Lancia’s post-war Aurelia line represented a massive step forward for the automaker. The groundbreaking 60-degree V-6 engine was an obvious focal point, but the platform’s well-engineered underpinnings made it an exceptional handler as well. Though the export market beckoned to European automakers—in particular, the booming United States—Lancia surely realized that its comparatively compact coupes and saloons would face an uphill battle in the land of big, chrome-laden sedans.

The solution was to cater to the growing cohort of sports car enthusiasts, with the very name of the 1954–1955 Aurelia B24 Spider America making its intended audience quite clear. The Pinin Farina-bodied Spider America did in fact make a splash, but its purist focus limited its reach; the car had only rudimentary weather protection and even lacked exterior door handles.

A refinement of the B24 Spider, the B24S Convertible—the “S” in its name denotes its Sinestra, or left-hand-drive, configuration—was introduced for 1956 and benefitted from the addition of true roll-down windows, a more comfortable cabin, and a top better suited to all-weather driving. In effect, it kept the spirit of the Spider that preceded it but gained considerable practicality along the way. With only 521 examples produced in total before production ended in 1958, the Convertible also counts rarity among its many attributes.

This first-year Aurelia B24S Convertible was acquired by Oscar Davis in 2007. According to research on file, it was completed in September 1956, finished from the factory in alluring Azzurra over a Nocciola leather interior. Although its early history is presently unknown, the car is today presented in its factory-correct colors; its exterior displays a pleasing patina, and its visual appeal has only been burnished by many years of careful use. An underhood inspection reveals the presence of the car’s numbers-matching engine, stamped B24-1334.

Inside the cabin, a simple two-gauge instrument cluster is framed by a delicate wood-rimmed steering wheel. The upholstery contrasts beautifully with the exterior color, which is carried into the cockpit via the Azzurra-painted dashboard. The black dashboard top, meanwhile, complements the black convertible roof. Lacking even a radio, there is little to distract a driver from the exhaust note of the storied Lancia V-6 and the simple joy of open-air motoring.

A vehicle tailor-made for spirited driving enjoyment, this 1956 Lancia Aurelia B24S Convertible represents an enticing prospect for any collector of postwar sports cars. Boasting its numbers-matching engine and offered from the Oscar Davis Collection in delightful, factory-correct colors, it would be an excellent candidate for touring and rallying at premier events across the United States and beyond.