• One of just 59 right-hand drive cars, commonly known as the Spider America, out of a production run of 240
• Acknowledged as one of 'Pinin' Farina's masterpieces and considered one of the prettiest post-war cars produced by Lancia
• Coming from some 55 years of ownership, a Thornley Kelham inspection report dated January 2022, confirms matching numbers
• The comprehensive report acknowledges the car requires a recommissioning of all mechanicals, undercarriage and new wiring
• Featuring many original parts, the hood requires re-trimming and attention to fixings and panels is also noted
• This car, once refurbished, will be welcome on any Concours lawn after a lifetime in South Africa. A NOVA has been applied for.

It is universally acknowledged that Italy produced the prettiest of sports cars during the 1950s, Britain used pre-war designs and land-yachts lost their roofs in America, the Italian sports car was a testosterone fuelled statement of la dolce vita. Whilst a Bentley looked at home outside a stately manor and a Cadillac was perfectly suited for Route 66, few would argue that a drop-top Italian sports car motoring through a Tuscan hillside is the epitome of style and glamour, an image still held as the industry standard today.

Unlike many of the rather lumpen saloon derived convertibles of the post-war period the launch of the Lancia Aurelia B24 Spider at the 1955 Brussels Motor Show proved to be a sensation. Recognised as one of Battista 'Pinin' Farina's most beautiful designs and built on a shortened chassis, the B24 Spider was powered by the 2,451cc V6 producing 118bhp, which in a car weighing a mere 1,050kg, made for lively acceleration and a top speed of 115mph. With the Stateside driver in mind the car was marketed as the Spider America, and is known as such today, with just 240 cars produced during a year long production run.
 
This matching-numbers car is one of just 59 produced in right-hand drive and like many such 'foreign' motorcars of the day found a home in South Africa rather than in Britain, which was well provided for by domestic manufacturers. We are informed that this car was bought by a previous owner in 1966 as his first car at the tender age of 16 for 69 South African Rand, or £283 sterling equivalent, which in today’s money is £5,272, or just over double the UK average cost of a first time car today!
 
The car was restored and maintained by the long-term owner over the years before it was sold in 2021. In January 2022, and by this time in the UK, it was subjected to an inspection by Thornley Kelham in Cirencester who are recognised as historic Lancia specialists and are happy to discuss the car with any prospective buyers.

Perhaps it would be unfair to call this a restoration project and whilst we invite all prospective buyers to read the aforementioned inspection report we commend this car to the market as an incredibly rare example that requires a thorough going over with a practised eye. We further note that the engine is hesitant to start and therefore requires attention, the hood requires retrimming and the odometer reading, at 883 kilometres, is likely to have gone 'round the clock'. Whilst requiring expert attention to bring up to standard, and therefore offered at a keen estimate, it must be noted that this model’s world record auction price stands at over $2,000,000.

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