This 1958 Lancia Aurelia B24S Convertible is a car of timeless, multifaceted appeal. Its Pinin Farina bodywork boasts near perfect proportions and thoughtful details, and beneath the stylish skin, technological sophistication abounds. Lancia’s postwar Aurelia line represented a massive step forward for the automaker; the groundbreaking 60-degree V-6 engine, displacing 2,451 cubic centimeters in this B24S, was an obvious focal point, but the car’s well-engineered underpinnings made it an exceptional handler as well.

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. With only 521 examples produced in total before production ended in 1958, the model also counts rarity among its many attributes.

This B24S has a factory assembly date of 10 May 1958, and it completed testing and was dispatched on 29 August of that year; it was originally finished in Rosso over a natural leather interior. Though its subsequent history is unknown at the present, by the turn of the millennium, this Lancia is known to have spent about two decades in the care of a prominent Ferrari collection. Today, this final-year B24S Convertible benefits from long-term enthusiast ownership, wearing an exceptionally well-maintained older restoration in dark grey. In the cockpit, seats and door cards are trimmed in rich cordovan-colored leather; grey piping wonderfully complements the grey carpeting. The Lancia is fitted with a full set of five knock-off Borrani wire wheels, an attractive and sporting touch inspired by the earlier B24 Spiders.

Examination of this Lancia’s mechanical components reveals a high degree of correctness overall; per an accompanying certificate from the Registro Aurelia, the car retains its numbers-matching engine (careful study of stampings on the right and left cylinder heads, as well as the oil pan, indicate that these match the engine block), as well as the numbers-matching front axle and rear transaxle.

An extensive service file spanning from the early 2000s to the present documents the considerable effort and expense that has gone into sorting and maintaining this Lancia’s suspension, braking, and steering systems, as well as ancillary mechanical components including instrumentation—all in the interest of ensuring its road manners lived up to the Aurelia’s legendary reputation. Equal attention was paid to its cosmetics, which included a new convertible top and carpeting installed in 2011. Most recently, its bumpers were re-chromed.

A vehicle tailor-made for spirited driving enjoyment, regularly driven and kept “on the button.” this 1958 Lancia Aurelia B24S Convertible represents an enticing prospect for any collector of postwar sports cars. It would be an excellent candidate for touring and rallying at premier events across the United States and beyond.