-together for the Alfa Romeo and Fiat clubs in the 1980s to its present status as the nation’s biggest gathering of Italian cars, bikes and scooters. Held on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin, the capital’s huge artificial lake which plays an integral part in the layout of the city, the day attracts participation from all over the country, with some participants making the trek from as far away as Queensland.

Held as a joint effort between the Fiat Club of the ACT, the ACT Chapter of the Alfa Romeo Owners’ Club of Australia (NSW), and the Canberra and District Ducati Club, the event
attracts considerable publicity and only gets larger every year, with the estimated crowd figure coming out to savour the stunning machinery on display put at no fewer than 13,000 people in 2005. The owners are there to discuss their pride and joy – as one was heard to remark, at Auto Italia he, “was in heaven”.

Each year, the event has a ‘feature car’, usually commemorating an anniversary, and for 2005, that honour was bestowed on the Fiat 600, in recognition of the legendary car’s 50th birthday. Introduced at the Geneva International Motor Show on 10th March 1955, the new Fiat 600 (‘Project 100’), was part of the postwar Italian ‘Economic Miracle’ and helped mobilise the country, being produced in large numbers for its time.

As it was released, the 600 was a two (suicide) door, four-seat car with a 633cc (21.5bhp) water cooled four-cylinder engine located behind the rear seats and driving the rear wheels. Other notable features were the monocoque construction and the independent suspension on all four wheels, and of course it formed the basis for the world’s first ‘MPV’, the six-seat Multipla. A brace of 600s turned up to mark the occasion, with Ellen Di Rocco’s example eventually being judged the best on the day.

The Spyder/Convertible and Coupe classes are always closely contested ones, with a number of wonderfully-presented cars on display. This year, the honours went to Robin Zanardo and Scott Buckingham with, respectively, their Fiat 124 Spyder and Fiat 2300 Coupe, with runners-up in each category being awarded to John Di Rocco (Fiat 850 Spyder) and Ian Campbell (Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo).
 

But for all of the little 600’s charms, it is unable to distract much attention from that which is lavished on the millions of dollars worth of exotica. Amongst the Lancia Stratos, Lamborghini Miura, Alfa Romeo Montreals, Maserati Merak and Khamsins, and Ferraris which formed the centrepiece of Auto Italia 2005, a trio of Isos stood out.

Iso, encompassing the philosophy of classic Italian design enveloping a big American V8 engine, reached its peak with the Grifo, one of which was on display in Canberra. A two-door coupe designed by Bertone around Chevrolet (but later Ford) big-banger V8s, developing anything up to 400bhp in 7.5-litre ‘Can-Am’ trim, the Grifo is a stunningly beautiful machine, with a chassis designed by Bizzarrini, who was also responsible for the classic Ferrari 250 GTO. The Grifo was joined by two Leles, around 300 of which were built. As can be appreciated, these cars are a rare sight anywhere in the world, but especially so in Australia, and to see them lined up alongside one another was a tribute to the ability of Auto Italia to draw out fascinating cars from their hiding places!

Equally interesting was a very special Lancia Aprilia, an exceptionally rare Gran Sport model built on a lengthened Aprilia platform provided by Lancia to coachbuilders. Powered by the Aprilia’s narrow-angle V4 engine, special versions were turned out by, amongst others, Ghia, Farina, Zagato, Viotti, Bertone, Vignale, Touring and Castagna. The Gran Sport is Ghia’s effort, and launched in 1948, it is without doubt one of the prettiest cars ever to wear the famous Torinese marque’s badge. A regular crowd-puller, this Aprilia, owned by Brian Hawke, finished runner-up in the exotics category behind a magnificent silver Lamborghini Miura S.

The event is not ignored by the importers of Italian exotica into Australia either. Alfa Romeo and Ferrari both bring along examples of their current wares, while a bright yellow Lamborghini Murcielago was also on display.  Although not as raucous as the supercars which made the marque’s name in the sixties and seventies, the noise emitted by the Murcielago’s V12 is still something to be experienced!

But in reality, as big attractions as they are, the Aprilia and Miura, and even the new models, are still only a part of Auto Italia Canberra. By far the largest gathering is represented by the bread-and-butter models – Alfa Romeo Alfasuds, Giulia coupes and GTVs, Fiat 500s, 600s, 124s, 131s and X1/9s, Lancia Fulvias and Betas. It is this inclusive aspect of the event which gives it such a broad appeal, and looks set to ensure its continued success in years to come.

by Shant Fabricatorian