Lancia Aurelia B20 GT Viotti

Vehicle Overview

The Lancia Aurelia B20 GT Viotti: The Aurelia was the first Lancia car developed after World War II. Vittorio Jano, who had previously designed racing cars for Alfa Romeo, was in charge of the development. Gianni Lancia commissioned Felice Mario Boano, co-owner of Carrozzeria Ghia, to design the sports version. Although Pinin Farina is often associated with the Aurelia B20, they were only responsible for producing the bodies for later series. Boano’s design was a major contributor to the success of the Lancia brand in the 1950s, and the B20 was successful in racing and rallying. The Carrozzeria Ghia, a renowned styling studio with a dedicated prototype construction workshop, boasted the expertise of skilled stylists like Felice Mario Boano and his son Gian Paolo. After Lancia approved the design of the B20, Ghia was entrusted with the task of building the first 100 cars. However, Ghia lacked the necessary resources for such large-scale production. To overcome this challenge, Boano sought the assistance of his friend Vittorino Viotti, whose factory was better equipped for standardized production. The Aurelia B20 made its debut at the Turin Motor Show in April 1951 and was met with immediate acclaim from the enthusiastic specialized press. The initial success of the B20 was further amplified by the numerous spontaneous orders placed by affluent car enthusiasts, solidifying Lancia’s triumph. However, Lancia feared that, despite Viotti’s support, Ghia would not be able to produce a larger series. The first 98 units were completed at Viotti’s factory in Corso IV Novembre, after which production was transferred to Pinin Farina. Viotti could not handle the mass production for the Aurelia B20, which was then moved by Pinin Farina because Viotti risked not being able to satisfy the unexpected quantity of orders. 400 specimens werer built by Pinin Farina which made some minor changes and obtained permission from Lancia to add its own badge to the front wings. Neither Ghia nor Viotti had done this and so the Aurelia B20 went down in history as the creation of Carrozzeria Pinin Farina, even though it was only involved from the second series onwards.