1959 Lancia Flaminia

The Via Flaminia was an ancient Roman road leading from Rome to Ariminum, and in keeping with company tradition, was the name of a Lancia model. Introduced in 1957 and produced through 1970, it was Lancia's flagship model and a replacement for the Aurelia, Lancia's first new postwar model. Also named after a Roman road, the Aurelia continued Lancia's tradition of being a mechanical tour de force. It was introduced in 1950 and was one of the first to be equipped with series-production V6 engines. Francesco de Virgilio, working under the direction of Vittorio Jano, developed the engine, giving it a 60-degree design angle, a hemispherical combustion chamber, in-line valves, and a single camshaft between the cylinder banks. Initially displacing 1.8 liters, the engine capacity eventually grew to 2.5 liters by the close of Aurelia production.

Lancia produced 18,201 examples of the Aurelia from 1950 through 1958 and 12,633 examples of the Flaminia during its 13-year production lifespan.

The Aurelia had introduced several ground-breaking mechanical innovations but by 1955, the company's fortunes had somewhat diminished. Needing to breathe new life into their model line, the Turin-based automobile worked with Carrozzeria Pinin Farina to produce the Florida Saloon based on the Aurelia. It was a concept car that was introduced later that year at the Turin Auto Salon. The positive reception by the public convinced Lancia to approve a production version, which was eventually called the 'Flaminia.'

The chassis, engine, and many of the mechanical components of the Flaminia were evolutions of the Aurelia. While the Aurelia had used a sliding pillar design for its front suspension, the Flaminia used a more conventional design with double wishbones, telescopic shock absorbers, coil springs, and an anti-roll bar. The Aurelia had originally used a semi-trailing arm setup for its rear suspension, but it was replaced by a de Dion tube in the Fourth series and carried through to the Flaminia.

The V6 engine had an increased bore and decreased stroke, resulting in a displacement size of 2,458cc and offering around 101 horsepower with a single carburetor and 138 horsepower with the triple-carburetor setup. In 1962, displacement increased to 2,775cc, and with a triple-barrel carburetor, between 126 and 148 horsepower was offered. With a triple carburetor, horsepower rose to 150 bhp.

The V6 engine was mounted longitudinally and sent the power to the rear wheels via a four-speed rear-mounted transaxle.

The Aurelia had been the first road-going car to be fitted with radial tires as standard equipment, and the Flaminia would continue to use the radial tire technology. Body styles included a coupe and four-door saloon (Berlina), with the coupes resting on a 99-inch wheelbase platform while the saloons measured 113 inches. Pininfarina, Zagato, and Touring provided the coachwork for the coupe, Pininfarina for the saloon, and Touring built a Convertible. It was initially built only as a Berlina, with a Pinin Farina coupé eventually becoming available. Three years later, at the Turin Salon, the company introduced two sportier versions with shortened wheelbases, the Flaminia GT and the Flaminia Sport. The GT was a Grand Tourer built by Touring of Milan and clothed in aluminum. While the Pininfarina-designed Flaminia's had two headlights, the Touring-bodied examples had four-round headlights, a shorter cabin, and seating for two. The GT was offered as a coupe and convertible (cabriolet with optional hardtop). The Convertible was produced through 1964 with a total of 847 examples built including 180 with the larger, 2.8-liter engine. Approximately 871 examples were coupes bringing the total GT production to 1,718 units. The Flaminia GTL was introduced in 1962 and produced through 1965 with approximately 300 examples built, most (297 units) with the 2.8-liter engine. They rested on a slightly longer wheelbase which accommodated the 2+2 seating arrangement.

The Flaminia Sport was the work of Ercole Spada with coachwork by Zagato. Bestowed with several of the firm's unique styling cues, it wore a curvaceous body, a double-bubble roof, a central bonnet scoop, and covered headlamps. With the introduction of the 2.8-liter engine in 1964, the Sport became known as the Super Sport. Along with the uprated engine, the Super Sport wore updated styling features including a Kammback, lower front hood, revised air intake, a larger windshield, and tear-shape headlight casings. Built through 1967, Lancia built 593 examples of the Sport and Super Sport, including 99 of the first Flaminia Sport with covered headlamps.

