FCA
Heritage, the department devoted to protecting and promoting the
history of the Italian FCA brands, is at the 27th edition of the
regularity rally with a Lancia Aurelia B20 GT certified by Lancia
Classiche: a homage to the first edition of the GP won by the Lancia D24
in 1954
Gran Premio Nuvolari 2017,
the famous international regularity event reserved to vintage cars made
between 1919 and 1972, which pays homage to Tazio Nuvolari, the
unforgotten "Flying Mantuan", will be staged from September 15 to 17.
Starting and finishing in Mantua - the home city of the great driver -
as usual, the first leg of new route of the 2017 edition will reach the
Adriatic Coast after crossing the Po Valley and the Apennines. The
second leg will start in Rimini and lace scenic Tuscany, Umbria and
Marche before heading back to Rimini. Finally, the third leg will lead
from the Adriatic Sea back to Mantua through the cities of Emilia
Romagna. It is a 1000 kilometre itinerary through famous Italian
landscapes and a blend of history, motoring enthusiasm, tradition and
one-of-a-kind hospitality.
Organised by Mantova
Corse, with the collaboration of Automobile Club Mantova and the Tazio
Nuvolari Museum, the competition will see hundreds of classic cars on
the starting line. Among the rarities this year will be the remarkable
Lancia Aurelia B20 GT from the collection of FCA Heritage, the
organisation which coordinates all the activities of the company on the
classic motoring scene. The car will be driven by FCA Heritage manager
Roberto Giolito with Daniele Audetto, former Lancia and Ferrari MD, as
co-driver. This is a link to Cesare Fiorio, who was also MD of the two
brands and drove the Aurelia B20 GT at the Mille Miglia in 2015. Its
presence of the sporty car which was the emblem of Lancia racing in the
1950s is proof of the dedication of the people of the Officine Classiche
Lancia and their services aimed at adding value and enhancing the
uniqueness of each and every classic Lancia. At the Officine Classiche
in Torino, a team of professionals takes personal care of each car
certifying its authenticity. The classic Lancia cars which pass all the
tests receive a "Certificate of Authenticity" and a certification plate.
Only in this way, each vintage Lancia can boast added value that
certifies the enthusiasm and dedication of its owner.
Lancia Aurelia B20 GT
The good results achieved
by the Lancia Aurelia B20 coupé at its racing debut in 1951 came at a
time of great motorsports success for Lancia, which had started the year
with the class victory of the new Aurelia B21 in the Giro di Sicilia.
The GT cars specially prepared for racing were equipped with the
two-litre engine of the B21 with power boosted from 75 to 90 HP. They
had a top speed of 175 km/h.
The race chosen for the new car's debut was the 1951 Mille Miglia, in which Lancia entered four virtually standard-production B20 GT 2000s. The car driven by Bracco/Maglioli finished a very encouraging second overall behind Villoresi's Ferrari 4500. The excellent performance was reasserted by the good finishes of the other three cars, in fifth, seventh and seventeenth positions. In June 1951, Bracco's B20 won its class and finished twelfth overall in the Le Mans 24 Hours. Also in 1951, B20 cars won the Pescara "6 Hours" and the Coppa delle Dolomiti. The two-litre B20 repeated its racing success at the Mille Miglia the following year, with a third place overall and four cars finishing in the first ten: wonderful publicity, especially in view of how little was spent on prepping the cars, which earned the Aurelia the fame of a production car which was so efficient and safe that it could even be successfully used in races.
The race chosen for the new car's debut was the 1951 Mille Miglia, in which Lancia entered four virtually standard-production B20 GT 2000s. The car driven by Bracco/Maglioli finished a very encouraging second overall behind Villoresi's Ferrari 4500. The excellent performance was reasserted by the good finishes of the other three cars, in fifth, seventh and seventeenth positions. In June 1951, Bracco's B20 won its class and finished twelfth overall in the Le Mans 24 Hours. Also in 1951, B20 cars won the Pescara "6 Hours" and the Coppa delle Dolomiti. The two-litre B20 repeated its racing success at the Mille Miglia the following year, with a third place overall and four cars finishing in the first ten: wonderful publicity, especially in view of how little was spent on prepping the cars, which earned the Aurelia the fame of a production car which was so efficient and safe that it could even be successfully used in races.
Not just Lancia: the www.fcaheritage.com website
is dedicated to the history of Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Abarth as well. The
portal is the online showcase of the newly established FCA Heritage
department and the go-to place for everyone interested in the history,
events and activities revolving around the classic cars of the Italian
brands of the group. On the website, enthusiasts can sign up for the FCA
Heritage Newsletter to remain up-to-date on the activities and services
made available for the various brands of the group. Alfa Romeo, Fiat
and Lancia classic car owners can request "Certificates of Origin" for
their cars.
Torino, 8 September 2017