1952 Lancia Aurelia

Lancia was founded in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia, and from the beginning, the vehicles they produced showed creativity, independent thought, and defiance of convention. After World War II, production resumed with the Aprilia and its smaller sibling, the Ardea. These were followed by the Aurelia, the first car ever to employ a V6 engine.

The Lancia Aurelia was introduced at the Turin Motor Show in 1950 and served as a replacement for the Lancia Aurelia. The first series was known as the Aurelia B10 Berlina, fitted with a 1,574cc engine. This was soon followed by the B21 four-door saloon equipped with a 1,991cc V-6 engine. In 1951, the two-door B20 GT coupe was announced, with a design by Boano from Ghia and produced by Pinin Farina. This sport coupe rested on a shortened wheelbase and came with a tuned version of the B21 engine. This was followed by a second series that brought with it an improved instrument panel and an increase in power to 80 horsepower.

A race-developed B20 driven by Giovanni Bracco finished 2nd in the 1951 Mille Miglia, beaten only by Luigi Villoresi's 4.1-liter works Ferrari. Sharing driving duties with Umberto Maglioli, Bracco won the Targa Florio for Lancia in 1952 and 1954. Another B20 won the Monte Carlo Rally while being piloted by Louis Chiron.

The factory offered the B52 chassis beginning in 1952. It had a slight increase over the B21's 2,860mm wheelbase and was powered by a 2.0-liter V-6 engine. It was offered only as a bare chassis for exacting clients to cloth in the specification of their choosing.

by Dan Vaughan

B53 Coupe by Allemano
Chassis number: B53 1008

This Lancia Aurelia Coupe wears coachwork designed by Giovanni Michelotti and built by Allemano, and created for the 1953 Turin Motor Show. The body was placed on a rare B53 chassis - of which fewer than 90 examples were produced - and powered by a 1991cc overhead valve V-6 engine and fitted with a four-speed manual gearbox.

This two-door, four-place coupe has twin air intakes flanking the grille and is painted in a black-over-blue color scheme. In the back are sloping rear fenders that help give the vehicle its sporting appeal.

In 2011, the car was offered for sale at the Amelia Island auction presented by RM Auctions.

by Dan Vaughan

B52 Coupe by Ghia
Chassis number: B521055
Engine number: 3832

When Lancia offered their aluminum overhead valve V-6 in their production automobiles, it marked the first time a production V-6 engine was ever offered. The original displacement was 1754cc, but this would grow over the years and offered in various forms of tune. Another impressive feature was the clutch, gearbox and differential were all housed in the same unit. The Aurelia's chassis was comprised of wishbones and coil-springs in the front and an independent rear setup with inboard-mounted rear brakes.

This 1952 Lancia 2000 B52 Aurelia 'B Junior' is one of only 98 B52 examples created. All B52s were sent to coachbuilders to receive one-off and limited production bodies. This example wears coachwork created by Ghia and is believed to have been designed by Boano's son, Gian Paolo. There are several interesting features to this car, such as the semi-skirted wheel wells, a distinctive grille design with vertical chrome teeth, and a two-tone paint scheme.

This B52 Aurelia was on display at the Ghia stand at the Turin Motor Show in 1953. It is painted in white over light blue with a white with gray cloth interior. This car has been given a restoration, performed in England, and has been the featured in several European magazines. It remains one of only two known to have been built.

In 2008, this B52 Ghia-bodied Aurelia was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company auction held in Pebble Beach, CA where it was offered without reserve and estimated to sell for $100,000 - $125,000. The lot was sold for $81,400, including buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

GT Coupe by Pininfarina

The first new car to appear from Lancia after World War Two was the Aurelia. It replaced the Aprilia, a design from 1936 developed under the direction of company founder Vincenzo Lancia in 1950. In good Lancia tradition, it not only had original looks but also featured innovative engineering.

Underneath its attractive body, the B20 GT had the regular Aurelia V-6 and transaxle setup. To enhance the performance of the car, the engine was enlarged to 1991 cc and tuned to produce 75 horsepower @ 4500 RPM.

