1955 Lancia Aurelia Spider America Roadster (Series 5)

Lancia introduced the Aurelia B20 range in 1951 with the B20 GT Coupe. In 1954 the lucrative American market was the target for what is agreed by most collectors as one of the most beautiful sports cars ever designed, the Lancia Aurelia Spyder. With its advanced V6 engine, it was a slightly quirky car at the time, and Lancia sold less than 300 examples.

Pininfarina called the Lancia Aurelia 'the mass-produced special, queen of desires!' It was named for the road from Rome to Pisa - Via Aurelia - and this car, in its Verde Alassio paint, reflects the color of the waters off the Italian Riviera. It was sold new in 1956 by British Motor Cars of San Francisco to Henry Teppo of Berkeley, California. He paid $5,520, trading in a Jaguar XK120 valued at $3,500. Originally delivered with the Nardi twin carburetor set, the linkage was modified by Bill Breeze, who helped design the Pebble Beach Road Race course. A fair-weather daily driver, the car was never raced and was eventually garaged by its original owner in the early 1960s with fewer than 22,000 miles on the odometer. In 1992, it was acquired by Steven Katzman, who maintained the unrestored Spider in its original condition, choosing conservation over restoration. Mr. Katzman's judgment was validated in 1999 when Sergio Pininfarina, whilst inspecting a multitude of restored Italian cars, was heard to whisper to his wife, 'This is the car to want!'

This is a very rare un-restored original car. It still wears its distinctive Verde Alassion pastel green paintwork.