My fiat 2300 coupe.

• Fast, sporty and luxurious, the Maison Ghia-designed four-seater was Fiat's entry into the high-performance Pber GT market.
• First shown as a prototype at the 1960 Turin Motor Show, everyone who saw it said, "Fiat should do this." So they did, and by the time it hit dealerships in 1962, it was twice as expensive as a new E Type Jaguar.
• The distinctive reverse-slope C-pillars and large fastback-style rear window were sharp and provided enough room for four people plus luggage.
• As you might expect, Fiat parts are hard to come by, but the 2300's driving dynamics far outweigh the difficulty of keeping it on the road.

• Fast, sporty and luxurious, the Maison Ghia-designed four-seater was Fiat's entry into the high-performance Pber GT market.
• First shown as a prototype at the 1960 Turin Motor Show, everyone who saw it said, "Fiat should do this." So they did, and by the time it hit dealerships in 1962, it was twice as expensive as a new E Type Jaguar.
• The distinctive reverse-slope C-pillars and large fastback-style rear window were sharp and provided enough room for four people plus luggage.
• As you might expect, Fiat parts are hard to come by, but the 2300's driving dynamics far outweigh the difficulty of keeping it on the road.

Fast, sporty and luxurious, the Maison Ghia-designed four-seater was Fiat's entry into the high-performance Pber GT market. First shown as a prototype at the 1960 Turin Motor Show, everyone who saw it said, "Fiat should do this." So they did, and by the time it hit dealerships in 1962, it was twice as expensive as new Jaguar E Type.

John Slater has a 1964 example and is one of about 20 coupes believed to still be on the roads of Australia. “Fiat produced about 7000 cars between 1962 and 1968, and only about 200 were right-hand drive factory cars. It is estimated that around 70 people went to the UK and perhaps only 40 to 50 arrived in Australia. Nobody really knows for sure because the coupe has never been separately identified in Fiat production numbers,” says John. This means that his 2300s are a very rare car.

Built on the same frame as the Fiat 2300 sedan, the coupe was designed by Sergio Sartorelli, who was Ghia's chief designer at the time. Tom Tjaarda and Virgil Exner Jr., whose fathers were automotive design legends in the US, also contributed to the shape. The distinctive reverse-slope C-pillars and large fastback-style rear window were sharp and provided enough room for four people plus luggage.

“It just rides wonderfully,” says John. “The six-cylinder engine was designed by ex-Ferrari engineer Aurelio Lampredi, and the Arbat folks revved it up to 136 hp by installing an additional Weber carburetor, using special pistons and a modified camshaft. It has a four-speed gearbox and four disc brakes, so it stops very quickly.”

Fiat attracts attention when John takes him on a cruise. “So little has been brought here and so little now exists around the world, which means many people have never seen them before,” he says. So why are there so few now? John explains: “In the 60s, Fiat had no rust protection, so most cars in Europe rusted.”

As you might expect, Fiat parts are hard to come by, but the 2300's driving dynamics far outweigh the difficulty of keeping it on the road. "It's a great touring car," he says.

David Burrell, editor of www.retroautos.com.au