This B20 GT is one of the first right-hand-drive Series IV cars built. According to the official build records, it was released on June 25, 1954, finished in Grigio and fitted with engine number 3576, which it retains to this day. This car has been comprehensively restored by marque specialists Omicron Engineering Ltd. and is now resplendent in Pearlescent Silver-Gray paintwork and blue trim. It also features the desirable Nardi floor shift.
A previous owner was the prolific and respected motor historian and author Anthony Pritchard, who was an authority on Italian racing and sports cars, having written many books on Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini and the Mille Miglia. Pritchard bought a Series IV B20 GT from legendary Lancia guru Harry Manning in 1965 for £545. He sold the car some time later. Fast-forward to 2010 and Pritchard decided he wanted another of these cars. He instructed Omicron, the well-known Lancia experts, to find a suitable car.
Omicron tracked down this example in Massachusetts in the process of being restored. It bought the car on Pritchard’s behalf and shipped it back to the U.K. Omicron then completed the restoration, including an extensive mechanical overhaul and engine rebuild with invoices totalling over £37,000. It was only when the Aurelia was back in the U.K. that Pritchard realized it was the very same car he had owned 45 years previously! He applied to the DVLA, who reissued the car’s original registration “47 ELF”, which it carries today.
There is a comprehensive history file with the car detailing the work undertaken by Omicron as well as further recent expenditures totaling some £13,000. Most recently, the Aurelia appeared on the Lancia stand at the NEC Classic Car Show in November 2022, successfully completing the 180-mile round trip without issue. Eligible for a host of prestigious historic events including the Mille Miglia, this beautiful Aurelia B20 GT is ready to enjoy.
SCM Analysis
Detailing
| Vehicle: | 1954 Lancia Aurelia B20 GT Series IV |
| Years Produced: | 1951–58 (Series IV from early 1954 to December 1955) |
| Number Produced: | 3,871 (total), 1,000 (Series IV) |
| SCM Valuation: | $110,000–$186,000 |
| Tune Up Cost: | $2,000 |
| Chassis Number Location: | Plaque on firewall and stamped on firewall just below that |
| Engine Number Location: | Left front side of block |
| Club Info: | American Lancia Club |
| Website: | http://www.americanlanciaclub.com |
| Alternatives: | 1950–59 Alfa Romeo 1900, 1952–58 Fiat 1900, 1956–59 Mercedes-Benz 220 S coupe |
| Investment Grade: | B |
This car, Lot 136, sold for $104,993 (£86,250), including buyer’s premium, at Bonhams’ London, U.K., auction on December 16, 2022.
Lancia was one of the most-respected automakers in the world into the 1960s, known both for its quality craftmanship and advanced technology. It was purchased by Fiat in 1969, gradually becoming a shell of its former self. Its most desperate moment came in 2014, when at FCA’s yearly press conference then-CEO Sergio Marchionne’s team “forgot” to display the Lancia shield logo among the carmaker’s other brands. Despite this, in recent years Lancia has been growing in popularity with collectors and seems to be more widely recognized at classic-car events.
A brand representative
One of the reasons Lancia’s name is still so loved is undoubtedly because of the Aurelia. Built from 1950 to ’58, 1951 marked the launch of the coupe version, the Aurelia B20 GT (B20S for left-hand-drive models, “S” denoting sinistra, or “left” in Italian). Equipped with a new 2.0-liter V6, the B20’s displacement grew to 2.5 liters in 1953.
Every Lancia Aurelia B20 coupe is a pleasure to look at, thanks to the gorgeous, well-proportioned shape. The design was penned by Felice Mario Boano, then owner of Carrozzeria Ghia, although the first 98 bodies were manufactured at Carrozzeria Viotti, and later bodies were built by Pinin Farina with a revised design.
Among the six series of Aurelia B20 GT manufactured, the third and fourth series (the latter the first made available in LHD) are the most sought-after by collectors. “The fourth series is the version that competes with the third series as the most desirable one,” says Italian Lancia Aurelia guru Francesco Gandolfi. “It is equipped with the most-powerful 2.5-liter engine, for 118 hp, and has the De Dion rear axle, making it the perfect cruiser.
“Aurelia racer Gino Valenzano once declared that the third series was perfect to race. Thanks to the independent suspension system with semi-trailing-arm arrangement, [it was] very tricky at speed and impossible to recover if lost, but faster than the easier-to-drive Series IV. For normal people, the Series IV is a better choice. It has the most beautiful shape, not yet disturbed by the bigger rear window that will appear on the Series V.”
Also of note, metallic paint was introduced from the fifth series, and went on to be extremely popular. For Series IV cars, metallic colors were an expensive “special request” option made available by Pinin Farina.
Bargain or beast?
This 1954 Lancia Aurelia B20 GT is a Series IV car originally sold in London. It came with a well-documented history of ownership and is a solid, matching-number B20. On the face of it, the $105k paid seems to be a bargain, but the details tell the whole story.
The exterior and interior colors are incorrect. (For the latter, gray “panno Lancia,” Lancia’s unique fabric, is original.) The color of the wheels appears to be too light. The column-mounted gear lever was removed and converted to a Nardi floor-shift, which is inexplicable and unnecessary. The spare tire should be latched to avoid moving around in the trunk. Under the hood, the fuel line linking the fuel pump and carburetor is the ugliest I’ve ever seen, and the brake-fluid tank should be painted black.
If the new owner decides to rectify each of these items, which will cost a considerable amount of money, they will likely end up spending the same price as buying a perfect car to begin with. Instead, if they keep the car as-is, after a good look-over by a mechanic, they could enjoy wonderful drives in this Mille Miglia-eligible car without having much worry. Either way, I believe this Lancia brought a fair price for both parties. ♦
(Introductory description courtesy of Bonhams.)
