1953 Siata 208CS Berlinetta

Founded in 1926, the Italian auto-giant Siata conspicuously ignored - with few exceptions - the high-performance market and concentrated its empire around sensible, reliable, and mass-produced cars of small proportions. In 1950, the launch of the Fiat-badged but Siata-developed Otto Vu (2.0 liter V8) created a sensation. Some 80 engines were left over from production and Siata grasped the opportunity to build its own 208 CS, using the innovative Otto Vu chassis.

Based on the Fiat 8V, the Siata 208CS Coupe was styled by Stablimenti Farina and built especially for the Mille Miglia. The first of these Farina-built cars was shown at the Turin Motor Show in 1952. Farina built another three cars before it closed, and then the rest of the chassis went to Carrozzeria Balbo in Turin.

This car is one of nine bodied by Balbo. It once participated in the Mille Miglia but it did not finish. The original buyer is not known, but in 1959 the car was sold to Kim Macleod of Philadelphia. In 1964 it was acquired by Gordon Gumble of Tucson, Arizona, and by that point, it was finished in red. Charles Betz of California purchased the car from Mr. Gumble in 1968. Intending for years to restore the Coupe, he instead sold it to Peter Kaus in 1984, who re-imported it to Europe for his Rosso Bianco collection and began a photo-documented restoration. In 2004, Evert Louwman purchased Mr. Kaus' collection, and in 2006, the current owner purchased the car. A frame-off restoration began in 2012 where it was discovered that the original paint was blue. Years of research and effort were rewarded upon the Siata's concours debut at the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, where it earned a class award.

The 1,996cc overhead valve 70-degree V8 engine uses twin Weber 36 DCZ3 carburetors and develops 110 horsepower at 6,000 RPM. There is a five-speed manual gearbox, four-wheel hydraulic brakes, and an independent wishbones suspension with coil springs.