Lot Ended
Description
A fine example of this elegant and innovative thoroughbred;
large history file; only 4,250 miles on rebuilt engine; reluctant sale due to
illness; one for the connoisseur
An unassuming yet supremely
elegant machine, the Lancia Aurelia marked a quiet revolution in car design.
Launched at the 1950 Turin Motor Show, the model had actually been designed
during World War Two by Lancia’s chief engineer, Vittorio Jano, and his
understudy, Francesco de Virgilio.
It boasted the world’s first
production V6 engine, largely designed by de Virgilio, with capacities that
eventually ranged from 1.8 to 2.5-litres. An all-aluminium unit, it used
overhead valves operated via short pushrods from a single camshaft between the
cylinder banks (rather than Lancia’s traditional overhead camshafts) with
hemispherical combustion chambers.
The hand-crafted body (mainly
aluminium) was of advanced monocoque design, with Lancia’s ‘sliding pillar’
independent suspension up front (as first seen on the Lambda). The
semi-trailing-arm layout of the rear suspension was also a world first, as was
the innovative gearbox/rear transaxle on which were mounted the inboard brakes,
finned drums of fine manufacture and great beauty.
The initial
B10 Berlina was quickly followed by a fastback Coupe, the revered B20 which
was penned by Pininfarina stylist Mario Boano. The very essence
of bella figura, the B20 is widely regarded as one
of the most influential car silhouettes of all time and, in 4th Series form, is
considered by some to be the greatest aesthetic achievement of the automotive
age.
The B24 Spider version was achingly beautiful, as reflected in its
huge price tag today (£700k+), much to the distress of your scribe, who has
lusted after one of these mystical machines since he was a
child...
Through eight years and six Series of development the Aurelia,
in all its forms – Berlina, Coupe and Spider – represented the zenith of Fifties
car design, both in looks and engineering excellence. The car of choice
for numerous racing drivers in period, the Aurelia also enjoyed much
success in gruelling competitive events like the Mille Miglia, Targa Florio and
the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
First registered in Italy in June 1951, this
gorgeous B10 Berlina comes with a large history file to show careful upkeep over
the last 35 years. The buff logbook shows that it was first UK registered in
September 1960 with the number XER 350, the owner being economic historian Peter
Mathias CBE of Queen’s College Cambridge who kept it until 1966. The Italian
number was NA 61592 which suggests that it had come in from Naples.
It
then had a couple more owners in the late 1960s but the trail then goes cold
until it was acquired by a Lancia Club member, Mr G Miller of Bath, in the late
1980s. He and his son were to keep the car for the next two decades and it
became well-known in the Club.
Invoices show that it was fully restored
between 1989 and 1991, most of the work being done by Longmate Vintage
Restorations of King’s Lynn (including a rebuilt engine with new pistons,
bearings etc). The bodyshell was restored by Spiders Web of Thetford. At this
point the odometer was showing c.54,500 km and there are lots of invoices to
show subsequent upkeep.
In 1996 the engine was sent to Omicron for
investigation and they ended up doing what was effectively a second engine
rebuild, the odometer at this point showing c.68,100 km. Omicron continued to
look after the car fairly regularly thereafter, including some work to the
brakes and the steering and a major service in June 2000 at 72,752 km. The car’s
last visit to Omicron was in 2007 when they repaired a faulty starter motor, the
odometer showing 73,965 km at the time.
There are 11 old MOTs
charting the gradual accumulation of mileage from 1989 – 2000 plus another three
from 2006, 2007 and 2008 when it always flew through with no advisories.
Featured in Viva Lancia magazine in December 1994, it seems from
correspondence that it was also featured in Classic Cars magazine in 1995 and
again in Classic & Sportscar magazine in 2000. While the latter two
magazines are not in the history file, there are some professional photos which
were presumably taken by one of them.
In 2008 the Millers finally sold
their beloved B10 and it was then exported to Holland – sadly losing its XER 350
number plate in the process which is now on a 2024 Audi e-Tron GT (boo!).
Our vendor had long had an Aurelia on his wish list to join his
collection of interesting cars and he acquired the B10 from Carrosso Classic
& Sportscars of Oldemarkt, Holland in May 2021. He had it tuned by Nutts
Performance Classics of Pontypool in November 2021 but it has barely been driven
since due to our vendor’s health issues.
As you can see in the photos,
this Aurelia looks utterly gorgeous, with arrow-straight flanks, excellent panel
gaps and lustrous Medio Blue paintwork. The grey cloth interior looks all
correct and may perhaps be original. The headlining has some damage in places
and the steering wheel could do with some sympathetic refurbishment but other
than that it is a fine place to sit.
It rides on a set of the correct
Michelin X 185-400 radial tyres – essential to preserve the steering delicacy
and fine handling of these thoroughbred machines. The underside looks to be in
great shape too. The current H plate looks incongruous and it really needs a
dateless number (which you could easily purchase in one of our Cherished Number
Plate auctions).
It has only covered 6,800 km
since the 1996 engine rebuild (4,250 miles) and has been starting promptly and
running well as we have moved it around on site, with healthy oil pressure (at
the top end of ‘Normale’, as pictured). We have greatly enjoyed driving it
around our large 10-acre site and it goes, stops and steers very nicely
indeed.
We did note a slight knock from underneath which could be the
exhaust knocking, or perhaps a thrust bearing spinning. Either way it doesn’t
seem to affect the performance, but due to recent lack of use
a precautionary check-over would be prudent before any long journeys are
undertaken.
Any true
car connoisseur should own a pre-Fiat-era Lancia at some point in their lives.
They really are magnificent machines on so many levels and this fine-looking
B10, one of only around 5,400 made, would grace any
collection.
Consigned by James Dennison – 07970 309907 – [email protected]