1962 Lancia Appia Sport Zagato
Registration no. 834 XVE
Chassis no. 812 05 1117
Engine no. 814 00 5808

The little 1100cc Appia was produced from 1953 to 1963 in three series with great commercial success - Lancia made nearly 100,000 saloons and a further 8,000 specials in no less than twelve models, including a small van, a pick-up truck and an ambulance chassis. Coach builders on the Appia chassis included Allemano,Vignale, Viotti, Boano, Pininfarina and, of course, Zagato. The Appia probably made Lancia back some of the money which it lost on the engineered-at-cost-no-object Flaminia.

The heart of the Appia was a very short V4 1100cc engine with two low mounted pushrod operated camshafts ; it was a typically ingenious little Lancia jewel. Early cars had aluminum doors, boot lid, bonnet, rear wings and bumpers. The sliding pillar front suspension was retained ; the spare wheel and battery were placed well back in the boot to aid even weight distribution. Although the car was small, its quality was above reproach ; Quattroruote magazine drove their Appia for 160,000 kms without any problems.

Zagato produced sporting versions on all three series of the Appia. The final version, the Appia Sport offered here, was built on a short 2350mm wheelbase with power output increased to 60bhp, thanks to a larger Weber carburettor. The car was unbeatable in its class in Italian hill climbs and rallies and in any event where nimbleness was at a premium. The flowing rounded lines of the Appia Sport make it look like a smaller scale model of the early version of the Flaminia Sport Zagato, also styled by Ercole Spada.

This car was acquired by Anthony MacLean as a present for his wife, Anna, a keen competition driver. Delivered new in Italy, the car was exported to the USA and then returned to Europe where its previous owner had it fully restored in Holland. The car appears to have had only three owners before Anna.The car is its original attractive colour scheme of dark Lancia red with light tan interior. The car has been carefully checked over by specialists in England and Turin. It has had seat belts, a new battery and new correct period pattern tyres fitted.