Description
Lancia followed pre-war tradition by supplying a limited number of rolling chassis to renowned coachbuilders such as Ghia and Vignale, but it was mainly Pinin Farina that clothed the majority of the bare B52 chassis. One of these was built in the manner of the car that won the Golden Rose at the elite Concours d’Elegance in Geneva in 1952.
That car still exists, together with at least one of its sisters. Nobody knows exactly how many Rosa d’Oros were built (some sources say two additional examples, some say five or six) but the evidence suggests that just two remain. After a thorough restoration this car passed into the hands of Belgian classic car dealer Bernard Marreyt, who sold it to the present vendor in 2011.
The B52 Rosa d’Oro with its robust dimensions, combines impeccable style with something that could only be Italian. It can’t have been an easy task for Pinin Farina to build an elegant coupe, its muscles appear to tense and the cellulite in its figure falls away, and with its pillarless windows offering wind in the hair driving.
The dashboard with its two-colour design and round dials is breath-taking. The car drives tightly through corners thanks to its suspension, and it moves with the grandeur and comfort befitting a conveyance that is meant for royalty. One of the car’s curiosities is that behind the generous front bench seat there are only folding seats. Finished in cream with a black roof and tan hide interior, this wonderful example is one of just three cars built in this body style. A car for the true connoisseur it would be a welcome entrant at a host of global Concours D’ Elegance, simply unique.
