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1955 Lancia Aurelia B24 Spider “America” – #B24-1009

  • One of 240 B24 Spiders and one of only 59 in right hand drive configuration
  • Concours restoration by marque experts finished in 2015
  • Beautiful original colour combination
  • Original hardtop in matching exterior colour
  • Recent service at well-known Lancia expert in Germany

The Lancia Aurelia B24 Spider is a true design icon of the 1950s. The Pinin Farina designed open-top GT was recognized for its great looks and sportscar like performance by several famous actors, such as Roger Vadim and Brigitte Bardot. To buy a new B24 Spider in 1955 really needed a Hollywood like income, as the price tag of the car was equivalent to six Volkswagen Beetles at that time. Thus, the main target market for the B24 Spider were the United States and most of the 240 cars have therefore been shipped over the Atlantic and sold by European sportscar importer Max Hoffman.

Only built for one year, Lancia produced 181 left hand drive and 59 right hand drive versions of the B24 “America” Spider in 1955.

Developed by Italian engineer Francesco de Virgilio, the lightweight aluminium engine was the first serial production V6 engine and had an enlarged displacement of 2.5 litres over the standard 2 litres of the earlier coupe versions.

The engine produces a maximum power output of almost 120 bhp, which accelerates the lightweight Spider to a top speed of 185 km/h. Although the B24 was never really intended for competition use, Italian Bernardo Ferrari contested an America Spider in the 1956 Mille Miglia, which of course makes the model eligible for the classic version of the event.

The car on offer is one of only two right hand drive B24s originally delivered in black. The first owner of the car was Dr. Cirino Rao, who lived in Sicily and is said to be still active in the Lancia collectors scene. Dr. Rao sold the car to Sig. Veniero Molari of Turin, who kept the “America” Spider until 1979. The third Italian owner kept B24-1009 for thirty-three years, when it was finally sold to its previous owner in 2011.

He commissioned Lancia experts Thornley Kelham to perform a ground up concours restoration with a focus on preservation. Thornley Kelham found the car to be “surprisingly corrosion free” with minor previous repairs. After the two-year restoration was finished in 2015, the car was entered into the Salon Privé Concours d’Elegance at Blenheim Palace, where it won a prize in the convertible class.

The Lancia Aurelia B24 Spider surely is one of the masterpieces of the automotive design history with eligibility for the historic Mille Miglia or the greatest concours events. With a recent service at Lancia experts of B&F Touring Garage the car is ready for every adventure.