With just two owners from new, this venerable second-series B20 GT Coupé has benefitted from a substantial investment (£180,000) at marque specialists, Thornley Kelham, and has been superbly prepared for Historic Rallying. Designed in 1949 by Vittorio Jano, and unveiled in 1950 to a nation slowly recovering from a World War, the Lancia Aurelia was very simply, revolutionary. The car combined luxury, performance, looks and charisma, and offered a dream to a nation just finding their way. It bristled with innovation - the first V6 production engine, transaxle, inboard rear brakes, monocoque construction and a very efficient slippery shape. In a country in love with motorsport, it's no surprise that the Aurelia was immediately seized upon by wealthy Italian privateers, and achieved almost instant success in competition with, perhaps, the most famous being Giovanni Bracco's second place in the 1951 Mille Miglia, in which he outpaced the winning Ferrari over the mountain passes. In the 1951 event, B20s took three of the first seven places, and in the 1952 Mille Miglia, four of the first eight. The model went on to be developed over almost eight years through six distinct Series and they were bought by wealthy discreet Italians and those in the know throughout Europe. Factory driver Gino Valenzano, quoted in Niels Jonassen's Lancia Aurelia in Detail, was of the opinion that the 2-litre engine in the first two Series was much sweeter and more willing to rev than the later 2.5-litre, and the independent rear suspension was far superior to the De Dion system introduced on the Series IV. He further notes that the 2-litre cars, which are hundreds of pounds lighter, are more agile and can be cornered with greater precision.