Upon its debut at the Torino Motor Show in May 1950, Lancia’s Aurelia was immediately hailed as a technical tour de force. Spearheaded by the legendary engineer Vittorio Jano, the Aurelia introduced many cutting-edge features including a rear-mounted transaxle, four-wheel independent suspension, inboard rear brakes, and a narrow-angle V-6. The Spider America’s elegant Pinin Farina design, influenced by American dream cars of the era, featured voluptuous lines, cut-down doors, split bumpers, and a fashionable panoramic windscreen. In all, just 181 Spider Americas were specified in left-hand-drive – B24S – configuration.

This Spider America is notable for being one of the few left-hand-drive examples originally delivered to a European rather than an American customer. The Lancia’s first owner, Jacques Van Wetter, a Brussels-based notaire honoraire, kept it until 1972. A superb documentation file attests to his unusually dedicated approach to ownership. The current caretaker acquired the Aurelia in 2013 and commissioned an exacting restoration with the goal of returning the car to its former splendor. During this process, German Lancia specialist B & F Touring Garage overhauled the mechanical systems, while Dino Cognolato’s workshop expertly restored the coachwork. Combining exclusivity in numbers, state-of-the-art engineering, and timeless styling, the Spider America is the rare automobile that measures up to its vaunted reputation.

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