The Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT Veloce has always been a car that punched above its weight, both in terms of performance and presence; it’s the sort of car that will get attention whether it’s parked in Munich or Monaco.  

Around 14,000 Veloces were built between 1965 and 1968, making it the rarest coupe variant of the Tipo 105 series. This car is rarer still thanks to its Blu Cobalto finish—a colour not often found on this model. It also remained with its original owner until 2001, so benefits from being very well preserved, while the engine, gearbox, and brakes were all overhauled in 2017.  

I also have a personal connection to this car having been lucky enough to drive it on a trans-European road trip about three years ago, which was a joy. The right version of the Bertone Giulia, perfectly preserved in a rare colour, and an absolute treat to drive—you can’t ask for more.  

There are no fewer than nine BMW M3s in this year’s Munich sale, and while the E36 GT is undoubtedly one of the most ignored, it is perhaps also the best all-rounder.  

Only 356 examples were made with the aim of homologating the model for FIA and IMSA GT competition, and despite its low-key looks there were plenty of changes that made the car special. It’s around 30 kilograms lighter than the standard M3 thanks in part to aluminium doors, while hotter camshafts and raised compression resulted in a healthy 295 PS. Subtle styling changes meanwhile included a unique front splitter and higher rear wing—though the biggest giveaway was probably the British Racing Green finish that adorned all 356 examples.  

I have always had a lot of time for this car. Not only is it a true homologation special, but I adore the British Racing Green paintwork and endless little GT-specific details both inside and out. One for the connoisseur.  

Tubbs and Crockett may have started their careers in a Daytona, but they only became icons when they got behind the wheel of a Ferrari Testarossa. If you’re looking for Miami Vice vibes, it doesn’t get any better than this: a 1986 ‘Monospecchio’ spectacularly finished in Bianco.  

For me, the Monospecchio—or single mirror—is the purest expression of the Testarossa platform and an irresistible symbol of eighties excess. The colour of this particular car makes it even more special. While the hero car from Miami Vice left the factory in black before being painted white for better visibility during night scenes, this Monospecchio was born in Bianco—one of only 15 early single-mirror examples built in that shade.  

To top things off, the car was awarded Ferrari Classiche certification last year, confirming that it still has its original matching-numbers chassis, engine, and gearbox. If I was going to buy any Testarossa, it would be this one.  

Anyone who saw me drive my BMW 2002 from Denmark to Cliveden House for our auction earlier this year will know I’m a hopeless fan of the marque, but one car has always stood out among the others: the BMW M1.  

To me, the M1 is simply the best late-seventies or early-eighties mid-engined sports car ever built. From the tasteful wedge styling to their superb handling characteristics and that glorious M88 twin-cam straight-six engine, it’s nothing short of BMW royalty. And then there’s the history, being the first road car to come out of the BMW Motorsport division and the start of everything that followed.  

This particular car is a lovely thing. Finished in its factory combination of white over black leather and cloth and benefitting from a two-year, €93,000 restoration by Formula GT in Munich, it presents beautifully. It may not have as many cylinders as its Italian counterparts, but it more than makes up for that with its presence and poise on the road.  

I was lucky enough to pick up a 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta T.I. Berlina last year, so I’m no stranger to fifties Italian cars, but nothing quite comes close to the impact of Fiat’s 

Ottovù—particularly the in-house second series, which was arguably more neck-snappingly outrageous than any of the other Fiat 8V designs.  

This car is one of those 29 second series examples to be designed and built by Fiat’s Dipartimento Carrozzerie Derivate e Speciali, or Special Bodies Department, and was penned by chief designer Fabio ‘Luigi’ Rapi. It’s simply spectacular from every angle, with a streamlined shape that just screams of the future. As well as being a rare beauty, this car retains its matching-numbers 2-litre V-8 and has taken part in the modern Mille Miglia twice, so would surely be ready for another outing.   

I love a car with great history, and what really intrigues me about this chassis is that it is thought to have been used as a test car at the Lingotto headquarters. How special would it be to take it back.  

There is no doubt that its predecessor, the Porsche 904, is the prettier car—but along with the Ferrari P3, the Porsche 906 is one of the defining sports prototype designs of the 1960s. With their low profile, bulging front wings, huge wrap-around windscreen and Kamm tail, the 906 is uniquely emblematic of that era of competition.  

Incredibly, only 52 customer cars were ever supplied, and they so rarely come up for sale you can’t help but be intrigued. This car was sold new to Racing Team Holland, hence the orange livery, and was raced everywhere from Snetterton to Zandvoort, picking up class and overall wins along the way. It was later restored between 2008 and 2013 and includes specialist reports from Rolf Sprenger, Walter Näher, and Andy Prill, so it’s been looked at by all the right people.  

While a spare 906 engine is provided, the car is currently powered by a 2.4-litre 911 S engine—perfect for putting in some guilt-free hard laps at any of the famous circuits that the car dominated in period.  

To me, the 275 GTB is the best all-rounder of all the classic roadgoing Ferraris. As an evolution of the 250 platform, it benefitted from all of the associated improvements, combining them with a Scaglietti body so beautiful it could stop traffic. A four-cam would also earn a place in my dream garage but, on balance, I prefer the more resolved looks of the short-nose—of which only around 250, including this car, were made.  

The romantic in me loves that this car was first delivered to its native Italy, and that it was born in Rosso Cina—a gorgeous colour that I would be sorely tempted to return it to had it not been so expertly restored by Carrozzeria Auto Sport in 2012. After a further €460,000 of work between 2020 and 2023, it’s just too nice to mess with and wants for nothing. To top it off, Ferrari Classiche certified the car in 2013.  

The 275 GTB really is a timely reminder of what made Ferrari design so great. If you could be tempted, I strongly urge you to take a look through the photo album. If this doesn’t get your blood pumping, nothing will.