1960 Triumph Italia 2000 Coupe

This Triumph Italia 2000 GT marries Italian coachwork with the chassis and drivetrain of a Triumph TR3A. It is the brainchild of distributor Salvatore Ruffino, who commissioned Giovanni Michelotti to design a car appealing to those seeking mechanical reliability and the beauty of an Italian GT. From 1959-1962, chassis were shipped from England to Turin, Italy, where the body and interiors were hand-built by craftsmen under Alfredo Vignale, whose badge adorns each coupe. Ruffino aimed to build 1,000 cars for sale worldwide, but when Leyland Motors took over Standard-Triumph in 1961, agreements were broken. Ruffino carried on production for a time, lost a fortune, and reportedly destroyed all original drawings and documents in a rage. Ironically, this enhanced the mystique of the roughly 100 Italia 2000 GTs remaining.

This car is number 122 of 329 produced, of which about 100 survive, including 12 in the United States. After a meticulous two-year restoration, this coupe appears as it would have left Turin. Its inline-4, 1991cc engine produces 100 horsepower. Period-correct options include overdrive, Silver Birch paint, and Italian hides.