1977 • Italy • Directed by Stelvio Massi

Devil-may-care driving ace Marco Palma (Maurizio Merli, Violent City) of the Rome police’s Mobile Squad has a reputation for risk-taking – making him the perfect candidate for an undercover op to take down “Il Nizzardo” (Angelo Infanti, The Godfather), a fellow hotrodder and the ringleader of a band of bank robbers. Posing as a crook himself, Palma soon inveigles his way into Il Nizzardo’s group. But with only his wits and a souped-up Ferrari 250 GTE sports car to rely on, can Palma fly under the radar long enough to take down his nemesis, or will the ruthless gangster sniff him out and put paid to his daredevil antics once and for all? Loosely inspired by the exploits of real-life police driving ace Armando Spatafora, this action-packed thriller kickstarted a highly successful partnership between star Merli and veteran poliziotteschi director Stelvio Massi (Magnum Cop). Featuring a catchy score by maestro Stelvio Cipriani (Colt 38 Special Squad) and daring, high-octane driving stunts by regular Bond stunt coordinator Rémy Julienne, Highway Racer is one of the most adrenaline-pumping entries in the genre.