... Galleries >>>
The Lancia Aurelia Gran Turismo – 50 years of success
The Lancia Aurelia debuted at Turin in 1950 and was kept in production for 8 years with more than 18,000 cars
produced in total. It was the first automobile moved by a V6 engine, developed by Francesco de Virgilio under the
direction of Vittorio Jano of pre-war Alfa fame. Characteristics of this completely new engine were the alloy head and
block, the distribution with overhead valves, the cast-iron cylinder bore cooled from the liquid and the camshaft chain
hydraulic driver, pushed from the oil pressure.
Lancia produced the B20 in a lot of different versions, beginning in 1951 with the series 1 B20 GT with 75hp at
4500rpm from 1991ccm and ending with the series 6 B20 GT 2500 in 1953 with 118hp at 5300rpm from 2451ccm.
With marvellous road manners and the Aurelia’s tendency toward oversteering it was the preferred choice of race
aces such like Juan Manuel Fangio and Mike Hawthorn. All significant rally victories were achieved with the early
2-liter cars due to less weight compared by later series of the Aurelia.
The saga of the unbeatable Aurelia began when Giovanni Bracco and Umberto Magioli drove a near-standard B20
Coupe in the 1951 Mille Miglia to a second place overall, beaten only by Gigi Villoresi in a 4.1 liter Ferrari 340
America and it continued with the victory described above at the 1951 Coppa d’Oro delle Dolomiti !
And not to forget the fantastic class win at Le Mans 1951 for Giovanni Lurani and Giovanni Bracco in a B20.
A perfect car to drive to work weekdays and to win races at the weekend, the shape of this all-time great can only be
described as wonderful with its soft, organic curves designed originally by Felice Mario Boano of Carrozzeria Ghia.
The design layout later was refined by Pinin Farina to satisfy numerous requests of the market.
The Coppa d’Oro today
Held for regularity all competitors this year had to cope with 10 passes up and down the narrow Dolomite roads and
through wonderful valleys. The main lap on Saturday started in Cortina from the Stadio del Ghiaccio through the
following localities:
Passo Pocol, Passo Falzarego, Andraz, Digonera, Rocca Pietore, Serrai di Sottoguda, Malga Ciapela, Caprile,
Alleghe, Taibon, Agordino, Frassené, Forcella Aurine, Gosaldo, Passo Cereda, Primiero, San Martino di Castrozza,
Passo Rolle, Passo Valles, Falcade, Caviola, San Tomaso Agordino, Alleghe, Selva di Cadore, Forcella Staulanza,
Pecol, Col Santa Fosca, Passo Giau, Pecol, Cortina.
On Sunday the race was much shorter up the Passo Tre Croci to Misurina down to Dobbiacco and ended at the
Hotel Montecroce where the final lunch and prize giving was held.
Fine wines offered from the sponsor ”Bosco del Merlo” together with wonderful Italian food-specialities gave this
event a special note as well. Alvaro Schiavon and with him all the organisers of the Coppa d’Oro created an unique
atmosphere of harmony and friendship. We all felt like being part of one big family.
Dreams can come true - Co-piloting a Ferrari 212 Export Touring barchetta
While watching a Ferrari Touring barchetta in events such like the Mille Miglia I often wished to have the chance to sit
in such a time-machine only once in my life. And now, Inge and Harald Mergard offered me this unique opportunity
for the Coppa d’Oro 2001 ! Unbelievable. A dream came true…
With Oke Moebus at the wheel and by my side, an ex-rally driver in Germany mainly on Alfa and Porsche, we could
place ”our” Ferrari third behind Klaus Busch’s 166 MM Touring barchetta and a Healey Silverstone. Perfectly restored
and maintained by DK Engineering our car, a Ferrari 212 Export Touring barchetta s/n 0084E to be exact, just ran
great without any problems.
I know that I’m subjective now but for me it was and is the most beautiful car on earth ! Who needs other cars when
you can own and drive this beauty ? I already fell in love when I heard its sound for the first time and I even fell asleep
in the night still hearing its heartbeat.
Words can not describe my feelings waiting for the start with the stop watch in the one hand and the road book in the
other and when Oke put his foot down the pedal roaring through Cortina. At the end I was speechless. I couldn’t
count all the serpentines in which we drove sideways, I wasn’t able to pick up all these fascinating impressions in
my mind and I do not know to how many spectators I waved my arms but anyway: A perfect weekend, a perfect
world…..
The two rarest cars of the weekend – the Aston Martin DB 3S Coupe s/n 120 and the Fiat 8V Vignale
Have you ever seen an Aston Martin DB 3S Coupe ? No ? It will be forgiven, only two of these special Coupes exist
today, a black one – chassis 119 – owned by Simon Draper and this car – chassis 120. Jeremy Cottingham from DK
Engineering explained to me that this DB 3S is the only one still wearing the original Coupe bodywork. The current
owner bought it just weeks ago from Japan, where it resided the last few years.
Only 11 Fiat 8V Vignale were produced, each with unique bodywork. Mr. Costa showed up with the very first example
– chassis 000046 – built by Vignale. Conceived for street use unlike the ones bodied by Zagato or Touring, under its
bonnet lies the same small displacement Fiat overhead-valve V-8 engine of only 1,996cc producing 110hp at 6,000
rpm. Fed by a pair of Weber 36 DCF 3 side-draft carburetors, these compact sports racers had an excellent
power-to-weight ratio. And when combined with its good road holding characteristics, the Fiat 8V scored numerous
victories, including the Italian Sports Car Championship in 1956.
The entry list 2001
|