The Lancia Flaminia Berlina was introduced in March of 1957 at the Turin Auto Show and drew design inspiration from the Florida I prototype, including the suicide rear doors that opened opposite to the front doors. The Berlina was the only body style to last through the entire production of the Flaminia and the only one to be built by Lancia themselves. They were built at Lancia's Borgo San Paolo factory with 3,344 examples powered by the 2.5-liter engine and 599 with the larger, 2.8-liter unit.

Pininfarina designed and built the Flaminia Coupe and its design was heavily inspired by the Florida II prototype and built atop a shortened wheelbase. The front end of both the Berlina and the Coupe were very similar, but the headlight frames of the coupe were completely round, unlike the saloon which pointed slightly upwards. Its overall design theme was clean and elegant, with the angular architecture of contrasting panels with inclines joined by short radius curves. Produced until 1967, a total of 5,236 examples of the coupe were built with 4,151 fitted with the 2.5-liter engine and 1,085 with the 2.8-liter unit.

Special Creations

Pininfarina was commissioned to build four stretched Lancia Flaminia limousines for Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Italy. They had a 131.9-inch wheelbase and were officially called the Flaminia 335 (due to its 335 cm wheelbase size) and unofficially known as the Presidenziale or Quirinale. The four cars were named Belsito, Belmonte, Belvedere, and Belfiore, and all four examples survive in modern times. Two of them are on display in museums, with one residing at Museo Nazionale dell'Automobile and the other at Museo Storico della Motorizzazione Militare.

Tom Tjaarda of Pininfarina was commissioned to build a one-off coupe in 1963. It used a short chassis and was equipped with a 2.8-liter engine with three carburetors.

Successor

In short, the Flaminia did not have a successor. During the lifespan of the Flaminia, it was joined by a small family car called the Appia, and large family car called the Fulvia, and an executive car known as the Flavia I. Production of the Flaminia and Flavia I ended in 1970, with the Flavia I being replaced by another executive car called the 2000.

by Dan Vaughan

Sport Coupe by Zagato
Chassis number: 824.00-1097
Engine number: 823.00.1453 or 823.00-2065

The Lancia Flaminia, introduced in 1957, replaced the Lancia Aurelia as the company's flagship model. With Lancia's legendary 2.5-liter V6 engine, the Flaminia was available as a saloon, coupe or cabriolet, but the most sought-after model was the short wheelbase Sport Coupe of which 99 were bodied in lightweight aluminum by Carrozzeria Zagato.

This striking Zagato-bodied Lancia Flaminia features the Milanese styling house's trademark double-bubble roof line. Introduced at the 1956 Turin Motor Show and intended as a replacement for the Aurelia, the Flaminia retained its predecessor's 2.5-liter, overhead-valve, V6 engine and DeDion rear transaxle with inboard brakes, though Lancia's traditional sliding-pillar independent front suspension was replaced by the more modern double-wishbone arrangement. Topping the Lancia range were the Zagato-bodied Sport and Supersport models, both of which shared a shortened wheelbase. A 2.7-liter engine was introduced for 1963, by which time the sportier Flaminias were capable of almost 130 mph.

At the 1958 Torino Auto Salon, Lancia introduced two new variations of the Flaminia including the Sport and the GT. Both models were fitted to the shortened Flaminia platform, though the two could not have been more different in style or character. The Touring-bodied GT was a comfortable, gran turismo, while the Zagato-bodied Sport version was geared more towards the discerning enthusiast who required a dual-purpose sporting car of exceptional quality.

The Zagato-bodied Lancia had an organic, streamlined body and utilized lightweight construction. Their alloy bodywork was much lighter than the Touring GT. Also, there were covered headlamps, flush door handles, and signature 'double-bubble' roofline. In total, only 99 of these cars were built. 33 were built with covered headlights.

