At the headquarters of Classic Driver, there is a great deal of discussion going on right now, and it is about this incredible Ghia 1500 GT. Is this the only classic car you could possibly require, considering that it is arguably just as sophisticated and uncommon as its blue-chip Grand Touring contemporaries from the 1960s, some of which are worth 10 times as much as this one?

The original press literature for the Ghia 1500 GT, which was released in 1963, reads as follows: “Strightliness and elegance, stability and manoeuvrability, resistance and lightness.” This is the delicate silver coupé that, if you are anything like us, you are probably staring at with a slack jaw. The characteristics are almost accurate to the letter. The Ghia was an automobile that was designed by Ghia to fill an empty, however minor, gap in the range of the Turinese auto giant for a cheap and stylish two-seater coupé. The Ghia was based on the basic Fiat 1500 saloon.

Frederic Levaux, the French owner of this 1500 GT, has a love for exceptionally rare post-war Italian sports cars, as evidenced by the fact that he also owns a 1958 Moretti 750 Spyder and a 1952 Siata 300 BC, both of which are parked in the garage. During our encounter with the Ghia, he explains, “I really love that period when small artisanal coachbuilders were buying chassis and engines and creating bespoke bodies for a select few discerning clients.” He says this while we are in the presence of the Ghia with him. “The concept that you could purchase a car that is tailored to your specifications in the same way that you could purchase a suit is absolutely fascinating to me.”

Carrozzeria Ghia was a name that held a certain amount of grandeur, despite the fact that it was not on the same level as Pininfarina, Zagato, or Scaglietti manufacturing. A small number of Fiat, Jaguar, and Aston Martin chassis were outfitted with the Jet Age-inspired Supersonic bodywork that were manufactured by the Turinese coachbuilder, which was established in 1916. This company rose to prominence in the 1950s.

At first glance, the utilitarian saloon that serves as the inspiration for the small 1500 GT appears to be almost completely absent from the model. During the construction of the vehicle, Ghia shortened the wheelbase by a couple of inches, moved the engine and gearbox back in the chassis to improve the weight distribution, and draped over a wind tunnel-honed fastback body that was desperately pretty. The fastback body almost certainly borrowed styling cues from the most exotic sports cars of the time period. In the pert Kamm tail, for instance, there is a Ferrari 250 GT Lusso, and in the delicate glasshouse, there is a Jaguar E-type. There is even a touch of Alfa Romeo Disco Volante in the hips, which, by the way, have no right to be as curvy as they are given the size of the car.

The interior is just as unusual as the exterior. Leatherette was an optional addition from the beginning, as was the Nardi steering wheel, which was a sporty and big steering wheel with a wooden rim. But it was absolutely worth it to check all the boxes; it’s almost like a miniature version of the 250 GT with a short wheelbase. There are a multitude of dials directly in front of the driver that display all the important information, and there is a raised gear level that is easy to reach. The complex needles on the gauges, which have weights in the shape of a half moon, are one of our favorite features. Perhaps the most impressive feature is the tall canopy, which makes it possible for all drivers, with the exception of those who are very tall, to climb behind the wheel.

The 1500 GT is not the most mechanically advanced of sports vehicles due to its diminutive four-cylinder engine, its straightforward foundations, and its narrow wheels. On the other hand, it was never advertised as being the case. As a result of its price tag of 2.2 million lire, it was placed in the same category as the Porsche 356, and Fiat never made the decision to bring it into mass production. There were just 846 automobiles produced, and we presume that there are a great deal fewer than that number of automobiles in existence today. As a matter of fact, it goes without saying that Levaux did not have an easy time locating this automobile.