Exquisite design sense clearly ran in the Farina family: This 1950 Fiat 1100 Cabriolet was bodied by Stabilimenti Farina of Turin, Italy. This carrozzeria was established by Giovanni Carlo Farina—older brother of none other than Battista “Pinin” Farina and, as this charming cabriolet demonstrates, a man of no small talent in his own right.

Sold new in Italy to Sig. Alessandro Alexandri in the summer of 1950, period photos show the proud owner and his family behind the wheel of his glimmering new coachbuilt Fiat. A short time later, it changed hands and was put into service as a promotional vehicle for the Italian cycling team US Salco.

The pretty little Fiat remained in Italy for much of its life, and in the 1980s was discovered in complete but tired condition by the owner of an Italian restoration shop. Over the course of nearly two decades, he is said to have personally and painstakingly restored the Fiat from the ground up, making several missing pieces by hand.

Completed in the early 2000s, this marvelous Fiat today presents with a charming character and a mellowed restoration. Finished in attractive colors and nicely detailed, this rare and fascinating automobile is one of only four known survivors of this beautiful Farina design. Power is supplied by a 1,089-cubic-centimeter inline four-cylinder engine fed by a twin-choke Weber carburetor and mated to a column-shift four-speed manual gearbox; paired with Farina’s lightweight alloy coachwork, this Fiat promises to be an engaging performer on spirited drives and longer rallies.

Since its acquisition by its present caretakers, who maintain an eclectic, well-curated private stable, this charming Fiat is said to have benefited from mechanical care and improvement with the goal of making it an enjoyable driver. With its delicate proportions and seldom-seen coachwork, it is a very fine example of Stabilimenti Farina’s early post-war aesthetic.