Zagato. Just the mention of the name has the capacity to send shivers down the spines of many an enthusiast and collector. The coachbuilder has recently designed for BMW, Aston Martin and Bentley, but the company's legacy stretches back a lot farther than that. In its heyday, Zagato applied its striking lines and signature double-bubble roof to a variety of little Italian sportscars, and a pair of such classic examples is set to go under the hammer in London next month under the auspices of RM Auctions.

First up we have a 1956 Fiat Abarth 750 GT (photographed by Tim Scott for RM Auctions). Built long before Fiat revived the Abarth name for a series of tuned-up 500s and Puntos, the 750 GT was based on a Fiat 600 but modified into a sportscar by Carlos Abarth. It packed a tiny 747cc four-cylinder engine with just 62 horsepower, but with sleek Zagato coachwork, the 750 GT soon came to dominate its class of racing in the late 50s and ultimately became a collectors' favorite. Joining the Abarth on the auction block will be a 1963 OSCA 1600 GT (photographed by Tom Wood for RM Auctions), also with Zagato coachwork.

Founded by the Maserati brothers in 1947 - the same year as Ferrari - Officine Specializzate Construzioni Automobili (OSCA) made a series of sports and racing cars, including the 1600. The GTZ version adopted Zagato coachwork, and this particular example won best in class at Villa d'Este in 2006 and best in show at the Trieste concours earlier this year.