Ghia stylist Mario Felice Boano was responsible for the design of the Aurelia B20 Gran Turismo coupe. It was a very modern slab-sided and streamlined style following the latest fashion of that time. The execution of this design, however, was uniquely pure and functional with hardly any items that could spoil its lines.

Despite being a rather sizable car, the body of the B20 GT looked well-balanced and appeared more nimble than it actually was. It also was elegant and immediately pleased the eye. These features made this design a definition of what a GT car should look like, and characteristics of this design still echo in modern front-engine sports car styling today.

B53 Giardinetta Station Wagon by Viotti
Chassis number: B53-1004
Engine number: B21-2681

The Lancia Aurelia was the most advanced production car of its day. The long chassis B53 incorporated the ground-breaking, narrow-angle 2-liter V6 Lancia engine. One of Italy's oldest coach-building companies, Viotti was one of the first coachbuilders to establish a proper production line, and between 1933 and 1939, it bodied thousands of Fiats while also undertaking one-off commissions on exotic chassis. After the war, it created 47 station wagons based on the Lancia Aurelia, of which this car is one of two survivors. This car was found in a field in Sardinia, and although it had been neglected, it was complete. A full restoration was carried out in Italy. The work was completed by the spring of 1990 and acquired by Oscar Davis in 2008. It was shown at the 2008 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, where it was awarded a first in the Lancia post-war class.

B52 Coupe by Vignale
Chassis number: 1072

The Aurelia chassis, manufactured between 1950 and 1958, was designed by Vittorio Jano and utilized a V6 60-degree 2.5-liter engine. In 1952, around 100 examples of the B52 chassis were made and most went to specialist Carrosserie to receive coachwork. This example, chassis number 1072, was built by Vignale to a design by Michelotti, who presented over 50 different cars at the 1952 Turin Motor Show.

GT Coupe by Pininfarina
Chassis number: B20 1580
Engine number: 1685

The Lancia Aurelia was launched in 1950 at the Turin Auto Show. At the time of its introduction, it was the most advanced automobile on the market, with its innovative semi-trailing arm independent rear suspension, four-speed transaxle, and the first use of a V6 engine in a production car. It was also the first car to be fitted with radial tires as standard equipment.

The all-aluminum V6 engine was the work of two great engineers, Francesco de Virgilio, and Vittorio Jano. It employs a 60-degree v-angle and a central camshaft with short pushrods for balance and compactness.

The well-configured chassis was balanced by locating the transaxle and inboard rear drum brakes close to the vehicle's centerline, under a unitary body. The 4-wheel independent suspension was achieved through Lancia's proven sliding pillars at the front and trailing arms at the rear.

The Berlina (sedan) bodywork was followed a year later by the sport B20GT Coupe. It came equipped with a more powerful engine installed in a lighter and shorter chassis. The 2 + 2 coachwork, attributed to Felice Mario Boano, was initially built by Carrozzeria Viotti but production was soon transferred to Pinin Farina.

Many consider the B20GT as the world's first Gran Turismo.

The car's sporty persona was reinforced with Giovanni Bracco's second place in the 1951 Mille Miglia. In the 1951 event, B20s took three of the first seven places, and in the 1952 Mille Miglia, four of the first eight.

The Early B20s are significantly different in appearance than later models. Visual differences include their rounded tail fins, streamlined headlights, pivoting door handles and other fascinating details.

All B20 GTs through the first three series are right-hand drive.

This Aurelia rested for many years in Italy until a comprehensive two-year restoration was completed in late 2016. Its known history dates back to 1972 when it was seized and subsequently auctioned by the Italian Customs authorities after being used for smuggling into Switzerland. At the Customs auction, the car received a second VIN number. Documentation from the Fiat Archivio e Centro Storico confirms that the car retains of its original numbered components.

In 2017, the car was air shipped from England and then successfully completed the 2017 California Mille.

