1961 Lancia Flaminia Sport 2.5 Zagato “Extensively restored”

In the early 1960s, Lancia built cars in Turin with a workforce of approximately 5,000 employees. The factory operated six days a week, virtually around the clock. And yet, according to historical accounts, barely two hundred cars sometimes emerged each week. You understand the point: speed was not the most important part of the production process. It had to be right. Exceptionally right.

And whenever an accountant may have cautiously asked whether a certain component could not be sourced more cheaply, the engineers probably continued in silence, further perfecting their parts.

During that period, the Flaminia was Lancia's flagship model. An expensive and technically extraordinarily sophisticated automobile for people who understood why a complex solution could sometimes be superior to a conventional one. For the price of a single Flaminia Berlina, you could buy approximately ten Fiat 500s in Italy. But not one of those ten cars had a transmission that was individually tested for two hours at 2,000 rpm.

In the Flaminia, the gearbox and differential were mounted together at the rear. This design even featured its own oil pump. Every transaxle was reportedly tested for two hours, and if it did not run in complete silence during that test, it was rejected. Not repaired. Rejected.

Lancia even manufactured its own shock absorbers because the company preferred not to purchase them from another supplier. Components of the suspension were subjected to an almost obsessive level of attention as well. Castings were carefully finished, individually checked for hardness, and stamped with the mark of the person who had carried out the inspection. You are looking at engineering, but it feels almost like art. And then Lancia sent the chassis to Zagato.

At Zagato, the Flaminia received a lightweight aluminum body featuring perhaps the most famous roof profile ever created by the Italian coachbuilder: the Double Bubble. Two raised sections above the occupants allowed the roofline to remain low while still providing comfortable seating. A functional idea with a magnificent result.

The Flaminia Sport became a compact, aerodynamic two-seater with a long nose, a short rear section, and lines that appear to change from every angle. Not everyone immediately understands a Zagato. Enzo Ferrari is said to have described the Flaminia Sport as one of the finest-handling cars ever built. Although the exact wording differs among various publications, there is no doubt that the Flaminia's road manners were widely admired. And in this example, that is immediately apparent.

Its sporting reputation did not originate solely in a sales brochure, either. In 1961, Giulio Cabianca and Piergiorgio Provolo drove a Flaminia Sport Zagato to second place in the Mille Miglia. The Flaminia Sport also achieved several successes in the GT class at major Italian events.

This example is equipped with the 2.5-liter V6, paired with the manually operated transaxle. It is not an overwhelming engine by modern standards, but when combined with the low body, relatively light weight, balanced weight distribution, and carefully developed chassis, it creates exactly the kind of car in which outright power becomes almost incidental. A Flaminia feels harmonious. Sporting yet comfortable, relaxed yet equipped with a transmission whose ratios are perfectly matched. Light steering with an abundance of feedback—it may all sound complex, but once you become acquainted with a Flaminia, you will experience it for yourself.

This example was restored down to the smallest detail. The aluminum body is in fantastic condition, and the dark blue paint forms a beautiful combination with the light beige interior. Dark on the outside. Light on the inside. And correctly finished in virtually every respect. The fact that this Flaminia has already won a concours may tell the story most simply of all. This is a high-quality Lancia that has benefited from exceptionally fine restoration and rebuilding work.

A 1961 Lancia Flaminia Sport Zagato 2.5 with an aluminum Double Bubble body, an exceptionally high-quality restoration, and a condition that has been judged at concours level. Lancia never built ten of them a day. Once you see how much attention went into a single car, you understand why. Interested? Contact Gallery Aaldering today, active since 1975. We have many years of experience exporting our vehicles worldwide; please inquire about the available possibilities.

* Completely and extensively restored - Aluminum panels peeled away from the steel frame
* We all know that the Sport is a rare model - but do you know how great a Flaminia drives?
* Italian-European craftsmanship Restoration
* One of Zagato's ingenious Double Bubble Lancias
* "A few leading Italian sports car brands must be pretty jealous of the restorer's workshop"