This Lancia Flaminia Sport with chassis number 824.000-1097 was purchased by Caretti Patrizia, an Italian resident who is believed to have owned the car for many years. It was exported to the United States in 1984. It passed through Anton Krivanek and Paul Forbes before being sold in 1987 to Guido Bartolomeo. It remained with Sig. Bartolomeo until his passing in 2003. Mr. Forbes re-acquired the car from the estate and returned it to the United States.

The car has been given a complete and thorough restoration. Over the course of several years, the vehicle was restored to exacting standards, from the original aluminum bodywork to the entire drivetrain and electrical system. The work totaled over $450,000.

This Lancia is fitted with Sport seats, and a triple-Weber carburetor '3C' configuration, which was also featured on the pre-production Flaminia Zagato 'Speciale' racing prototypes as well as later, open-headlight models.

The car was shown at the 2008 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance where it captured Third in Class (Lancia Post-War Through 1967). It has received awards at the Palos Verdes Concours d'Elegance, the San Marino Motor Classic, and the Milwaukee Masterpiece.

The car is finished in the original colors of blue-green metallic with pumpkin leather upholstery.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at the Pebble Beach auction presented by Gooding & Company. The car was estimated to sell for $375,000 - $450,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $412,500 inclusive of the buyer's premium.

Sport Coupe by Zagato

Throughout its long history, Zagato has produced some of the most elegant and technically advanced cars in the world. The Lancia Flaminia replaced the Aurelia as the flagship model in 1957 and was available as a saloon, coupe and cabriolet, but the most sought-after example was the 2-seat, short-chassis sport coupe and of those, the most collectible are arguably the cars bodied by Zagato. The first series of cars featured covered headlights and the iconic 'Double-Bubble' roof, which greatly improved the car's aerodynamics.

This is one of the 99 Lancia Flaminias with Zagato coachwork featuring the rare double-bubble roof. Introduced at the 1956 Turin Motor Show as a replacement for the Aurelia, the Flaminia retained its predecessor's 2.5-liter, overhead-valve V6 engine. Topping the Lancia range were the Zagato-bodied Sport and Supersport models, both of which shared a shortened wheelbase.

This car has spent its entire life in the San Francisco Bay area having been sold by British Motors to its first owner, who used it as a daily driver. At some point, the car broke down and was abandoned on the street before being impounded. It was saved from the crusher by a policeman in the 1980s. Its current owner acquired the car in 2010 in completely original condition. However, the car had been stored in a basement garage for 20 years and required a full restoration, now complete after many years of painstaking work and careful research into the car's authenticity.

GT Coupe by Touring

Lancia of Turin, Italy, founded by a couple of Fiat racing drivers, began producing cars in 1906 with the 12-horsepower Tipo 51. By 1915 they were also building trucks. The family of founder Vincenzo Lancia owned the company until the end of the 1960s, when Fiat rescued the brand from financial distress, keeping the name and developing competent new models under the Lancia name.

The Flaminia, built from 1957 to 1970, was a flagship luxury car for Lanica and was available in coupe, cabriolet, and saloon models with models being customer-built by a variety of coachbuilders, including Pininfarina. Less than 13,000 were built in its 13-year production run. 'Flaminia' is the name of the road between Rome and Ariminum, reflecting the company's trend of naming cars after significant Italian roads.

This aluminum, monocoque-bodied coupe was designed and built by Carrozzeria Touring and is powered by one of the earliest V6 engines known, displacing about 2.5-liters, longitudinally-mounted and mated to a four-speed manual transaxle. The top speed was 112 mph with 0-to-60 time in the 12-second range.

The same family owned this car from new until the current owner purchased it in the 1990s. It was sent back to Italy for a restoration in the late 1990s.

Sport Coupe by Zagato
Chassis number: 82400-1061

Lancia's first postwar model was the Aurelia, which was considered a mechanical tour de force developed by Vittorio Jano. It was powered by the world's first production V-6 engine and featured sophisticated underpinnings, a rear transaxle, and inboard rear brakes. In the B20GT form, it earned Lancia class wins at the Mille Miglia, 1951 24 Hours of Le Mans, 1952 Targa Florio, 1953 Liège-Rome-Liège Rally, 1953 La Carrera Panamericana, and victory in the 1954 Monte Carlo Rally.

