Description
Founded by successful Italian racer Vincenzo Lancia in November 1906, the company bearing his name quickly forged an enviable reputation for sophistication and excellent, race-winning performance. Long renowned for advanced engineering far beyond that of its competitors and industry-leading styling prowess, the heritage of Lancia S.p.A. and its racing and road cars continues to captivate legions of sports car enthusiasts today. In particular, the Aurelia was Lancia’s first new postwar model and its signature road car of the 1950s. Today, it continues to rightly enjoy status as a true milestone.
Designed by Gianni Lancia, Vincenzo’s son, and legendary engineer Vittorio Jano, Lancia’s Aurelia stands as the world’s first series-production automobile ever to be powered by a V-6 engine design. The inspired brainchild of Francesco de Virgilio, this incredibly sophisticated engine was an all-alloy unit with pushrod-actuated overhead valves and efficient hemispherical combustion chambers. From the beginning, the power output of Lancia’s V-6 was – and remains – quite impressive, with plenty of built-in scope for continued development. The Aurelia was equally sophisticated underneath and it continues to be highly prized by true driving enthusiasts for its excellent road manners, due in large part to the near-perfect weight distribution afforded by its rear-mounted transaxle. Introduced at the 1950 Turin Motor Show, the Aurelia was first available in B10 Berlina (sedan) form, followed by the sporting yet elegant 2.0-litre B20 GT 2+2 coupe, which debuted at Turin in 1951 and remains what many experts consider the world’s first “true” Grand Touring car.
In the time-honored Lancia tradition, the Aurelia and its variants were carefully and relentlessly developed and improved along six distinct series. Two sizes of the V-6 engine were offered, initially displacing 1,991cc (1951-1953) and from Series 3 through the final Series 6 generation, 2,451cc and 118 horsepower (1953-1958). By 1954, and Series 4, the stunning Pininfarina-designed B24S Spider, also named ‘America’, was introduced. Featuring a shortened version of the successful B20 chassis, the B24S Spider rode upon a 6.5-inch wheelbase and featured a floor-mounted gear change lever as standard fitment. Universally ranked – then and now – as one of the most beautiful and sensational of all designs ever created by the Pininfarina
design house in Turin, the B24S Spider featured Lancia’s signature grille element, airfoil-style split front bumpers, a low-profile hood scoop, impeccable, gently flowing overall bodylines, a wraparound windscreen, and windowless doors.
This example, serial number 1177, was completed in October of 1955, featuring coachwork by Pininfarina, including a removable hardtop as well as Borrani chrome wire wheels with knock-off hubs. Finished in Grigio St. Cloud (grey) and Pella Verde (green) leather interior, this example was delivered on October 10, 1955, to Dario Fasano of Torino, Italy. Mr. Fasano enjoyed his rare 1 of just 181 left-hand drive examples until 1986 when he sold the car to Alberto Garnerone also of Torino. Mr. Garnerone had the car repainted black and chose a tan leather interior. After which, it was owned by two different owners, one in Montana and the other in Texas; this Lancia was then acquired by the current Midwest collection in 2017.
After acquiring this car in late 2017, the decision was made to perform an extensive no-expense-spared
restoration. This included sheet metal work, a total mechanical rebuild, and bringing the car back to its original appearance. To maintain originality, most parts were sourced from Italy, including Italian leather and other soft goods from Ferraris. The paint supplier was able to obtain original color samples from “Colorifico Italiano Max Meyer”, convert it to “Glasurit”, and recreate this beautiful “Grigio St. Cloud” (grey with a hint of green), a truly spectacular color. This Lancia Aurelia has been certified by “Registro Aurelia” and “Registro Storico Lancia” verifying all numbers (engine, transmission, and chassis) as well as color, interior, and options as correct.
All equipment and accessories function correctly and the car has been driven around 200 miles since completion, ensuring everything works as it should. The Aurelia is known for its outstanding road handling characteristics and impressive performance, in part to the almost perfect weight distribution, and its 118-horsepower, 2,452cc engine and four-speed transaxle. True sports car performance with sophisticated elegance, this exquisite 1955 Lancia Aurelia GT B24S Spider America, with complete history from new, will grant its next caretaker access to respected concours, shows, and tours throughout Europe and North America.
