1951 Lancia B50 Aurelia

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION

With its flowing, elegant design and advanced engineering, this Lancia Aurelia B50 convertible perfectly reflects the Italian marque’s status during the early post-war years. 

It’s thought that this car was displayed at the 1951 Geneva Motor Show, and then sold via W Ramseter & Cie, a Geneva-based Lancia concessionaire. Its first owner was Anna Cobleigh Payne-Jennings, who took her Aurelia back to the UK but sadly died the following year.

In the summer of 1952, it was bought from her estate by a Mr Jenkins, an American enthusiast who was visiting the UK. He then used the Lancia for touring around Europe, an epic trip that included a visit to the Nürburgring in Germany. 

For many years, it was assumed that its unique exterior details had been added by Pinin Farina, but more recently Jenkins’ son discovered a photograph that had a note on the back written by his father. It said: ‘Before modification by Saoutchik, Paris.’

It therefore appears that his European trip also included a visit to the famous French coachbuilder, which carried out modifications such as the addition of front auxiliary lights and extra chrome detailing. 

Jenkins took the Lancia with him when he went back to the US, and kept the car in Palm Beach until the mid-1970s, after which it moved to his house in Richmond, Virginia. Among his other trips were a visit to the 1954 Sebring 12 Hours, and the Aurelia was resprayed twice during his long ownership: once in pale blue soon after he bought it, and then back to the original white in the late 1950s.

After Mr Jenkins passed away in the 1990s, the Lancia was sold to Los Angeles-based restorer Rick Fitzgerald, who carried out a comprehensive multi-year rebuild. Such was the quality of his work that the Aurelia won a class award at the 2005 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. 

The Lancia was sold to its next owner in 2006 and used only sparingly until it was offered for sale by Gooding & Co at Pebble Beach in 2010. It was bought by a British enthusiast whose wife had immediately fallen in love with it, and since being shipped back to the UK it has deservedly won multiple concours awards. It has also been featured in magazines such as Classic & Sports Car and Auto Italia.

Now being offered for sale, this beautiful Lancia Aurelia comes with an original brochure and instruction book, plus a copy of its bill of sale, and even a photo book that documents its tour of Europe in 1952-53.

MODEL HISTORY

Designed by a team led by the legendary Vittorio Jano, the Aurelia was introduced at the 1950 Turin Motor Show and was undoubtedly a landmark model for Lancia. 

Not only did it feature the first production V6 engine, it had independent rear suspension via semi-trailing arms, a four-speed transaxle, and was the first car to use Michelin X radial tyres. 

Designed by Francesco De Virgilio, the V6 was an all-alloy, overhead-valve unit that initially displaced 1754cc. It was mounted first in the B10 saloon, but the Aurelia range was nothing if not extensive. Alongside the standard unitary-body car, Lancia even produced a slighter longer B50 ‘autotelaio’ platform that was intended to be bodied by leading coachbuilders.

The most popular of those was the Pinin Farina 2+2 convertible, which was included as an officially catalogued model. The bonnet and boot lid were fabricated in aluminium, while standard equipment included a heater, and a radio was offered as an optional extra.

It’s thought that about 265 of these Pinin Farina convertibles were built, and other coachbuilders to produce designs for the B50/B51 platform included the likes of Bertone and Ghia. 

Aurelia development was rapid, and Lancia soon increased the engine’s capacity to 1991cc. The ‘autotelaio’ version of this bigger-engined Aurelia was christened the B52/53 and was popular with coachbuilders such as Vignale, Allemano and Graber.

A ‘second generation’ of Aurelia was introduced in 1954 and featured de Dion rear suspension, while the engine eventually grew to 2451cc. 

The short-wheelbase B20 variant was incredibly successful in competition and helped to define the ‘GT’ category, but whatever form it came in, the groundbreaking Lancia Aurelia has long been recognised as one of the greatest cars of the post-war era.