First produced in 1957, the great Lancia Flaminia flagship was one of the most admired cars of its time and even today, the 337 Cabriolet Presidenziale is still used as an official limousine by the President of the Republic in Italy for official duty. Over the last week the Flaminia has celebrated this milestone during Monaco Classic Week.

A luxurious, imposing car, produced right up to 1970 in three successive series – especially captivating the coupé by Pininfarina, the Touring and the Zagato – the Flaminia is perfectly at ease in the Lancia tradition for stylistic and engineering excellence, in spite of the fact that it is introduced in the mid-fifties, a transition period for the Turin-based Company of Borgo San Paolo.

Gianni Lancia, heir to Vincenzo, relinquishes control of the Company to Carlo Pesenti at the end of 1955. In that very year, in March exactly, Antonio Fessia becomes chief design engineer replacing the charismatic Vittorio Jano. Immediately, the new management makes an important decision, namely to build a replacement for the Aurelia as the flagship model. In 1955 Antonio Fessia, an ingenious world-famous designer, is entrusted with the creation of the new car, champion of the Italian sedan.

Fessia, whose curriculum includes the Fiat 500 Topolino and the Cemsa Caproni of 1949, decides to start from the 60°, 6-V cylinder engine. Designed by Francesco De Virgilio for the Aurelia, it proved its worth, the objective being to further improve performance. Simultaneously, Fessia asks Pininfarina (still known as Pinin Farina at the time) to develop a new body. The outcome of this work is delivered merely six months after initial design, when the Flaminia prototype is exhibited at the Turin Motor show in 1956.

The Aurelia and Florida connection

The solutions adopted are of great interest. Fessia has sized down the Aurelia powerplant, adopted the square configuration of the boxer instead of the long stroke solution. The new engine delivers 100 HP at 4,800 rpm approx., which is adequate for an important car whose main assets are to be above all flexibility and quiet running. Of the Aurelia there remains the transaxle with rear mounted powerplant (clutch-transmission-differential), moving away from the 35-year old independent front suspension system originally introduced on the Lambda, to opt for a new layout with telescopic struts, parallelogram arms, coil springs and stabiliser bar.

As regards body design, the new Lancia management was very keen on the Florida, one of the latest Aurelias created by Pinin Farina. It was a two-door and four-door sedan (front and rear hinged), offering plenty of light, with continuous side glazing and roof blending with the tail through a pair of ‘fins’ emerging from the sides. Pinin Farina’s terms of reference were to design the new car based on the lines of the of the Florida. Therefore, he proposes a low, streamlined but imposing solution. The Flaminia does away with a number of stylistic details by then typical of the Lancia design, such as front-hinged front doors and rear hinged rear doors and shield-like front grill. Others were left to provide continuity. Out of all these details, the one giving a clear separation between top and bottom, further enhanced on the two-tone versions, is door and glazing symmetry. The final version comes with a solution (new for Lancia) featuring rear hinged doors front and rear with a centre post. Interior finish is superbly elegant, riding comfort reaches new heights, never attained before on Italian cars.

From 1956 to 1970, the three series of the sedan

After the preview of 1956, the Flaminia is officially presented the following year at the Geneva Motor Show, with few changes compared to the prototype. It is the greatest, most luxurious Italian car at that time, and expectations from it are high indeed, encouraged by a strong demand and favourable comments of the press. Initially, production rate at the Borgo San Paolo plant is seven to eight units a day, incorporating at the highest quality standards Lancia could offer at the time. In the first four years, 2.695 first-series specimens were produced, of which 41 Saxomat with semi-automatic clutch and 31 units as a variant, also with semi-automatic clutch, for the US market.

The second series of the Flaminia is presented at the Turin Motor Show in 1961. The compression ratio is increased, the engine is more powerful (110 HP against the previous 102), the top speed goes up (to 167 km/h) and disc brakes are installed on all four wheels. Style is virtually unchanged. Minor cosmetic changes affect only the tail lamp units to include a backup light. Inside the vehicle, the instrument panel features revised air outlets and new turn signal tell-tales. A new version, the Speciale, is introduced in 1962, with engine upgraded to 140 HP and top speed of 180 km/h.

