• Premier marque • One of an estimated three survivors • Rare Italian coachbuilder • An older restoration • Recent engine, transmission and magneto rebuilds The Isotta-Fraschini was Italy's prestige car, just as Rolls-Royce was Britain's and the Hispano-Suiza France's.

All were rivals and each claimed the title of 'best car in the world'.

Founded in Milan in 1898 by partners Cesare Isotta and Vincenzo Fraschini, Isotta-Fraschini started out as Renault agents and exhibited the first car of its own, a single-cylinder, 5hp voiturette, at the 1901 Milan Expo.

A twin-cylinder model was on offer in 1902, which was quickly followed by a range of four-cylinder cars built along Mercedes lines.

Designer Giustino Cattaneo arrived in 1905 and over the next three years introduced nine new models as the 'old' Isottas were phased out.

He would be responsible for all of the company's cars up to 1933.

Cattaneo's first designs were all four-cylinder models, one of which would form the basis of Rob...