This B20GT is powered by an overhead valve, an all-alloy V6 engine fitted with two Weber Twin-Choke carburetors. The engine produces 80 horsepower and is mated to a four-speed manual transaxle.

by Dan Vaughan

B52 Coupe by Vignale
Chassis number: B52-1026
Engine number: 3113

This Lancia Aurelia B52 Coupe by Vignale was built for Count Christian Orssich de Slavetich. It is one of 98 Aurelia B52s and believed to be one of five examples of the B52 that were bodied by Vignale; only one other has a similar specification to this example. The Count sold the vehicle in 1960, and it would go through unknown successive ownership until the 1990s. At the 1995 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance it was awarded with a class win. It then became a part of the Blackhawk Collection. In 2014, it was sold and returned to Switzerland.

by Dan Vaughan

Only 330 examples of the striking B24 were ever produced. This very special automobile, produced for a scant 3 years, offered a host of bristling features in typical Lancia fashion. From the lovely Pininfarina lines down to the remarkably modern mechanicals, the Aurelia B24 Spider was a guaranteed classic.

The Aurelia series was comprised of a full lineup of first-rate cars, with the B20 GT coupe and B24 Spider stationed at its top. The B20 GT was an influential car in its own right. Automotive author Quentin Wilson recognizes that the car is 'often credited as the first of the new breed of modern postwar GT's.' The model that history has looked upon with the most favor, though, has been the B24 Spider.

The B24 offered all the mechanical prowess of other Aurelias, and combined it with the best styling of the series. One of Pininfarina's masterpieces, the B24 is today one of the most highly regarded Lancias. It was a true roadster with a very basic top and simple side curtains as the only degrees of separation between the driver and the outside world. Yet its ample luggage space and pleasant interior begged for an alfresco getaway into the rich scenery of its Italian homeland.

Featuring monocoque construction, already a Lancia hallmark for decades, the B24 was built by Pininfarina. That famed carrozzerie of Italy also, of course, penned the elegant lines.

With its tight, lean curves, the Lancia escaped the bulbous trends of the 1950's. At the car's front, the wheels rested beneath sleek pontoon fenders with subtle flares. Those fenders swept back to form a seamless downward curve that ran nearly to the rear edge of the doors before quickly ramping back up to a peak just beyond the cockpit. The rear fenders, bulging slightly from the rest of the car, formed tight muscles in a predatory haunch. The B24's graceful, athletic stance belied its superb poise.

There was terrific attention to detail in the Lancia's design. The way the split front bumpers led to the proud grille. The way the unfettered rear could have been grown from the soil. The way the delicate curved windshield rested lightly atop the body, an airy marvel of metal and glass placed as if only to frame for driver and passenger the gorgeous view out over the long hood. The Aurelia was fine sculpture at its fastest.

All that elegance translated perfectly into the interior. Free of fussy details, its painted metal dash housed a simple array of instruments and a thin wood-rim steering wheel. The seats took up the width of the interior and, with tops flush with the car's body, blended seamlessly with the B24's outside.

The Aurelia's mechanical sophistication was every bit as impressive as the design. At the heart of the B24 was a 2451cc V6 cast entirely of aluminum alloy. The Aurelia series brought to market the first ever mass-produced V6, and it was a gem. With its 60-degree V and light construction, the engine would not be out of place in a new car. The phenomenal sound may be unheard of today, but the basic design surely is not.

Vittorio Jano was the man responsible for the development of the Lancia V6, which began life as a 1754cc unit. Jano, an invaluable engineer with Alfa Romeo during the company's all-conquering racing career of the 1920's and 1930's, knew more about building fine engines than perhaps anyone else at the time. His metallic marvel produced 118hp in the B24.

The engine was not the only impressive collection of moving parts on the Lancia. The car's other famous feature was its transaxle. Incorporating the transmission, differential, and even brakes all into one compact unit had several benefits on the car. Most notably, it perfected weight distribution and reduced unsprung weight at the rear axle. The result was a great-handling automobile with ballet dancer balance and razor-sharp reflexes.

Suspending the Lancia was a relatively simple system with a sliding pillar up front. The rear of the car used leaf springs, but a De Dion rear axle ensured the excellent road manners already made possible by the car's light engine and use of a transaxle.

Market values of the Aurelia B24 Spider have reached stratospheric heights, and the cars routinely sell for well over $200,000. These vehicles have become established classics with unrivaled Italian pedigree and prestige. They have rightly become known as one of the best Lancias ever made.

