When enthusiasts think of small pre-war European Sports Cars, England is typically the first country that springs to mind. However, Italy also produced a few homegrown examples, including this 1934 Fiat 508S “Balilla” Coppa d’Oro. These cars are extremely rare, and this is the first example we have seen at Barn Finds. It has a fascinating history and will go under the hammer on October 31st. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Arakinid78 for spotting the Fiat listed here at RM Sotheby’s in London, UK. It is a No Reserve auction, though Sotheby’s placed an estimate of £60,000-£90,000 (US$79,500-US$119,200) on this rare classic.
Fiat released the 508 Balilla in 1932 as a compact four-seater. The last cars left the line in 1937, but the company didn’t stand still during the production run. It released several variants, including a trio of two-seat Convertibles. The Coppa d’Oro remains the most desirable version of the 508S “Balilla”, with its styling penned by Mario Revelli di Beaumont and bodies crafted by Carrozzeria Ghia. It featured a fairly typical European Sports Car appearance, but details like the slimline fenders and the tapering “insect-tail” trunk lid helped it stand out. The seller states that this Fiat is 1-of-4 examples of the Coppa d’Oro exported to Malaysia, owned initially by a member of the Selangor Royal Family. They parted with it in 1938, and one of its subsequent owners was Loke Wan Tho, the owner of Cathay Cinema and chairman of Malaysia Singapore Airlines. Naval Officer Commander Mike Hawke bought the car in 1970, refurbished it, and then competed in a variety of motorsport events. He brought the car with him when he returned to the UK, but sold it to David Mead in 1993. That’s quite a life story, and scrutinizing the listing images reveals a few things. The Fiat retains its original bodywork, with no visible rust. The existing Maroon paint is thin in several spots, and areas like the dash and inside the trunk retain the factory Red paint. Some enthusiasts might consider restoring this classic, which would be relatively straightforward. However, the thinning paint and other imperfections form part of its story, and preserving the Fiat in its current form could be a better option.
The 508S “Balilla” Coppa d’Oro was typical of many small European Sports Cars, with a humble motor and modest power output. In this case, it’s a 995cc flathead four. It produced 24hp in the four-seat variants, but the company raised the compression ratio and fitted a better carburetor, pushing output to 30hp. Fiat introduced a four-speed transmission upgrade in 1934, with our feature car benefitting from that change. As you might imagine, the Coppa d’Oro isn’t fast, with its flathead running out of breath at approximately 65mph. The current owner believes a previous owner changed the engine in the 1930s, and the deal includes a rebuilt, later OHV motor for those craving improved performance.
The Fiat’s interior is tidy and needs no immediate work. The Black leather seats show no significant wear. The door trims are equally impressive, and the rubber floor mats aren’t torn or damaged. The painted surfaces show deterioration but remain presentable if the winning bidder wants to preserve this classic. The only addition appears to be an underdash tachometer, and given the era and performance focus of this classic, the lack of features like a radio is unsurprising.
As we have previously seen at Barn Finds, rarity alone doesn’t necessarily translate into a high potential value. A car has to strike a chord with passionate enthusiasts to raise desirability and increase value. However, this 1934 Fiat 508S “Balilla” Coppa d’Oro is relatively rare and has generated significant interest since it was listed. That suggests bidding may be spirited, and with no reserve to complicate things, it will head to a new home in a few weeks. It will be fascinating to monitor the auction to discover whether Sotheby’s has estimated the sale range successfully, or whether this Fiat springs a surprise.
Fiat’s 508 was a smashing success relative to its prior models. The 508 sold over 113,000 copies in its various forms before being succeeded by the 1100. Prior to its launch, the most Fiat had sold of any one model was a couple thousand copies. Not only did the 508 offer four-wheel hydraulic brakes, but that four-speed gearbox got at least two synchros. The engine was an overachiever, too. The Coppa D’Oro moniker came about because a 508S won its class in the 1934 Coppa d’Oro del Littorio, a 3500 mile endurance course that criss-crossed Italy. That wasn’t the car’s only win either, it was quite competitive in hillclimbs and other rallies.
Bodywork and race provenance determines price, mostly. Aerodynamica coupes will exceed $100k. Run of the mill sedans can go for four figures.
I love this example; it’s not so fine that it couldn’t be driven to cars ‘n coffee or the local cruise-in, and it’s so weird that no one at a local show is going to say a word about the paint. They’ll all want to know how fast it will go.
Don’t know a thing about them, but it’s cute