In specifications and quality the Aurelia represents the peak of Lancia history. After the war Italy was impoverished but Lancia created a successor for the Aprilia for which neither money nor effort were spared. Although in specifications it was equal to a contemporary Ferrari, the Aurelia was not designed as a racing or sports car. It was a restrained and comfortable saloon.
It had the world’s first V6 engine (60 degrees this time with two separate cylinder heads), a configuration that is very popular today but at the time was believed to be impossible because of balancing problems. The engine was an all-aluminium unit whilst the clutch, gearbox, final-drive and inboard rear brakes were all incorporated in a single unit at the back for better weight distribution.

There was all-round independent suspension with sliding-pillars at the front and semi-trailing triangular arms at the back. This was a new design that would much later be copied by many, including BMW and Mercedes. From front to rear a double exhaust system was employed and doors, bonnet, bootlid and wings were all made of aluminium to reduce weight.
Best known of all the Aurelias is the coupé, the B20. This car wrote history only a month after being introduced by scoring 2nd overall in the 1951 Mille Miglia: a production model of only 2 litres beating all but one of the racing cars from Ferrari, Maserati and Alfa Romeo with engines of up to 4½ litres capacity! The B20 was the first car ever to be christened GT (for Gran Turismo), built to travel long distances at high speed in comfort.
The Aurelia Spider, the B24 is one of the most beautiful and most expensive post-war Lancias. First called the Spider America, it was Lancia’s first car that could be ordered with left-hand drive.