The Aesthete finds signs of life

Not on Mars, but on our favourite trading site where a fresh crop of interesting vehicles has appeared on the scorched wilderness. I blame Turners for hoarding most of them which I searched in vain for anything to put on the list. So here go...

1988 Alfa Romeo 75 3.0. Alfa Romeo's well known jinx when it came to designing executive saloons was almost beaten by the 75 although the keen eyed and critical might say that they were as ugly as any  that had gone before. Based on the wedge shaped Giulietta with a new nose and tail section, the 3.0 V6 provided lurid performance though its rear mounted gearbox. As the last of the pre-Fiat Alfas, you are at liberty to mourn the engineering originality of this arrangement.

For: Fast and huge fun.
Against: Nothing if you can live with the interior decor.
Investment potential: 6/10 Low milage good examples must rise.

1974 Fiat 127. Everyone should experience the joys of a Fiat 127 where the engine was finally put in the correct relationship with the driven wheels so that it could be driven throttle wide open in all conditions. My old friend Eric Brook treated his like a motorcycle. leaning it into corners and passing all other road users at will. All on 903cc. Forget Mk 1 Golfs. This is better, even more rare and cheaper.

For: Even more fun.
Against: Nothing at all.
Investment potential: If you can get it for 1K, quite a sound investment I would say.

1965 Fiat Crusader. Frequent readers of the blog know the Aesthete is silly about Fiat Millecinquecentos but they have charms in abundance and would make an ideal and inexpensive car that you could use for most things one uses a car for. The lack of mad technology is a positive asset with cars of this era which, if not running, must have a damn good reason.

For: Elegant, chic and a delight to use.
Against: Complicated trim makes bod restoration an ordeal.
Investment potential: Should be worth more than the usual local values indicate.

1968 Lotus Europa S2. If you picture yourself hunched down in the cockpit, headlights boring into the fog on the Circuit de la Sartre as you close in on your class win, you could give a thought to one of these rather than throwing half a million away on something you can't drive or use. Such was the thinking of Colin Chapman in the mid-1960s in his search for the ideal sports car. He was right about many things so pay the man his money and find your inner racer.

For: Scientific and ingenious.
Against: I hope you have kept your dancer's hips.
Investment potential: Looking cheap now compared to the competition.

1935 Morris Eight. Fun of a different kind may be had from this Morris Eight, an early car on wire wheels and in two door form. This one has been upgraded to later Series E power and four speeds which should see you up to practical open road speeds. Remember that you have to stop, however.

For: Surprisingly modern and pleasant.
Against: Not original but do you really care?
Investment potential: 4/10 and cheap to run.

On some faraway beach...

1961 Facel Vega Facellia. Well, what do we have here? An unlikely rival for something the Italians had already perfected, Facel's small sports car had both character and hubris. French pride determined a unique engine and one was provided by gear box maker Pont-à-Mousson. Alfa-like in its architecture, it was poorly developed and most blew up and were discarded for lesser units, the final models being Volvo powered. Facel's unique slab sided styling was scaled down and the result is charming, particularly the shapely tail with knife blade tail lights.

For: Not cheap but no one else will have one.
Against: Dare you use it?
Investment potential: Save it from some awful museum collection.