Without Reserve
Chassis: 812.01.4636
Sophisticated Lancia with Aerodynamic, Lightweight Zagato Bodywork
One of Approximately 300 Appia GTEs Built from 1958 to 1962
Late-Production Series III Chassis Featuring Uprated Engine
Tastefully Restored and Presented in Gray over Beige Color Scheme
Accompanied by Recent Automobile Club d’Italia Registration Records
1,089 CC OHV Alloy V-4 Engine
Single Weber 36 DCD5 Carburetor
59 BHP at 5,400 RPM
4-Speed Manual Gearbox
4-Wheel Hydraulic Drum Brakes
Front Independent Sliding-Pillar Suspension
Rear Live-Axle Suspension with Semi-Elliptical Leaf Springs
Unveiled in 1953 and named for an ancient Roman road, the Appia was the last in a long line of Lancias that featured sliding-pillar front suspension, a narrow-angle V-4 engine, unitary construction, and rear-wheel drive. Zagato built approximately 700 lightweight, performance-oriented Appias between 1956 and 1963, accounting for a small fraction of the 107,000-car production. Zagato’s prototype, nicknamed Cammello for its double-bubble design, showcased the Appia’s dual-purpose nature, winning a prize at the 1956 Cortina Concours d’Elegance and then securing a 1-2-3 class sweep for Lancia at the 1957 Mille Miglia. At the 1958 Torino Motor Show, Lancia introduced the updated Appia GTE, standing for Gran Turismo Esportazione. This landmark model was the first Zagato-bodied Lancia illustrated in factory sales literature and sold through authorized dealers. The GTE underwent myriad aesthetic and mechanical refinements through 1962, when it was replaced by the more standardized Appia Sport.
The Appia GTE presented here, chassis 812.01.4636, is a late-production Series III example, which benefits from a variety of model improvements including a more powerful engine. Finished in an elegant gunmetal gray over beige color scheme, this Lancia was restored approximately 20 years ago and resided in several Italian collections before it was exported to the US in 2016. Tastefully and accurately presented, this is surely among the finest surviving examples of this rare Zagato-bodied GT.
