1962 Lancia Flaminia 3B Pininfarina Coupe

Lancia's Flaminia has long been regarded as masterpiece, both in aesthetic terms and for the artistry of the engineering. The Flaminia was Lancia's replacement for the highly regarded Aurelia and was powered by a development of the 60-degree V6 found in that car. Early versions utilised a 2.5-litre developing 119 bhp, with output increased to 128 bhp via the triple throat carburettor adopted in 1962 before the motor was ultimately taken out to 2.8-litres. The Flaminia's gearbox was a smooth all synchro four-speed unit and became one of the first cars to adopt disc brakes, with servo-assisted Dunlop items all round from 1959 onwards. Lancia's familiar sliding-pillar front suspension was done away with on the Flaminia, replaced by coil springs and unequal-length wishbones, while a de Dion rear end proved more than adequate. The Flaminia family was initially made up of the crisply styled Pininfarina four-door saloon, then Lancia unveiled three distinctly different coupe derivatives at the 1958 Turin Salon - the first was a sober two-door by Pininfarina, the second a lithe coupe from Carrozzeria Touring and finally Zagato offered a more aggressively sporting take on the Flaminia mould. All three were stylish cars that appealed to very different clientele - Pininfarina's coupe was an evolution of the Florida II show car and the styling proved to be extremely influential. It's the detailing on the Lancia that sets it apart - from the jewel-like quality of the Jaeger instruments to the Pininfarina crest on the ashtray, everything about the Flaminia feels special and a world away from the mass-produced feel in today's cars. With plenty of space for four adults and a decent sized boot, the Flaminia is a great long distance car and exceptional value when compared with its contemporary rivals such as Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar. With high build quality, rarity (just 950 3B Coupes were built), advanced technical specification and great styling, the Lancia Flaminia Coupe is an impressive Grand Tourer that's perfect for club runs or long distance touring.