Finally, the third and last series, the 2.8 with a 129 HP engine, is unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1963. The body continues unchanged.
 

The only distinguishing feature is the “2.8” motif next to the Flaminia logo on the trunk lid above the registration number plate. It will continue in production until 1970. In total, about 4,000 Flaminia sedans were produced. It’s not a lot, but they contributed to the world car history a model arguably unequalled in terms of elegance and refinement.

1958, the year of the coupé

At the Turin Motor Show of 1958, Pinin Farina presents an elegant prototype, subsequently volume produced starting from the following year. It is a four-seater with pleasing flowing lines, and wheelbase reduced by 12 cm. A more powerful engine (119 HP against 102) and a lighter weight make for increased top speed (170 km/h against 160 of the sedan). This model is still today considered one of the best ever created by the Turinese stylist.

Same year, same venue: The Turin Motor Show. Touring exhibits the Gran Turismo version of the Flaminia, with an ever shorter wheelbase than Pinin Farina’s coupé. It is a two-seater of brilliant performance thanks to its super-lightweight body which, for the same 119 HP, gives a top speed of 180 km/h. Same year, same venue, more coupés: visitors at this magic edition of the Turin exhibition have the privilege of admiring the Flaminia Sport by Zagato. Decidedly sporty (top speed 190 km/h), it is reminiscent of the lines of the coupé Appia GT (also by Zagato), above all for the undulated top. The Super Sport version will be produced in the following years, featuring revised body and interior, with a top speed of 210 km/h, a record as the fastest production Lancia which will remain unbeaten for quite sometime. The Flaminia Convertible, one of the most attractive open tops of its time, appeared in 1960. This is a spider 2+2 developed from the GT by Touring, with a 2.5 engine, subsequently modified to incorporate three carburettors, and a 2.8.

The limousine for Presidents

In order of time, the latest President to have used it is Giorgio Napolitano at the parade of June 2, 2007, but Presidents of Italy and the Lancia Flaminia have fifty years of shared history, since in March 1960 the Quirinale ordered four special version Lancia Cabriolet Presidenziale limousines. Pinin Farina designed them within six months, to the personal specifications of the incumbent President, Giovanni Gronchi. About five and a half meter long and weighing two tonnes, these cars can carry seven passengers, two of whom on comfortable folding leather seats. The 2.5 engine is the same as that of the production sedan (with extra electric pump and coil), wheelbase being 3.350 mm against the 2.870 of the production model. All the rest, from the power operated top to the last detail, was totally hand-made. Top speed does not exceed 120 km/h because of the reduced axle ratios (10/47 against 12/47), especially designed for ceremonial crawling speeds without declutching.

The four Flaminia 337 Cabriolet Presidenziale were christened with the names of horses, namely Belmonte, Belvedere, Belfiore and Belsito. Only the last two are currently parked in the garages of the Quirinale. The Flaminia Presidenziale continues to inspire respect and admiration. At the time it was the only Italian antagonist to foreign ceremonial limousines. Its first official duty took place in 1961, on the occasion of the State visit to Italy by Queen Elisabeth II, coinciding with celebrations for the centenary of the Unification of Italy. In 1982, during Sandro Pertini’s Presidency, two Flaminias were sold at a ridiculously low price during a military auction. After years of dedicated service, without ever a breakdown thanks to the care of the technicians of Via della Dataria, time came to say goodbye.

However, a sudden change of scenery was awaiting. During the first tour of honour by President Francesco Cossiga, the car selected had a breakdown, and the Belfiore was brought back in service, thereby preventing the Flaminia 337 Cabriolet Presidenziale from being sold off. Also President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro rode the Flaminia during official events. And the same applies to President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, who on June 2nd would inspect the guard at the Vittoriano on board the ever-lasting Lancia.

Today, the Flaminia 337 Cabriolet Presidenziale limousines at the service of the President are in perfect health. The shiny original dark blue paintwork perfectly matches the Connolly 8500 black leather interior, and the original vintage Voxson car radio is there too. By the way, on October 16, 2000, when Queen Elisabeth II returned to Italy on her third visit to the Country, Her Majesty was welcomed once again with the Flaminia, queen of automobiles.