A further five

Cars, girls' names, cocktails and songs

Where will the intoxicating combination take us this week? I have no idea yet as I am recovering from my annual trip to Auckland where I was like Noah when he was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent (Genesis 9-21). After that I had to criss-cross the city in a borrowed Camry while every fibre of my being howled in silent torment. I managed a visit to Wim Le Roy, a brilliant Belgian aircraft engineer who collects and restores Lancias, so this weeks car is Ercole Spada's clever Fulvia coupe for Zagato. So off to Lake Como with you then, Astrid beside you for the drive.

The song is an unlikely tale of two senior citizens driving into the desert  and the cocktail can only be a Limoncello straight from the freezer.  

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1950 Riley RMB Consider for a moment a 1930s-looking car that can maintain very high average speeds with excellent dynamics, purchasable for a reasonable price. There are not that many candidates and the best of these qualities are to be seen in the Riley RMB. The twin cam engine delivered a solid 100 horsepower and the long wheelbase and rack steering made for accurate handling. Combined with charming interiors and sporting looks, they are capable of giving great driving pleasure. For: What, that pitch is not enough? Against. They have complex fabric roofs and timber frames to remind you of the '30s in another way.

1951 Bentley MkVI The so-called Standard Steel Bentleys were the response to a changed post-war world by Britain's top car maker. The bodies were designed in-house in 1946 by the gifted John Blatchely and the elegant lines of the saloon embodied the high style of the second Elizabethan era about to commence. This one looks well above average and is being advertised at a very sensible 25K. For: The best car in the world then,  used Honda money now. Against: You will need to dress better than you currently do, a cravat at least.

1970 Lotus Europa S2  Colin Chapman's fitful search for a Lotus 7 replacement led though a tangled route to the Europa in 1966, a closed Renault powered mid-engined coupe designed by New Zealander John Frayling with Ron Hickman. Frayling's distinctive high sided profile was aerodynamically efficient aided by fixed door glass which was rued on sunny days. This S2 model has improved ventilation and a separate chassis but continued the use of the earlier Renault 16 engine and trans-axle. For: Like a little Le Mans racer for the road. Against: Some may find them a bit  too characterful.

1971 Sunbeam Imp The vendor may have noticed the stonking 9K achieved for the highly original Sunbeam Stiletto a few weeks back but this Imp is carrying the necessary modifications to make it competitive on the track and it would be an equally thrilling road car. Red looks good on the taller saloon body and the improvements have been tastefully done. For: Huge fun. Against: With 100 bhp, extreme care is advised.

1980 Triumph TR8  Not really a TR8 but a comprehensively re-engineered TR7 built the way that the factory should have done. The received wisdom is that the British industry could do nothing right during the benighted '80s yet the new TR was welcomed as the replacement for the terribly outdated MG and Triumph range. With the light weight Rover V8 in a stiff and modern handling platform, it could have continued for years had money and will not run out. The looks have improved over time as well, suggesting that they actually had it it right. For: Loads more fun than an MX5. Against: Most people think they are a dead loss.