The Fiat 8V’s legacy as one of the most legendary cars ever built by the Italian marque was established at the very outset.

Introduced at the 1952 Geneva Motor Show, Road & Track called it “the biggest surprise of the year,” and The Motor remarked that “the last thing which had been expected from Italy’s largest car factory was a truly streamlined 2-seater saloon.” This enthusiastic reaction was echoed by the upper crust of Europe’s gentlemen racers, and for good reason: the 8V’s performance was startling.

Capable of 120 mph from its 2.0-liter, all-aluminum, narrow-angle V-8 engine, the sub-2,200-pound 8V—with its Siata-designed tubular chassis— presented an unrivaled power-to-weight ratio.

Privately entered 8Vs easily claimed the 2.0-liter class of the Italian GT Championship for six straight seasons (1954 through 1959).

The 8V was a prime candidate for custom coachwork, and the most striking form executed upon the model was unequivocally Giovanni Savonuzzi’s stunning Jet Age desi...