1955 Lancia Aurelia Spider America Roadster (Series 5)

The Aurelia B24S America Spider, with 'S' signifying sinistra or 'left,' was in reference to the left-hand-drive chassis. The design was created by Pinin Farina and had an aggressive hood scoop, flowing front fenders, and gently curving rear fenders with mild wheel flares. In front was a wrap-around windshield with removable side windows covered by a convertible top.

It is believed that just 181 examples of the left-hand-drive America Spiders were built by the factory, of which 156 survived. This example, chassis number 1131, has resided for its entire life in the Western United States. In 1992, it was owned by the president of the U.S. Lancia club who had the car cosmetically restored by Italian Lancia expert Franco dePiero, and his full-time mechanic restored the car's numbers-matching drivetrain. During the restoration, the original Weber carburetor was replaced by a period-correct Nardi twin-carburetor conversion setup. The Nardi package is complete with Borrani center-lock wire wheels and the Nardi steering wheel.

This example is painted in dark Navy Blue and is equipped with removable side glass. When removed, the windows are stored in the truck along with the car's original lug wrench and jack.

Under the hood is an overhead-valve V-6 engine mounted at 60 degrees. The 2451cc unit offers 118 horsepower and there is a four-speed manual transmission.

In 2013, this car was offered for sale at RM Auctions sale in Scottsdale, Arizona. It was estimated to sell for $800,000 - $1,000,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $825,000, inclusive of the buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2013