1952 Lancia Aurelia 2000 Coupé

The post-war period brought a desire, a hunger for renewal. People wanted to forget and surpass everything that reminded of the past and the time before the war. Cars were the "first" example of this thirst for novelty. Since its appearance, the Aurelia caused quite a stir, mainly because, together with the contemporary Fiat 1400, it represented the first genuinely new "Italian" automotive product of the post-war period. The first Lancia car of the post-war period, the revolutionary Aurelia designed by Vittorio Jano appeared in 1950. At the Salone di Torino, inaugurated on May 4, 1950, was exhibited the first of all the Aurelia cars, the B10 sedan, featuring a harmoniously rounded line. It boasted a series of revolutionary technical innovations. To mention a few: the first V-6 engine with a V of 60° as standard 1.8 litres, developed by Francesco de Virgilio, the monocoque with independent four-wheel suspension, the new gearbox/differential unit mounted in a transaxle layout, and inboard rear brakes. The bodywork was partly made of aluminium with the windshield and rear window in curved glass. In the Aurelia, especially in this first B10 version, the qualities of comfort, luxury and ride flexibility were favoured. A year later, in the spring of 1951, arrived an engine with a displacement of 2 litres, mounted on the new B20 coupe and, as an alternative to the 1.8 litres, on the sedan that takes the name of B21. The range of the "first series" Aurelia expanded further at the beginning of autumn 1952 when appeared a new lengthened limousine with 6-7 seats, the B15 type and a new version of the sedan (the B22) is added. Soon, the Aurelia platform would also become the basis for a series of special chassis intended for independent coachbuilders, opening the way to some of the most exclusive and elegant interpretations of the model.

The story of the Lancia Aurelia spans the years from 1950 to 1958. More specifically, the chassis intended for custom-built bodies by independent coachbuilders were produced between 1950 and 1956. Soon after the model’s public debut at the Salone di Torino in 1950, Lancia began offering bare chassis alongside the standard B10 sedan. According to the company’s forecasts, production of these rolling chassis – designated B50 (and B51 in a strengthened version to accommodate heavier bodies) – was expected to reach at least one thousand units. Despite the commercial logic of the initiative, and the inclusion of three special-bodied versions in Lancia’s own price list (the Pininfarina cabriolet and the Stabilimenti Farina coupé on the B50, and the Viotti “Giardinetta” on the more robust B51 platform), demand, though not negligible, remained below expectations. The reasons lay partly in the modest performance of the 1.8-litre engine when fitted with heavier coachbuilt bodies, and in the very high prices these cars commanded. In 1952, Lancia introduced the more powerful 2-litre engine already adopted on the B21 sedan. The new chassis thus equipped were designated B52 and B53: the B52 replacing the B50 as the standard chassis, and the B53 replacing the B51 for bulkier and heavier bodies. Total production of these 2-litre rolling chassis remained below two hundred units (184 in all). These rare platforms were used by many of the most renowned Italian coachbuilders, as well as by a few foreign firms such as the Swiss Beutler and Worblaufen. On the B52 chassis, Pininfarina built, among others, almost all of the celebrated PF200 show cars. Also noteworthy is the 1953 Vignale coupé designed by Giovanni Michelotti, produced in several examples, each with slight variations. The Ghia-Boano Junior was another significant interpretation, released in two versions: an initial, more conventional design in 1952, followed in 1953 by the bolder “Boano-Junior 2”, remarkable especially for the distinctive front styling.

Of the one hundred B52 units produced, only eleven are assigned to Vignale, and only four of them receive a coupe body. The design of this model is the work of Giovanni Michelotti, who draws for Vignale cars with particularly elaborate lines, and the B52 chassis no. B52-1072 is one of these, with the striking chrome, bolts and the weird floating front lights. Since everyone was different in several details, this car is to be intended as a one-off. This version, also in a cabriolet version, is showed at 1952 Salone di Torino. This car has undergone a meticulous restoration in its two tone livery, which lasted from the beginning of 2005 to the beginning of 2009, which made it possible to rediscover the splendor and uniqueness of the vehicle. Since the end of the restoration the car has undergone a review of successful participations in the major concours d'elegance. The car is part of the Lopresto collection.