Coachbuilt Rarity: 1934 Fiat 508S "Balilla" Coppa d'Oro Heads to Auction

Ask most enthusiasts to name a pre-war European sports car and Britain usually comes to mind first. Italy, though, also turned out a handful of homegrown machines, and among the most obscure is the Fiat 508S “Balilla” Coppa d’Oro. A 1934 example is now crossing the block at RM Sotheby’s in London on October 31, offered without reserve and carrying a pre-sale estimate of £60,000–£90,000 (roughly US$79,500–$119,200).

Fiat launched the 508 Balilla in 1932 as a compact four-seater, and the model stayed in production until 1937. Rather than resting on that success, the company spun off several derivatives, including three two-seat convertible variants. The Coppa d’Oro sits at the top of that hierarchy in collector terms. Its lines were drawn by Mario Revelli di Beaumont and its body was built by Carrozzeria Ghia, with slim fenders and a tapered “insect-tail” trunk giving it a distinctive silhouette among small European sports cars of the period. The name itself is a nod to competition: a 508S took a class win in the 1934 Coppa d’Oro del Littorio, a 3,500-mile endurance event that wound across Italy, and the model proved competitive in hillclimbs and rallies as well.

This particular car carries an unusual provenance. According to the seller, it is one of only four Coppa d’Oro examples exported to Malaysia, and its first owner was a member of the Selangor royal family. That owner sold it in 1938, and it later passed through the hands of Loke Wan Tho, who ran Cathay Cinema and chaired Malaysia Singapore Airlines. In 1970 it was acquired by naval officer Commander Mike Hawke, who refurbished it and campaigned it in motorsport before bringing it back to the UK. David Mead bought it in 1993. The car retains its original bodywork with no obvious corrosion, though the existing maroon paint has thinned in places, and factory red still shows on the dashboard and inside the trunk — details some buyers may choose to preserve rather than erase with a restoration.

Underneath, the Coppa d’Oro follows the familiar small-sports-car formula of modest displacement and modest output. Power comes from a 995cc flathead four; where the four-seat 508 made 24hp, the higher-compression, better-carbureted sporting tune pushed output to 30hp. A four-speed gearbox arrived in 1934, and this car benefits from that update, though the flathead runs out of breath at roughly 65mph. The current owner believes a previous keeper swapped the engine back in the 1930s, and a rebuilt later OHV unit is included in the sale for anyone wanting more pace. Inside, the black leather seats, door trim and rubber floor mats all present well, with an under-dash tachometer the only obvious addition; a radio was never part of the package. Rarity alone does not guarantee strong money, but with genuine competition history and only a handful built, this Fiat has already drawn considerable attention ahead of the gavel.