LANCIA
Lancia
Car Design History - Automobile manufacturer
While Alfa
Romeo's cars project a fast, racy image, Lancias have always
embodied a more sophisticated lifestyle. Favored by illustrious clients
such as Prince Rainier of Monaco, Brigitte Bardot, and Marcello Mastroianni,
the company's impeccably elegant models included the 1952 Aurelia,
the 1954 Aurelia B 24 Spider, and the 1956 Flaminia
luxury sedan, with its panoramic windshield.
The company
was founded in 1906 by the race driver Vincenzo Lancia, and throughout
the 1930s was highly successful in the Grand Prix and Rallye circuits
while also developing an impressive roster of luxury automobiles. Lancia
produced such milestones of automotive history as the 1921 Lambda,
the first car with an integral body, and the 1937 Aprilia, with
its flowing lines, which, in Pininfarinas coupe version,
became an Italian answer to American streamline design. After the war,
Lancia reclaimed its tradition of racing victories and its reputation
for superior design by producing cars codeveloped with Bertone,
Pininfarina, Touring, and Zagato. Lancia, which today is known for elegant
mid-sized cars, was acquired by Fiat in 1969 but continues
to exist as an independent brand.
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