1955 Lancia Aurelia B24S Spider America

Lancia used the Turin Motor Show in 1950 to officially introduce the Aurelia. Unremarkable at a glance, the new car hosted advanced technology, including front and rear independent suspension, inboard rear brakes and a new 1.8-litre 60-degree alloy V-6 engine of 125 hp that would become the world’s first volume-produced V-6. The race-derived 2,451cc OHV unit with hemispherical heads was available with one or two carburetors.

The Aurelia was built in six generations through 1958, increasingly refined with each evolution. The open top debuted in 1955 with the B24 Spider America. Lancia built 240 examples of the B24 spider through late 1955, with 181 cars specified as the B24S, the ‘S’ (for sinistra, Italian for ‘left’) denoting left-hand drive. The 4-speed manual transaxle combined with sliding pillar fully independent front suspension and De Dion rear suspension allowed for excellent weight distribution.

A 1955 Lancia Aurelia B24S Spider America Project. Coachwork by Pinin Farina. It made £319k at a recent Bonahams auction. Hagerty suggests a top end 1955 Lancia Aurelia B24S Spider America is trending around $1.3m