Alfa-Romeo 8C Competizione

We all know the statistics: 4.4 seconds, 0-60; 500 made; a 4.7 litre engine that's fundamentally the same block as in the Maserati cousin car. But the most pressing and important facet of this car is that it got made at all.

It's a 'halo' car. A car designed to make a brand once again appear relevant, to give fans a higher focus, and hopefully to drive some forward changes all the way down. Ford dipped into it's racing heritage when it wowed fans with it's GT. The modern take on the serial Le Mans winner, was showcased by Ford to say, "We can make beautiful, fast utterly desirable cars like Ferrari's. Cars that also are of very sound and durable build quality that use common model parts. A Ford.'

For Mercedes, the lines were more blurred, but the SLR fills that niche. But the idea remains the same: to have a model that all the other, more prosaic cars, are happy to share standspace with at the motorshow. They drive interest back to the brand.

When Alfa talked and showed drawings of the original concept, people laughed. 'Too beautiful...Fiat won't spend the money...it won't be allowed to compete with the other marques in the stable...'. All wrong. It did happen, and it re-affirmed the brands ability to solution utterly beguiling and charismatically styled vehicles that, pound-for-pound, most middling order manufacturers can't match. All of a sudden, the Brera and the GT draw more sales, as people want a slice of the brand.

A true 'halo' car. And one of the most beautiful ever made.