If you’re in the market for an affordable classic Italian roadster, pick up a Fiat. If you’re in the market for a high-end classic Italian roadster, get a Ferrari. If you want a classic Italian roadster that no one else has, find a SIATA. This small, relatively short-lived Italian brand released less than a dozen models before going bankrupt in 1970, and the Fiat-powered 208S stands out as one of its most sought-after cars. And while finding one is easier said than done, Broad Arrow Auctions is selling a gorgeous example at Villa d’Este.
The 208S has a fascinating story. In the 1950s, SIATA helped Fiat design a 2.0-liter V-8 to power a new sedan developed specifically for the American market. The model never saw the light that awaits at the end of a production line, but the engine reached production in the 8V sports car unveiled by Fiat in 1952.
Victories in the Italian GT championship weren’t enough to sell the car, so Fiat ended up with unused V-8 engines. The company called SIATA and, in a nutshell, asked if it needed to power something with a V-8.
The answer was a resounding “si, per favore!” SIATA stuffed the eight-cylinder it helped develop between the long fenders of a new sports car called 208CS. Initially offered only as a coupe, the model featured a tubular ladder frame, a four-wheel independent suspension system, and styling that was both gorgeous and surprisingly forward-thinking. The brand couldn’t resist the urge to make a handful of changes to the engine, including fitting revised cylinder heads and hotter cams, to increase its output to 125 horsepower.
SIATA released a Giovanni Michelotti-styled convertible variant of the 208CS named 208S shortly after the coupe made its debut, and it outsourced production to Carrozzeria Motto. The little Spider competed in several big-name events; It notably won first in class and seventh overall in the 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Like every other SIATA model, the 208CS and the 208S weren’t destined for big production numbers. Production ended after 53 units were built, including 35 examples of the Spider. Assigned chassis number BS 535, the example that Broad Arrow Auctions will offer on the sidelines of the Villa d’Este Concours d’Elegance is the final Motto-bodied Spider in the production sequence. It was sold new in Italy in 1954, and it sailed across the Atlantic two years later. It later lived in England, Arizona, New Mexico, and New Jersey before unexpectedly ending up with a Ford-sourced V-8 engine behind its grille. It sounds like the original Italian V-8 needed work, and parts for it had become nearly impossible to come by in the 1970s and the 1980s.
The car was reunited with its original engine during a restoration performed in Berkeley, California, from 2006 to 2007. The work performed totaled approximately $200,000, according to invoices included in the sale, and the like-new 208S later made a splash on the concours circuit. It earned best in its class at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the Premio d’Onore award at the 2013 Villa d’Este Concours d’Elegance, and best in class at the 2014 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, among other distinctions.
While the restoration is older, the photos suggest this 208S remains in like-new condition. This partially explains why Broad Arrow estimates it will sell for anywhere between $1.6 and $1.9 million. You can put countless other cars in your garage if you’ve got that kind of money to spend on a classic Italian roadster, but this 208S makes a strong case for itself as a rare, elegant, and off-beat sports car.
Report by Ronan Glon
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