By 1957, Aurelia's improved successor was introduced, the Flaminia in its Pininfarina-designed Berlina form. The Flaminia came with a double-wishbone independent front suspension. Production continued until 1970 and included several body styles, including Berlina, coupe/GT, and convertible variations.

The Flaminia Sport wore Zagato coachwork and rode on a short wheelbase chassis which it shared with the GT. Power was supplied by a V-6 in 2.5-liter form. A larger-displacement, 2.8-liter Super Sport version appeared in 1964 with revised styling including upright headlamps. When production ceased in 1967, total Flaminia Sport production reached 593 cars. Series I car production reached 99 units.

Paul Tullias acquired this Series I Lancia Flaminia Sport Zagato in the late 1970s. It remained with Mr. Tullias for 35 years, when it was acquired by the current owner in 2012. Two years later, the car was given a restoration which included more than 6,000 hours of work.

The car is finished in its original color combination of Bianco Letouquet over dark red interior upholstery.

by Dan Vaughan

Sport Coupe by Zagato
Chassis number: 824.00-1051

This 1959 Lancia is one of 99 Pre-Series Zagato-bodied Flaminia Sports built. It is a well-preserved and largely original coupe with covered headlights. It wears a red paint scheme over a beige interior and is believed to have been imported by Max Hoffman, who sold it to music producer John S. Elizalde of Southern California in the early 1960s. After residing in the care of the Elizalde family for many years, it was purchased by its current caretaker. Currently, the car is devoid of an engine and the mechanical components it does have includes one spare transaxle, brake, suspension, and steering components, and four correct wheels and tires. The aluminum body is intact, along with the glass panels, trim, windshield wipers, parking lights, headlights, grille, door handles, and locks.

by Dan Vaughan

The Lancia Flaminia was produced from 1957 through 1970, with a total of 12,633 examples being produced. The vehicle was used as a replacement for the Aurelia and was offered in a variety of body styles, including sedan, limousine, cabriolet, and coupe. Coachbuilders, such as Pininfarina, Touring, and Zagato, were also given the opportunity to create custom examples for specific clients. All body styles were custom coach-built except for the sedan.

As the years progressed, so did the mechanical components. The V6 engine came in various sizes, and horsepower ranged from 100 to 152. They were mounted longitudinally and mated to a four-speed rear-mounted transaxle which sent power to the rear wheels. Drum brakes were standard, but disc brakes became standard after the first 500 examples. The suspension comprised double wishbones and coil springs with an anti-roll bar in the front. In the rear was a De Dion setup.

Though the vehicle was produced for a relatively long time, only a small number were produced. Being mostly coach built, these were very exclusive automobiles, with many having distinct features or characteristics, making them unique. Pininfarina produced the Coupe body styles. The front was almost identical to the Berlina but with rounded headlights angled upward. In total, 5236 coupes were created, with production lasting until 1967. Zagato produced the Sport two-seater body styles. The bodies were created from aluminum with the trademark Zagato 'double bubble' and pop-out handles. In 1964 the Sport was replaced by the Super Sport, which increased the horsepower to 152 through the upgraded 2.8L engine. The Sport was produced until 1967, with 344 examples created. There were 150 examples of the Super Sport.

Touring was responsible for creating the GT, GTL, and Convertible. The GT was a coupe body style. The convertible could be purchased with the optional hardtop. The GTL was introduced in 1962 and sat atop a slightly larger wheelbase. It came in a 2+2 configuration. The Touring examples were distinguished by their four-round headlights. The Convertible version was produced until 1964, with 847 examples produced. The GT and GTL were produced until 1965, with 1718 GTs and 300 GTLs constructed.

Pininfarina created four limousines of the Lancia Flaminia for royalty. Production took about six months and provided seating for seven. Officially, the name was 335 due to the 335 cm wheelbase. It was also called Presidenziale or Quirinale.

by Dan Vaughan