Sources Used:

Wilson, Quentin. The Ultimate Classic Car Book. First. London: Dorling Kindersley Limited, 1995.

by Evan Acuña

In 1950 the Lancia Aurelia was introduced to the public at the Turin Motorshow and was created as a replacement for the Lancia Aprilia. Under the hood was a new six-cylinder engine in 'Vee' configuration. To reduce weight, various body panels had been constructed of aluminum, including the hood and doors. The clutch and four-speed gearbox was mounted in the rear using a single unit with the differential. The suspension in the rear was independent, while the front was a sliding pillar type.

The first in the series was the B10 Berlina. Power came from a 1574 cc engine producing nearly 60 horsepower. The four-door pillarless saloon was criticized for its performance issues so Lancia answered the complaints with the introduction of the B21 produced a year later. There was little to distinguish the B10 from the B21, the only difference lies under the hood. The 1574 cc engine had been replaced with a 1991 cc engine producing 70 horsepower. To add sporty appeal, a B20 GT Coupe was introduced in the same year. The two-door coupe was designed by Boano from Ghia. Gianpaolo Boano was the son of Ghia owner Mario Felice Boano. Production was handled by Pininfarina. It sat atop a shortened wheelbase and used a tuned version of the 1991 cc engine now producing 75 horsepower. Production was low with only 500 examples produced. A second coupe series was created using a tuned version of the 1991 cc engine now producing 80 horsepower. Mechanical improvements included better brakes and a lowered suspension, both resulting in better performance. Styling changes were mostly confined to the interior, the most noticeable being done to the instrument panel.

In 1950 an extended wheelbase version of the B10 was introduced, featuring different tires and gear ratios. These were dubbed the B50 and the B51. When the 2-liter engine was introduced, the name was changed to B52 and B53. Production was low with the B50 having the most examples created, 583. There were 184 B52 models, 6 B55 and only 5 B56 models. A single B60 was created. The B55 and B56 were examples with the 2-liter engine and a de Dion rear suspension. The purpose of these specialty models was to allow custom coachbuilders such as Pininfarina, Bertone, Viotti, Vignale, Ghia, among others, to design and build unique creations. One of the more famous designs was created by Pininfarina. It was a concept car dubbed the PF2000. A few examples were created for display at motor shows, such as the Lancia Aurelia B52 B JR built by Ghia for the 1953 Turin Motor Show.

Lancia lengthened the B21 and dubbed it the B15. It received a de-tuned engine, now producing 65 horsepower. Bodied by Bertone, the B15 was produced in low quantities; just over 80 examples were created.

In 1953 Lancia introduced the B20 Coupe, the third in the series, powered by a 2451 cc engine producing nearly 120 horsepower. This marked the first time a left-hand-drive version of the Aurelia could be purchased. The independent rear suspension could not handle the extra power from the new engine so it was changed in favor of a de Dion system. Seven hundred twenty examples were created.

By 1952 Lancia had created a replacement for the B21 Berlina, the B22. It was basically the same as its replacement except for improvements under the hood. The engine had been given double-barrel Weber carburetors, among other improvements, which resulted in the production of 90 horsepower. There were styling changes included, most done to the interior, such as the instruments and the indicators. In 1954 Lancia ceased production of the B22 and introduced the B12. During its production lifespan, nearly 1100 examples were produced.

The B12 was one of the first drastic changes to the Aurelia, both mechanically and aesthetically, since its inception. The engine was a 2266 cc powerplant producing 87 horsepower. The rear suspension was changed in favor of a de Dion system. Wind deflectors were placed on the windows and the headlights were changed. During its production lifespan, around 2400 examples were produced.

In 1955 the audience at the Brussels Motor Show was introduced to the B24 Spider. Lancia had tasked Pininfarina to design and produce a limited number of vehicles using a shortened wheelbase from the B12. Power was supplied from a 2451 cc engine. A convertible was later introduced and quickly became the favorite, with 521 Convertibles and 240 Spiders produced.

The production of the Berlina ceased in 1955. The Coupe and Convertible series continued until 1958. There were a total of six series for the coupe. The fifth series began to shy away from performance gains and focused more on luxury.

by Dan Vaughan