The journey towards the Lancia Design Day: the timeless elegance of Aurelia, Flaminia, and Fulvia

“Through its almost 116 years of history, Lancia always stood out for its grace and elegance. This holds true for both its flagships, like Aurelia and Flaminia, and its more compact vehicles like the legendary Fulvia,” stated Luca Napolitano, Lancia CEO. “Aurelia, Flaminia, and Fulvia are three iconic vehicles which made our brand a symbol of what is considered “beautiful and well-made”, attracting celebrities from the international jet set, movie stars, and heads of state. We were inspired by elements such as the “calice” on the front end and the clean, essential lines that will be clearly recognizable on our new cars.”

Aurelia, the sleek Lancia vehicle with a sloping design

The legend of Aurelia began in 1951 with the B10, a prestigious sedan with an innovative design whose famous rear and front doors opened in opposite directions, a distinctive Lancia feature which had already been introduced on iconic models like Augusta and Aprilia.
Produced in four different variants, the model is still attracting today for its clean and minimalist design, and long-lasting “natural beauty”. One of the most recognizable elements of its design can definitely be found in its “calice”, which brings together a vertical and horizontal line and includes the brand logo.
This incredible flagship model led to the 1951 Aurelia Coupe B20 Granturismo, the forerunner to the Italian sporty coupes of the 1950s. Designed by Boano and finalized by Pininfarina, the vehicle initiated the 2+2 configuration for the Gran Turismo vehicles. At its first official introduction, the audience was attracted by its clean lines, fastback, smooth sides with just two doors, and a sloping design that enhanced its dynamism.
In 1954, starting from the mechanics of the B20, Pininfarina designed the Aurelia B24 Spider, a gorgeous “moving sculpture” which was successful in the American market thanks to the purity of its design: doors without external handles, completely balanced front and rear volumes, and the vehicle’s sleek tail. In the interiors, there was an aluminum three-spoke steering wheel with a wooden rim, a curve-shaped dashboard, and an instrumental panel with three circular dials.
The Aurelia B24 Convertible made its debut in 1956. A less “extreme” version than the previous Spider, it included a thinner air intake on the hood and larger doors with handles, windows, and deflectors. And exactly sixty years later film lovers will immediately remember it being driven in Dino Risi cult classic “Il sorpasso” (1962), starring a young Vittorio Gassman, who would have turned 100 this year.

Flaminia, the official vehicle of the Italian President with the 1957 Lancia logo

Introduced at the 1957 Geneva Motor Show and produced in three series from 1957 to 1970 in sedan and coupé versions, the Flaminia debuted a new restyling of the Lancia logo which was made directly out of chromed metal with simplified forms and placed on the large hood. The logo style was more minimal compared with the previous one with the shield and the wheel replaced by simple and stylized geometric forms. It was availabe in two colors, blue and silver, and had two special details: the lance which carries the flag and the flag itself with Lancia written in capital letters.
Designed by Pininfarina, who previewed its design on the limited-edition Lancia Florida based on the Aurelia, the Flaminia was an elegant and exclusive sedan with innovative lines and premium interiors. One of its most famous elements of design was the large air intake on its hood and the refined chromed profile which starts from the roof frame and runs along the entire tailfin. However, one of the best Flaminia stylistic expression was reached in 1959 with the two-door Flaminia Coupé, designed once again by Pininfarina. More beautiful than any other vehicle of its time, the Flaminia was one of the main stars of the Italian dolce vita. In fact, the actor Marcello Mastroianni, who owned various models, was one of its most loyal customers.
Between 1960 and 1961, Pininfarina produced four Lancia Flaminia 335, a number which stood for its wheelbase, having been lengthened compared to the sedan. A symbol of Italian creativity and elegance, this presidential limousine in a landaulet version, a body, often used for head of states, with a hardtop for the front seats and an openable soft-top roof for the rear seats, equipped with a specific chassis, ministerial blue livery, and fine black Conolly leather upholstery.

The Fulvia Coupè, the Lancia with the classic “turret” cabin

In 1965, Lancia created the Fulvia Coupé, the refined hatchback which, compared to the 1963 sedan, stands out for its more agile and sporty design, 2+2 configuration, bright cabin, large windows, slanted windshield and rear window. Designed by Piero Castagnero, who was at the helm of Centro Stile Lancia at the time, the Fulvia Coupé was inspired by the design of Riva motorboats and had a sleek front and clean cut at the tail. It had great success when it was introduced for its “turret” cabin, which stood out for the incredible external visibility created by its large windows and thin pillars. The interiors are both sporty and elegant with a wooden dashboard and steering wheel. Moreover, standing out on its complete instrument panel, there was a large, round odometer and tachometer. These are the same pure, geometric forms which are inspiring the designers in the creation of its future models.