Lancia presents an elegantly drawn 2 + 2-seater Flavia Coupé at the Turin Salon, designed in the Pininfarina studios. With the wheelbase shortened from 2,65 meters to 2,48 meters compared to the sedan, a 2 + 2 seater was created, similar in profile and rear area to the lines of the Ferrari 250 GT or GTE 2 + 2. The trade press criticizes that the Flavia Coupé only has enough torque at high engine speeds, despite two double carburetors. Then Lancia installs larger pistons and cylinder liners, just like Enrico Nardi's in-house tuner with a 1,7-liter engine for Fulvia.
Launched in 1961, the Flavia saloon maintained Lancia's enviable reputation for advanced and innovative automotive engineering. Designed by Antonio Fessia and inspired by his Cemsa prototype of 1947, the Flavia was Italy's first series-production car to employ front-wheel drive. Carried well forward of the front wheels, the engine was a 1,488cc, overhead-valve, horizontally-opposed four; the suspension was independent at the front and by beam axle at the rear, and there were dual-circuit, servo-assisted disc brakes all round. The shorter-wheelbase Pininfarina-styled Coupé joined the saloon in 1962, the latter providing the basis for a convertible version by Vignale, while Zagato designed an outlandish-looking lightweight two-door sport version.
Source: autohub.de; www.bonhams.com
Images: Pininfarina
