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Exploring the production timeline of the Lancia Aurelia GT

14 June, 2015

 

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“Between 1951 and 1958, Lancia produced six recognizable series of the Aurelia B20 GT”

1951

Aurelia B20 GT S1. The first Lancia to carry the Aurelia name was the B10 saloon, a replacement for the Aprilia. Powered by an all-alloy 1754cc V6 engine, the B10 debuted in 1950. The two-door B20 GT appeared the following year, powered by a 1991cc, 56kW version of the B10’s V6. Production: 500

1952

Aurelia B20 GT S2. With its 1991cc V6 now producing 60kW due to a higher engine compression ratio and revised valves, the S2 GT also featured improved brakes, new chromed bumpers, and a revised dashboard. Production: 731

1953

Aurelia B20 GT S3. The V6 was now enlarged to 2451cc, while outwardly the vestigial tail fins that featured on the earlier cars disappeared, and a larger rear window was fitted. Production: 720     

1954–’55

Aurelia B20 GT S4. A new de Dion rear suspension was introduced, and the car was now available in left-hand drive for the first time — the B20S (‘S’ for sinistra, or left). Although an Italian-built car, until then most Aurelia GTs were right-hand drive. This also applied to many contemporary Maserati and Ferrari cars, and is generally believed to have something to do with most racing circuits being taken clockwise. The V6 engine was now fitted with more modern Vandervell engine bearings. For the first time, an open version of the GT became available — the B24 Spider (1954–’55). Production: 745 (B20) / 255 (B20S)

1956

Aurelia B20 GT S5. A new split-case transaxle was  fitted along with a revised driveshaft with rubber-doughnut–type universal joints and larger drum brakes. Lowered compression and a softer camshaft saw power reduced to 82kW as the car gained a more luxurious character. The B24 Spider was replaced with the B24 convertible. Production: 119 (B20) / 180 (B20S)

1957–’58

Aurelia B20 GT S6. The V6 engine now produced 84kW, plus more torque to offset increased overall weight. Vent windows were fitted along with a chromed strip down the bonnet. The fuel tank was relocated from behind the seats to the boot on later S6 cars. Production: 196 (B20) / 425 (B20S)

Total Aurelia GT production: 3871

Polishing to perfection

26 February, 2026

The secret to a show-stopping finish is colour sanding, no matter which paint system you use. Even a good painter, no matter how experienced or talented — like my mate Bruce Haye, CEO at Ace Panel and Paint in Whitianga — can’t shoot to a perfect mirror finish. To get that level of perfection, you need to colour sand.
It used to be called ‘rubbing out’ or ‘cutting’, and it was done with pastes that came in cans. They worked — sort of — but the compounds really just rounded off imperfections instead of eliminating them, and they removed a lot of paint in the process. But now your new finish can be made flawless, thanks to microfine sandpapers that come in 1000, 1500, 2000, and even 2500 grit ranges, and Farecla G3 polish — available from automotive paint suppliers.

NZ Classic Car magazine, March/April 2026 issue 404, on sale now

22 February, 2026

BMW’s flagship techno showcase
The supermodel 1995 BMW 840Ci is simply elegant and perfectly engineered.
BMW’s 840 Ci flagship Coupe provides superb comfort and equipment packaged in a stylish body, with grand-touring performance and surprisingly competent handling for its size.
It’s the kind of machine that stands apart from the start. When BMW first unveiled its flagship Grand Tourer at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show, the automotive world blinked twice. Sleek, low, and impossibly modern for its era, it combined drama with a sort of purposeful understatement. This silhouette still looks striking today, long after its peers have faded into obscurity.
Initially offered with a range of engines, the model you’re reading about is the V8 iteration, featuring a 4.0-litre eight-cylinder heart under its long bonnet and a smooth five-speed automatic at the back. It wasn’t about blistering sprint times so much as effortless velocity. There was power on tap, sure, but the way it delivered thrust felt unhurried and measured – the automotive equivalent of a deep exhale on a long drive.
Poster 1964 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, C2