Take one Fiat 850 Spider, fill the tank with optimism, then head for the nearest twisty road. Antony Ingram proves that you don’t need Ferrari money to enjoy a slice of Italian glamour. Wind in your hair. Engine behind your back. Grin somewhere near your ears.

Of course, if you do have Ferrari money handy, José Salgueiro has a suggestion. Slip into a Hawaiian shirt, glue on a suspicious moustache and picture a red 308 GTS glinting in the sun. Signed off by 1980s television cool. Probably.

Stephen Blackburn, founder and chairman of the Colt Car Club, invites our editor along for a drive in the Celeste that started his lifelong Mitsubishi addiction. The destination? The Valley of the Racehorse, where a Colt kicks up memories, possibly a bit of gravel and more than a couple equestrian clichés.

Rich Duisberg is having daydreams about the Hillman Imp Californian. He’s also smuggled in a bonus love letter to the Datsun 120Y, since restraint remains an optional extra.

Hero Worship reveals how Rover encouraged its dealers to sell the SD1 like it was the future, because it absolutely was. A brand new feature, Obscuriosity, celebrates Saab’s headlight wipers, which still rank among the greatest ideas humans have ever had. Picture Past rummages through the glovebox of history to rediscover the finest period accessories. Dimitri Urbain picks six Panhards that deserve a standing ovation, while Jon Burgess pokes holes in the myths surrounding the BMW 850CSi and discovers something better: the truth.

Georgiana Buckingham-Smythe returns with Celebrity Squares, this time starring stars who may or may not know what they’ve let themselves in for. Meanwhile, our readers roll up with a Mercedes-Benz 190E with a twist, a Mazda Xedos 6 that recently joined the BTCC celebrations, and a Volvo 144 with an endorsement from a Tokyo Drift legend.

There’s even room for a Christmas crossword, updates from Gavin’s Auto Barn, your favourite correspondents and the usual spread of period adverts to make you whisper “I remember those”. Oh, and a wonderfully evocative photo of Leonard Setright with a Honda CR-V.

Enjoy issue 37. It’s slightly festive, feisty and fuelled by glamour in all the right places.