The in-betweener; 1956 Lancia Flaminia Zagato

In the ‘50s you had 3 types of front-engined-rear-drive sports cars: the low powered sports cars (e.g. Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint), the high-power GTs (e.g. Ferrari 250 SWB) and the in-betweener, as far as I know there’s only one in-betweener: the Lancia Flaminia Zagato.

So what makes the Flaminia Sport Zagato an in-betweener? The low powered cars often had small 4-cylinder engines that would push (at most) 100hp to the wheels, the high-powered ones would have roughly 300 to the back, and this? There are 2 options: a 2.5-litre single-carb V6 with 119hp, or a 2.8-litre triple-barrel-single-carb V6 with 150hp (factionally there is a 3rd option, the Flaminia Super Sport, it had the same body as the Sport, but would have 152hp from a triple-carb version of the 2.8-litre V6. Considerably more powerful than the low-power cars, but much less powerful than the proper GTs.

Another thing that makes this car a sort of in-betweener is the body. Often, only the big GTs would have an aluminium body, here’s the exception: a stunning Zagato designed aluminium body. Complete with double-bubble roof. And the interior is a masterpiece too.

As far as I can tell there’s only one massive flaw with the Flaminia Sport Zagato, and that is the price. Despite the car being rather common for its kind (344 units), for a very similar price you can have a Maserati 3500GTi Vignale Spyder with rare Borelli spoke wheels, and really, I’m quite certain most people would prefer to spend that little bit extra and get the proper GT rather than the weaker sports car. At 2016’s RM Sotheby’s auction in Monaco, a 1959 Lancia Flaminia Sport Zagato was estimated at a minimum price of €480.000.

I love the Flaminia Zagato, it’s an utter masterpiece, but as I said… value is a problem. I’d say the only reason to get this over any “cheap” high-power GT (S1 E-Type FHC, DB4 Series IV, Maserati 3500) is the body and character. Because it is a beaut… and a Lancia. What do you think of this Italian masterpiece?

• MH