Last of the European Collectors

Cars built specifically for city driving are not a new thing as is demonstrated by this 1957 BMW Isetta Slide Window Cabriolet. Its 300cc one cylinder engine creates 12 horse power and can reach a top speed of only 50 miles per hour but the car does get 60 miles per gallon. There are fewer than 30 left in this country.

The fastest production car in the world at the time of its release, a 1952 model of this 1953 Jaguar XK 120 Fixed Head Coupe averaged just over 100 miles per hour in a 16,851 mile endurance run. Powered by a 3.4L dual overhead cam six, only 2678 of these cars were made.

With only 240 ever built and only about 150 still known to exist, this 1955 Lancia Aurelia Spider is indeed a rare gem of a car. Designed by Vittorio Jano it runs on a 2.5LV-6 that pushes 118 horse power. The whole package was clothed by the famed Pinin Farina.

Here is an example of a 1934 SS II Saloon. Not familiar with the SS line? Sure you are. William Lyons changed the name of his Swallow Sidecar company to Jaguar after the advent of the Nazis and their infamous SS. This car features a 1608 cc inline four and sports a steel over wood frame coachwork.

Not very well known, the SIATA car company was founded in Turin, Italy in 1926. In 1952 they released this Gran Sport Spider. It is one of only 30 ever made. Using Fiat parts it was built by the lesser known of the Farinas, Stabilimenti.

This is the beautiful 1963 Peninfarina penned Alfa Romeo Guilia Spider 1600. This example was a former SCCA race car and boasts 104 horse power generated from a 1570 cc four cylinder engine.

Introduced in 1948, this is a 1952 example of the Jaguar XK120 Open Two-Seater. Only 7614 of this car were ever made. It features a 3.4L dual overhead cam inline six that pushes 180 horse power. This model was found abandoned in a garage and was restored by the owner.

More Ault Park European Collectors

Here is a 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Coup. This model is from the last year of the hand built Mercedes and the first with the company's use of the small V-8 engine. In fact, this is the only year the company used the 3.5L engine with this body style.

This 1975 Jaguar XJ12 Coupe (the coupe version of the popular XJ12 Sedan) was the last model designed by founder Sir William Lyons. Only 1855 of these cars were ever produced. It is powered by a 5.3L V-12 pushing 248 horse power.

The MGA Roadster was one of the cars that made the British sports car industry take off. This 1959 MGA is a perfect example. The MGA was produced from 1955 until 1962 and replaced the famed TF Midget. With a 1489 cc inline four, the car's styling was streamlined from a MG TD LeMans racing car.

Manufactured from 1950 until 1969, the Morgan Plus 4 is a classic example of a car company staying true to its roots. With styling and even manufacturing that looked decades old, the Morgan (this is a 1953 example) has maintained its proper place as a British classic.

This 1959 Triumph TR3A represents the third in the TR series that was built between 1953 and 1962. Triumph was perhaps the first of the small British sports car companies to understand the importance of exporting the car and sent 90 percent of the TR3s overseas, with most ending up in North America.

One of the most famous sports cars of all time is represented by this 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Coup. It was the fastest production car of its day hosting a 3.0L inline six that generated 214 horse power and reached 160 miles per hour. Only 1400 of these beautiful works of art were ever made.