24437 1951 Lancia Aurelia B20 GT Coupé (Astoria, NY)

24437 1951 Lancia Aurelia B20 GT Coupé

Exceptionally Rare Pre-Series 1951 Lancia Aurelia B20 GT Coup Extremely Original Barn-Find This 1951 Lancia Aurelia B20 GT Coup is an extremely original example and an exceptionally rare pre-series car. Silver with burgundy interior. An incredibly well-preserved car that s both solid and straight. Excellent body and undercarriage. This car is nothing but honest and full of integrity. It would make for the perfect restoration candidate. Just out of long-term ownership and storage. Lancia is known for building Italy s most exquisitely crafted cleverly engineered motorcars. Their meticulous attention to detail often led them down a path of financial struggle but the principles set forth by founder Vincenzo Lancia drove his engineers to create some of the most influential automobiles of all time. Many of Lancia s pre-war innovations such as independent suspension and monocoque chassis culminated with the revolutionary Aurelia of 1951. Development of the new flagship began during World War II with the first production models arriving in 1951. In conjunction with the rigid floor and body was an independent suspension system with trailing arms in the rear connected to the aft-mounted transaxle. Not only did the transaxle setup give the Aurelia exceptional handling balance but it also allowed for a low driveshaft tunnel limiting intrusion into the cabin. Other features included inboard rear brakes and the world s first production V6 engine complete with hemispherical combustion chambers. To demonstrate the capabilities of its revolutionary new GT car Lancia entered four B20 GTs in the 2-liter class of the 1951 Mille Miglia. Straight away the Aurelias showed clean heels to the rest of the 2-liter field. When the torrential rains came the B20 GT of Giovanni Bracco and Umberto Maglioli began to close on the leaders most of whom were in machinery with two or more times the displacement of the Aurelia After a genuinely heroic drive Bracco and Maglioli clawed back over five minutes on the leading 4.1-liter Ferrari closing the gap to just 20 minutes when the checkered flag fell after 13 hours of racing. With the sensational second-place overall in the Mille Miglia the Aurelia became an instant hero to thousands of Italians. More success would follow in similarly grueling events like the Carrera Panamericana and Targa Florio where the Lancia s deft handling and reliability paid off in dividends. The Aurelia remains a popular choice for today s retrospective events and enthusiasts covet these remarkable automobiles for their performance quality and exquisite beauty. Proudly offered here is one of the earliest Aurelia B20 GT coupes in existence. Chassis no. B20 1052Engine no. B20 1045One of 371 Examples Produced in 1951 Groundbreaking Aluminum-Alloy V-6 Engine Exceptionally Rare Pre-Series B20 GT Ideal Restoration Candidate Extremely Original Price 89 500