Five Italian cars you need to drive

Italian sports and luxury cars have a global reputation for speed, design and beauty. It all started back in 1884, when Enrico Bernardi built the tricycle car that ran on petrol. From there, the Italian automobile industry began its long journey in transportation history. Italians design cars from the heart to evoke emotions for the ultimate driving experience. You don’t have to go far to experience the cars of Italy. Here are five that are available right here in the U.S., and there are even more listed on DriveShare.

Steven Kittrell’s 1974 Alfa Romeo GT Veloce

Yes, this is the second Alfa on the list, but this GTV is more than deserving of its place in DriveShare’s Top Five Italian Vehicles list. With a name like Alfa Romeo 2000 GT Veloce, this masterpiece is everything it sounds like and more. It’s dressed in the rarest color for this model, Blu Pervinca Metallic, meaning Periwinkle Blue, and the interior is bound in beautiful tan leather with wood accents. Equipped with a 2.0-liter Twin Cam inline-four, the largest engine available for the GT at the time, and a five-speed gearbox, this vehicle is begging to be taken for a spirited drive, whether down the winding coastline or on an open highway. With a spacious backseat for thrilled passengers, enough trunk space for your baggage, and a Retro Sound stereo system, what more could you want?

Andrew Grindle’s 2015 Lamborghini Huracan

The Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 features an exotic 5.2-liter V-10 that outputs 610-hp through a sophisticated seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and on to an advanced All-Wheel-Drive System. Its superior chassis ensures proper roadholding and comfort for its occupants, and the interior is a modern work of art featuring high-tech materials and classic details. The low-slung sculpted bodywork boasts next-generation Lamborghini Design DNA and will turn heads wherever you go.

Roy MP Classics World’s 1959 Fiat 600

Based on economy and affordability, the Fiat 600 followed in the footsteps of the Volkswagen Beetle. With multiple names and ten production plants in different countries, the 600 should be considered a global platform vehicle. Originally built with a rear-mounted 633-cc inline-four, this example now has a 1600-cc engine pulled from another Fiat of the same period. Weighing in at just over 1,200-lbs, this Fiat can still hold four passengers, but the suitcases might have to ride on the luggage rack. The interior is custom with black and red diamond stitched seats and matching carpet and floor mats. As you get behind the wheel, you will notice the gauges on the dash have been tastefully updated to a modern illuminated unit, since we all know how unreliable old gauges can be. An Italian flag stripe adorns the car from front to back, all ten and a half feet of it. As the old saying goes, big things come in small packages.

Thomas Henao’s 1999 Ferrari 360 Modena

Here’s your chance to get behind the wheel of this gorgeous Ferrari 360 Modena. It’s powered by a 3.6-liter V-8 and makes 400-hp. In combination with the F1 semi-automatic transmission and active suspension, you will be provided with a driving experience you won’t find anywhere else. Though not the typical Ferrari Rosso Corsa (Racing Red), the sleek body styling and intoxicating exhaust notes keep the this 360 true to its heritage. This is the ultimate driving experience.

Matt Mortimer’s 2008 Lamborhgini Gallardo Superleggera

Recognized by enthusiasts from ages eight to eighty, this Italian thoroughbred still lays waste to others. By just the name alone, you can already begin to imagine its exotic styling and immense horsepower. The Lamborghini Gallardo is enticing in itself, but this vehicle also happens to be a Superleggera, meaning “super light.” The use of carbon fiber for the door panels, sports seats, diffusers, and a few other components shaved a couple-hundred pounds off of the car. A power increase from the standard Gallardo comes from the addition of an updated ECU, intake and exhaust system, which produces a staggering 523-hp from the mid-engine V-10. Why keep dreaming when you can actually get behind the wheel?