1953 Lancia Aurelia PF200 Spider – Jet-Age Glamour, Coachbuilt Excellence
In 1958, Italian crooner Renato Rascel famously sang about the underpaid civil servant who could never dream of affording the Lancia Aurelia designed by Pininfarina his lifetime public salary wouldn’t come close to covering the cost. Ironically, Rascel himself ended up behind the wheel of one, having somehow managed to afford the elusive spider.
The Lancia unveiled at the 1953 Geneva Motor Show was none other than the PF200 Spider, a flamboyant coachbuilt variant that joined the prestigious Aurelia family.
No fewer than seven distinct iterations of this model were produced, all sharing the same dramatic hallmark: a massive front air intake, unmistakably inspired by the jet fighters of the 1950s, particularly their American counterparts. These cars were never meant for the masses—they were bold, avant-garde statements of design.
At the time, Pininfarina’s design house was gaining momentum, with wealthy clients seeking bespoke bodies tailored to their favorite chassis. What began as a promotional exercise with Lancia quickly became a phenomenon of its own.
Demand surged, and 98 Aurelia chassis were ultimately dispatched to coachbuilders to receive the signature Pininfarina treatment.
Under the sculpted hood was a 2.0-liter V6 engine—an engineering marvel of its time—featuring dual overhead camshafts and twin double-barrel carburetors. Output stood at 90 horsepower.
In a nod to sophisticated engineering, the four-speed gearbox was rear-mounted to improve weight distribution. The car was also equipped with four-wheel independent suspension and hydraulically assisted drum brakes—a technological tour de force in the early ’50s.
Bottom line: A stunning fusion of futuristic design and cutting-edge engineering.
Current valuation: $1.4 million
