Lancia Flaminia Sport 2.5-Litre "double bubble" Coupé, 1959
Lancia Flaminia
Lancia Flaminia•
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Chassis No.: 82400-1105
Engine No.: 82300 1493
Estimate: €350,000 - €450,000 EUR
- One of only 99 'Pre-Series' Flaminia Sport Zagato models produced
- Matching numbers
- Delivered new to France
- Formerly part of Peter Kaus's famous 'Rosso Bianco' Collection, then Victor Muller
This striking Zagato-bodied Lancia Flaminia Super Sport features the Milanese styling house's renowned 'double bubble' body form in which low overall lines and a rounded streamlined shape are achieved by the simple but ingenious device of convex head-clearance roof bulges above each front seat.
One of the oldest and most respected of automotive design firms, Zagato was quick to exploit the popularity of the new GT racing category after WW2, supplying factory teams and catering for the privateer scene with roadable cars that could be driven competitively on the racetrack come the weekend. The creator of some of the most memorable designs of this, arguably Zagato's most productive period, was Ercole Spada. Favouring soft fluent, aerodynamic lines, Spada introduced the sawn-off tail on the Alfa Romeo Giulia Tubolare Zagato and was also responsible for the Alfa Romeo Giulietta and 2600 SZs. His creations on Lancia chassis included the Zagato Sport/Super Sport variants of the Flavia, Fulvia and Flaminia.
Introduced at the 1956 Turin Motor Show, Lancia's top-of-the-range Flaminia retained its Aurelia predecessor's mechanical layout, though Lancia's traditional 'sliding pillar' independent front suspension gave way to a more-modern double wishbone arrangement. Aurelia carry-overs were the 60-degree, 2,458cc, overhead-valve, V6 engine, and the De Dion rear transaxle with inboard brakes. The Zagato-bodied Sport and Super Sport models shared a shortened wheelbase with the Touring-styled GT/GTL coupes and the Convertible, and all featured disc brakes and increased power. A 2,775cc engine was introduced in 1962, by which time the sportier Flaminias were capable of around 200km/h (130mph).
Zagato made a number of styling changes over the years, though determining the configuration and specification of individual cars is extremely difficult. Faired-in headlamps under Plexiglas cowls featured on the first 99 cars, which were followed by a further 100 single-carburettor models with open vertical headlamps. Introduced in 1961, the 3C variant featured triple Weber 35DCN carburettors in place of the single Solex, which raised maximum power to 140bhp. Later Sport and Super Sport models were fitted with the 2.8-litre engine.
Featuring the Milanese carrozzeria's signature 'double bubble' roof, this matching-numbers example of the last word in old-school Lancia design is one of 99 'Pre-Series' Zagato Sport models built with faired-in headlights before they were made illegal in Italy.
It is believed that this car was delivered new to France where it was registered in the Hauts de Seine near Paris as '6440 VW 92'. It later formed part of Peter Kaus's famous 'Rosso Bianco' Collection in Aschaffenburg, Germany. In 1996 the Flaminia was acquired by renowned collector Victor Muller of the Netherlands, who had the car resprayed by noted restorers Dijkhof in Holland, and then participated in the 1997 Tour Auto with the car.
The Lancia was acquired by the current Dutch owner in 2004, since when it has been regularly serviced by well known Italian-car specialists such as Jan Steutel, Evert Visser and Wim van Eik at Mugello Engineering. Well presented, 'on the button' and offered from near-on 20 years of private enthusiast ownership, this beautiful Italian thoroughbred is sure to delight the fortunate next owner.
