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| Lancia Aurelia B20 | |
|---|---|
| Name | Lancia Aurelia B20 |
| Manufacturer | Lancia |
| Production | 1950–1953 (B20) |
| Assembly | Turin, Italy |
| Designer | Carrozzeria Ghia, Pinin Farina |
| Class | Grand tourer |
| Body style | 2-door coupé |
| Layout | Front-engine, rear-wheel drive |
| Engine | 2.0 L V6 |
| Transmission | 4-speed manual |
Lancia Aurelia B20 The Lancia Aurelia B20 is a 2-door grand tourer coupé produced by Lancia in the early 1950s, celebrated for introducing one of the first production V6 layouts and for its combination of advanced engineering and elegant coachwork. It emerged during the post-World War II automotive revival alongside contemporaries such as Ferrari 166, Alfa Romeo 1900, Jaguar XK120, and Aston Martin DB2. The B20's technical innovations and competitive successes helped solidify Lancia's reputation within European sports-car and endurance-racing communities including events like the Mille Miglia, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Targa Florio.
Introduced as the coupé derivative of the Aurelia series developed under the direction of Vincenzo Lancia's successors and chief engineer Francesco de Virgilio's era, the B20 combined a groundbreaking V6 powerplant with a sophisticated independent suspension layout and a low-slung chassis. The model was bodied by firms such as Pinin Farina and Carrozzeria Ghia, attracting patrons from the circles of Gianni Agnelli, Enzo Ferrari, and Carlo Abarth. Public attention at motor shows and road tests placed the B20 alongside models from Renault, Peugeot, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz in assessments of engineering refinement and touring capability.
The B20's engineering lineage traces to Lancia's prewar emphasis on innovation seen in the Lancia Lambda and Lancia Augusta, evolving into a postwar architecture featuring a short-stroke 60° V6 designed by Francesco de Virgilio and refined by Vittorio Jano-era influence. The V6 block, aluminum alloy components, and hemispherical combustion chambers illustrated links to the contemporary work of engineers at Fiat and lessons learned from World War II materials constraints. Front suspension employed unequal-length wishbones with coil springs and hydraulic dampers similar in concept to systems used by Citroën and DKW, while the rear utilized a semi-trailing-arm layout promoted in debates within SAE International circles. Coachbuilders such as Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera and Vignale produced coachwork variations reflecting stylistic currents set by designers like Battista "Pinin" Farina, Giovanni Michelotti, and Felice Mario Boano.
Production of the B20 began in 1951 with early series built on the Aurelia B10 chassis and transitioned through progressive revisions identified by enthusiasts and historians associated with institutions like the Automobile Club d'Italia and clubs for classic car preservation. Variants included the B20 GT and later Series refinements with larger bore sizes and modified compression ratios responding to input from figures such as Carlo Chiti and outlets including Autocar and Road & Track. Coachbuilt specials by Ghia and Vignale were commissioned by collectors linked to Milan and Turin social circles, while small-run competition models were prepared by workshops including Scuderia Ferrari-adjacent tuners and independent garages in Modena and Maranello.
The B20 achieved notable results in endurance and road racing events, contested by privateers and factory-supported entrants at the Mille Miglia, where drivers connected to teams like Scuderia Ferrari and Scuderia Ambrosiana campaigned them. Successes in rallies and long-distance races placed the model in the company of contemporaries from Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and Alfa Romeo at events organized by bodies such as the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile and the Automobile Club d'Italia. Drivers associated with the B20 included famed names from Italian motorsport circles, competing in circuits from Monza to the Sicilian roads of the Targa Florio, and earning coverage in periodicals like La Gazzetta dello Sport and Autosport.
The standard B20 featured a transversely inclined 1991 cc V6 producing around 75–90 PS depending on tune and series, coupled to a 4-speed manual transmission and a rear axle with hypoid gearing. Technical attributes such as an alloy cylinder head, shaft-driven single camshaft per bank, and progressive carburation reflected engineering parallels with engines developed at FIAT and influenced by research from European technical institutes in Milan and Turin. Road tests in publications including The Autocar and Motor Trend recorded top speeds in the vicinity of 170–180 km/h and 0–100 km/h times competitive with peers like the MG A and Sunbeam Alpine, while fuel consumption and touring refinement made the B20 a favored choice for long-distance drivers frequenting routes between Paris, Rome, and Monte Carlo.
Critical reception in the 1950s from journals such as Quattroruote and The Times praised the B20's combination of innovation and style, influencing later grand tourers from Maserati, Ferrari, and Alfa Romeo. Collectors, museums, and preservation societies—including the Museo Nazionale dell'Automobile in Turin and major concours such as Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance—have highlighted the B20 in exhibits and concours classes, cementing its status among icons like the Jaguar E-Type and Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. Its technical firsts and racing pedigree continue to be studied by automotive historians associated with institutions like Hagerty, RM Sotheby's, and university programs in automotive engineering at Politecnico di Torino.
Category:Lancia cars Category:Grand tourers Category:1950s automobiles