Is there a car that you found to be so elegant, you swooned? A car whose design was so ahead of its time that it made other vehicles appear of a previous era? Our Pick of the Day comes off as that: a 1965 Lancia Flaminia Coupé. It is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in Holland. (Click the link to view the listing)
The story begins with Pinin Farina and the development of the Lancia Florida (subsequently known as the Florida I), a design study that appeared at the 1955 Turin Auto Show. Exhibiting cleanliness in an era of excess, the Florida I featured smooth, unadorned sides with a longitudinal crease, a split headlight configuration, and flying buttresses. Three pillarless Berlina four-doors (with suicide configuration) and one two-door coupe were built. There also was a Florida II that appeared at the 1956 Geneva International Motor Show, a one-off that featured more conventional front-end styling close to what would later appear on the production Flaminia Berlina and Coupé.
The production Flaminia appeared the following year in both body styles, plus several other sporting styles were offered by Touring and Zagato. However, it was the Berlina and Coupé that made the most impact. Under the hood, the Flaminia was almost as interesting, as its engine was a descendant of the world’s first production V6 that appeared in the 1950 Lancia Aurelia. Initially available as 2.5 liters, it was enlarged to 2.8 liters in 1962. Notably, the Coupé was equipped with Pirelli radial tires through 1967 when the Coupé was discontinued.
This 1965 Lancia Flaminia Coupé is one of 1,085 Coupés built with the 2.8-liter engine. A four-speed manual is the perfect compagna for this Italian that has the style and technical thing down pat. “This Coupé showcases Pinin Farina’s unparalleled artistry” says the selling dealer. “Its slim hips and perfectly round headlight frames are a nod to the designer’s quest for perfection. Each curve tells a different story.” Painted dark blue with red leather interior, this Lancia was originally sold new in Switzerland and currently reads 69,340 kilometers on the odometer, which translates to just over 43,000 miles.
This freshly restored 1965 Lancia Flaminia Coupé “is ready to unleash its timeless charm on the world,” adds the selling dealer. The real question is whether you are ready. For $57,500, you’d own one of the most classic and influential automobile designs ever.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
I agree with Diego on this one. The front end is classic, and I especially like the hood scoop/grill combination. There are a number of designs on this car that you can see incorporated into other manufacturer’s cars of the early sixties. Can I see myself driving this one? Yes, but it’s better for me to have a driver level car. This car deserves to be preserved.