Lancia Egyéb

Aurelia B52 Coupe’ Bertone one-off

Lancia Aurelia B52 Coupé (only 98 of these chassis were delivered to
various coachbuilders), one-off by Carrozzeria Bertone.

Exhibited at the 1951 Turin Motor Show.

Only 3,700 kilometres from new, never restored, still in exceptional
unmolested condition.

Chassis no. B52.1074

Engine no. B21 4.542

The car was discovered in Belgium, at that time the odometer reading was
2,756 kilometres, then a further 1,000-or-so kms were added. This unique
car is still on its original paint, CEAT whitewall tyres, all the
beautiful interior, with its dashboard buttons in amber, everything is
still the same as when the car left Carrozzeria Bertone in 1951 to be
exhibited to the Salone dell'Automobile.

This Aurelia drives perfectly, let's say like a new car still in
"running-in period". The are photographs taken at a Concours d'Élégance in
Chaudfontaine, Liège, Belgium, circa 1953. Unique and outstandingly original, this coachbuilt and hardly run-in Lancia carries a very elegant design and
perfect proportions.

Everyone in the motoring history knows one of the most influential designs
to emerge from Italy post-WW2, the classic Aurelia was the first car ever
to employ a V6 engine. Designed in wartime by Francesco de Virgilio and
launched at the 1950 Turin Motor Show, the Aurelia B10 was powered by a
1,754cc 60-degree V6 of all-aluminium construction that used overhead
valves operated via short pushrods instead of Lancia's traditional
overhead camshafts. An advanced unitary-construction design, the Aurelia
retained Lancia's 'sliding pillar' independent front suspension, first
seen on the Lambda, but used a novel semi-trailing-arm layout at the rear,
another world first. The transmission too, was unusual, comprising a
two-piece prop-shaft and combined gearbox/rear transaxle on which were
mounted the inboard brakes, though for once this was not an entirely new
departure. The original B10 saloon was joined the following year by the
landmark, Pininfarina-styled B20 Coupé, a fastback '2+2' on a shortened
wheelbase which, with its combination of sports car performance and saloon
car practicality, can be said to have introduced the Gran Turismo concept
to the world.

Well, any Aurelia is a masterpiece and a milestone in motoring history,
but this car is a special one also for other reasons. To cater for
independent coachbuilders, Lancia offered the longer-wheelbase (291cm) B50
chassis, based on B10 mechanicals, and later the B52, which came with the
2.0-litre engine of the B20/B21. In total Lancia built only 98 B52
chassis, the last of which was delivered in 1953. Almost all these chassis
carry a unique coach, as my "B52-1074" does.

Moreover, this unique one-off coachwork by Carrozzeria Bertone was
displayed at the Turin Motor Show in 1951.

In 2020 displayed at Museo dell'Automobile di Torino, exhibition "Aurelia 1950-2020. Timeless Myth".
In 2021 displayed at Museo dell'Automobile di Torino, ehibition "Michelotti World, 100 years of a limitless designer".

In sum, we are not exaggerating when we assert this automobile is an extraordinary car for four reasons:

1- it is an Aurelia
2- it is one of the only 98 Aurelia B52 chassis dedicated to carry
"independent coach-built art"
3- it was exhibited at the 1951 Turin "Salone dell'Automobile"
4- it has such a low original mileage (an average of 57 kms/year!) that is very rare to find on any second-hand car. On a unique one this exceedingly low mileage is pretty ... unique.