1951 Lancia B10 Aurélia Barchetta by ATL ●

The great Italian coachbuilding houses have been sadly decimated since the '60s, unable to face the challenges of a world in which car makers can competently design and produce even their low volume models in-house. Back then, this colourful industry was very much in its pomp, made buoyant by the growing momentum of the Italian economic miracle, its attendant industrialisation, and a wealth of homegrown talent. Nowhere else could you find such a happy blend of artistic and technical skill when it came to styling and fabricating motor car bodywork.

Iginio Alessio, General Manager of Alfa Romeo at the time and a true enthusiast at heart, was concerned for the future viability of the independent Italian coachbuilding industry as the arrival of the unibody chassis design was threatening to put the Carrozzerie out of business. Consequently, Alfa magnanimously offered official contracts to Touring to build the sporty 1900 Sprint Coupé and to Pininfarina to create an elegant four-seat Cabriolet and Coupé. The availability of a suitable chassis and powertrain combined with Alfa's fatherly approach to a number of small design houses, meant that wherever there was a talented stylist and a competent engineer, a sporty, speedy Alfa Special would appear. Most of these would fade away after one or two misguided efforts but ATL (Autotecnica del Lario) were one of the exceptions and survived for nearly twenty years in the city of Lecco in Lombardy becoming known for their good-looking, rapid and nimble little coupés.

We wouldn't imagine that this pretty Lancia Barchetta (Little Boat) had anything to do with the factory but was probably a one-off based on a damaged saloon. The chassis number indicates that the donor vehicle was a B10 Berlina from 1951 and the V6 engine's capacity of 2,266cc means that it came from a B12 from around 1954. Obviously further developed over the years, we understand that it now puts out in the region of 87bhp. It's difficult to date the time of the conversion but would probably be during the late sixties, however, no matter the timescale, the diminutive Lancia does look every-inch the 1950s sports-racer with its low profile aluminium bodywork, aero-screens and wire wheels.

Fully restored in 2017, the little Barchetta remains in fantastic condition and is accompanied by a its FIA Regularity Passport, is road registered in Belgium with taxes paid in Europe and, if staying in the UK, will have a reduced rate import tax of 5%.