In the European auto industry, certain countries come with certain stereotypes. The Germans are the no-nonsense manufacturers who make their cars solid and fast, the Swedes make their cars subtle and safe, and the Italians are certainly the fancy ones. The home of supercar brands like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Pagani, Italy has given the world some of the greatest sports cars and supercars ever made. Italian cars are known for their speed and gorgeous designs.
The one thing Italian cars are not known for, however, is dependability. For the longest time, Italian cars have struggled with reliability, which is majorly due to the overcomplicated nature of their extremely powerful engines and their designs. However, there have been times when an Italian car shocked the world pleasantly with solid durability. After all, an Italian-made car with solid reliability is pretty close to faultless, and here are 10 of the most reliable Italian cars ever made.
10 2011 Lamborghini Gallardo
One of the highest-sold Lamborghini cars ever, the Gallardo is part of the modern Lamborghini lineup, which has shown exceptional reliability ever since the VW group took over the Italian supercar maker.
It isn’t an uncommon sight at all to see Lamborghini Gallardo models with over 100,000 miles on the odometer, showing the stellar build quality of the Italian car. Today it certainly stands as one of the most dependable Lamborghini cars and Italian cars in general.
9 Fiat 124 Spider
Now, Fiat isn’t the first name that would come to anyone’s mind when talking about reliable Italian cars. However, 124 Spider shares its platform with the Mazda MX-5 Miata, which is undoubtedly one of the most reliable (and affordable) sports cars on the market, ever since its inception.
As such, the 124 Spider from Fiat is a pretty reliable Italian sports car that provides you great sports car thrills, Italian heritage to boast about, and above all, Japanese reliability that gives you unparalleled peace of mind.
8 Ferrari 328
Not only were most ’80s Ferrari models infamously unreliable, but they also cost an arm and a leg to replace, with many of them requiring engine-out processes for even the smallest repair. Despite this, the Ferrari 328, made between 1985 and 1989, is an exception among its ’80s Ferrari brethren.
The Ferrari 328 succeeded the Ferrari 308, which had problems with oil consumption and failing catalytic converters. The 328, however, improved upon everything, ironing out any kinks and standing as a near-faultless car that was as solid as it was fast.
7 Ferrari 488 GTB
The Ferrari 488 GTB was the second Ferrari that featured a mid-engined layout along with a V8 engine. Armed with a 3.9-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, the Ferrari 488 GTB made 661 horsepower.
While all modern Ferraris boast solid build quality, the 488 GTB has proven to be especially reliable. The F154 V8 engine is a commendable engine that is inarguably one of the best European V8 engines ever made, too.
6 2012 Maserati GranTurismo
The world knows Maserati as one of the most luxurious Italian car manufacturers, but sadly, not a reliable one. Even in 2023, most modern Maserati cars struggle to shake off the brand’s notoriety when it comes to dependability.
A welcome exception, however, is the 2012 Maserati GranTurismo, which is also the brand’s most popular car. Riding on the excellent F136 Ferrari/Maserati V8 engine, the GranTurismo has many owners who still rave about its long-term dependability.
5 Lamborghini Urus
The Lamborghini Urus is undoubtedly one of the best SUVs on the planet. Undoubtedly the most comfortable Lamborghini in the marque’s lineup, The Urus was also the highest-selling Lamborghini in 2022, with 5,367 units sold.
With absolutely solid engineering behind it, the Lamborghini Urus comes with a stellar warranty, showing the brand’s confidence in their super-SUV, which is well-deserved. After all, the Lamborghini Urus hasn’t had a single recall against it. The 4.0-liter V8 underneath this behemoth of a vehicle has proven itself beyond all doubt since its inception in 2018.
4 Ferrari California
As established, modern Ferraris are no longer temperamental, over-engineered, and unreliable. The Ferrari California is one such Prancing Horse, which is also known for being one of the most affordable Ferraris on the market.
From 2008 to 2017, there were no major issues reported with the California, and today, the average California costs around $150,000, according to CarGurus. As such, not only is the Ferrari California a dependable Italian sports car, it’s also accessible to a larger number of gearheads wishing to join the red team.
3 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
Alfa Romeo’s Stelvio Quadrifoglio is a fantastic luxury crossover that deserves all the praise it gets. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio has the practicality of a bigger car, while boasting the sleek design and presence of a stylish Italian beauty.
iSeeCars rates the Stelvio Quadrifoglio as the most reliable Alfa Romeo car, with a 7.2/10 reliability score. Another reliable Alfa Romeo model is the 4C, which is a fantastic sports car that is affordable, reliable, and most importantly, Italian.
2 Ferrari 360 Modena
The Ferrari 360 Modena is one of the most affordable Ferrari cars one could buy today, with an average going rate of $114,257 according to CarGurus. One of the modern Ferraris that truly came off the line built well and for the long run, the Modena boasts some pretty great durability.
The Modena holds a 4.5/5 reliability score on Cars.com, and boasts an overall reputation for reliability, and first-time Ferrari buyers must consider beginning their collection with this Maranello-made Prancing Horse.
1 Lamborghini Huracán
Lamborghini has sold over 20,000 units of the Huracan, which goes to show just how popular and loved this supercar is. The 5.2-liter V10 engine that powers the Huracan has rarely left any room for complaints, which has contributed to this car’s overall renown for its strong build quality and reliability.
As the successor to one of Lambo’s most reliable vehicles, the Gallardo, the Huracan followed suit, with a stellar 9.37-out-of-10 reliability score, according to Motor Biscuit.
Sources: CarGurus, Cars.com, Motor Biscuit, iSeeCars, Lamborghini
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