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.

According to the Lancia Certificate of Origin on file, this first-year Aurelia B24S Convertible was completed in August of 1956 and delivered to a lucky individual within the home market of Italy. Upon leaving the factory, the stylish convertible was finished in a dual Verde color scheme on the exterior and interior. While the intermediate history of the vehicle remains a mystery, it had been located in Germany at the time of Gene Ponder's acquisition in 2017.

A series of invoices on file from the summer of 2020 detail extensive engine work, in which the unit was pulled out of the car and rebuilt. During the project, a Nardi & C. aluminum twin-carburetor intake manifold was sourced and placed atop the motor with two Weber 40 DCL 5 dual-throat carburetors fed through an equally appealing Nardi aluminum air cleaner. A fantastic sight to behold, this speed equipment will surely provide this lithe convertible with some added grunt. In addition, this engine is confirmed to be the numbers-matching unit as stated on the Origin Certificate provided by Lancia.

Now finished in a traditional shade of red paint, and benefitting from a new tan leather interior and tan convertible top said to have been fitted at a cost of over $6,000, this Lancia matches the wonderful aesthetic adopted by much of the Ponder Collection: All four corners feature Borrani chrome wire wheels (the original wheels accompany the sale) and are complemented by twin chrome exhaust tips out back. The simple dashboard with two large, round Jaeger gauges is accompanied by an auxiliary tachometer, while the interior has been upholstered in tan leather. Matching carpets in the footwells and trunk feature embroidered Lancia shields to complete the appointments.

Boasting a numbers-matching engine with fantastic speed equipment, this 1956 Lancia Aurelia B24S Convertible is tailor-made for spirited driving and would make a wonderful candidate for touring or rallying at premier events across the United States and beyond.