In May 1950, Lancia introduced a family car named after the famous road between Rome and Pisa – the Aurelia. While its design was rather unremarkable at the time, the Aurelia stood out for its technological innovations, including independent suspension and the world’s first production V6 engine, a 1.8-liter unit.
Five years later, the “Spider America” version was unveiled, featuring the same chassis as the family model but with a body designed by Pininfarina. The engine was enlarged to 2.5 liters, and the gearbox was moved to the rear as a transaxle unit integrating the differential. Only 240 examples were produced, of which 181 were left-hand drive, earning them the “America” designation—a nod to their intended market.
Price today: $1 million.
