1957 Lancia Aurelia Convertible

This 1957 Lancia was produced on November 23, 1956, and was designed under the direction of Vittorio Jano. It is one of 176 built in 1957. A total of 521 cars were produced from 1956 to 1958. All had the 2,451 cc V6 engine.

There is a complete history of ownership in Italy. The current owner purchased the car on January 1, 2014, in Biella, Italy, and recently completed a three-year rotisserie restoration.

The Lancia Aurelia was introduced in 1950 at the Torino Motor Show and succeeded the Aprilia, Lancia's first new postwar model. It was powered by the world's first series-production V6 engine (in an automobile), the work of Lancia engineer Francesco De Virgilio. Complemented by near-perfect weight distribution thanks to its rear-mounted, four-speed transaxle and sophisticated inboard-mounted rear brakes, the Aurelia had excellent handling and high levels of performance in a compact package.

The B10 Berlina, first offered in 1950, was joined by the B20 GT coupe in 1951. It proved to be a capable grand touring automobile, and its predictable handling and performance rewarded it with competition success. Among its achievements, an Aurelia B20 GT finished 2nd in the 1951 edition of the Mille Miglia, piloted by Giovanni Bracco and Umberto Maglioli. Another Aurelia scored 1st in Class and 12th Overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1951. A stunning podium sweep at the 1952 Targa Florio was followed by another win in the Liège-Rome-Liège Rally in 1953.

The Aurelia was produced through 1958 along six series and in numerous body styles. The B24 Spider of 1955 was followed by the better-equipped B24 Cabriolet, aimed directly at America's sports car market. Among the updates were side windows with deflectors, a single-element front bumper, a new windscreen, revised instrumentation, a folding top, and roll-up windows.

The 1956 to 1957 B24 Cabriolet was built in two phases, the first in 1955 with 150 examples built, and the second with 371.

This Aurelia B24S Cabriolet is a late-production example with coachwork by Pinin Farina. It was sold on May 15, 1957, and remained in Italy until January 2014, when it was acquired by Florida-based Leo Schigiel and exported to the US. Following cosmetic and mechanical sorting, the car was shown in March 2017 at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance.

This Lancia is powered by a 2,451cc OHV alloy V6 engine fitted with a single Weber twin-choke carburetor and delivering 118 horsepower at 5,100 RPM. There is a four-speed manual transaxle, four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes (the rear inboard), and a rear DeDion suspension with leaf springs and Panhard rod.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2024