1959 Lancia Appia Coupe

The Lancia Appia GTE (Gran Turismo Esportazione) was introduced in November 1958. It was the first Zagato car to be included in Lancia's price lists and sold by Lancia dealers as an official model and is considered by many to be the most desirable of all variants. The lightweight alloy coachwork and more powerful engine, developing 53 bhp vs. 43 bhp of the sedan, made it suitable for racing not only in Italy but also in the United States.

This Lancia is the fifth Appia GTE produced and was delivered to Hoffman Motors in New York in January 1959. It is one of 31 Appia S2 chassis bodied by Zagato with the highly desirable covered headlights and remains remarkably original, retaining all of its major components, including the numbers-matching engine.

This car was in the Chicago area early in its life as evidenced by a Northwestern University parking sticker still affixed to the rear window today. By the 1980s, the car was owned by a collector in Pittsburgh, who sold it to a noted Italian car collector in Ohio in 1987, where it remained until the current owner purchased the car in 2013. In 2015 it was sent to a well-known Lancia specialist in Europe for a complete rotisserie restoration, completed in 2017. All mechanical, body and interior components were restored to correct new condition in the stunning color combination of Blu Lancia over Rosso leather.

It is believed that five examples of the Lancia Appia GTE were imported to the United States by dealer Max Hoffman. It wears lightweight hand-hammered aluminum coachwork by Zagato that is finished in Blu Lancia, a period-correct factory color, over a red leather interior.

Little is known about its early history, but a 1965 Northwestern University parking sticker indicates it was located in the Midwest during this period. It is believed that the car was acquired by Howard West of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by the late 1970s. Ray Boniface became its caretaker in 1987 and retained it until 2012, when its previous Ohio-based owner finally convinced him to sell. By this point in history, the Lancia wore a red paint scheme. After a period of time, the Lancia was sent to Chris Skriapas for a comprehensive, no-expense-spared job, spanning 2015–2017. The work included rebuilding the engine and other mechanical components, removing chassis corrosion, and aluminum bodywork was stripped and repaired as needed. The car's original color, Grigio Newmarket, was uncovered during this process, but Blu Lancia was selected for its exterior finish.

After the restoration was completed, the car was shown at the Amelia Island Concours, Greenwich Concours (earning the Speed and Style award in 2017), Hilton Head Island Concours (achieving class and Automotive Design Excellence awards in 2018), and the Concours d'Elegance of America.

The current owner acquired the Lancia in 2022 and had it sent to a shop in Litchfield, Connecticut for a mechanical restoration totaling just under $20,000.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2024