Lancia Aurelia B24 Spider Speciale

The Lancia Aurelia B24 Spider Speciale, developed by Pininfarina for the 1958 Geneva Motor Show, functioned as a design study anticipating an open variant within the Flaminia range. While based on Aurelia mechanicals, the Speciale adopted a body that shared no major panels with the production B24 Spider (1955) or the later B24 Convertible (1956–58). Its proportions are longer and more rectilinear, marking Pininfarina’s shift in the late 1950s toward planar surfaces and reduced curvature. The front end dispenses with the B24’s characteristic recessed oval grille and replaces it with a low, horizontally oriented rectangular opening. Headlamps are positioned with minimal sculpting, contrasting with the Spider’s more pronounced fender curvature. The bonnet is flat and incorporates a symmetrical hood scoop, differing from the B24 Spider’s slightly domed form and offset intake. Bumper design is simplified, omitting the divided bumperettes used on the production model. The windscreen frame is more upright and linear than the low, wraparound screen of the B24 Spider. Door length and height are increased to produce a more formal side profile, while the shoulder line runs straight, replacing the Spider’s flowing fender contour. At the rear, the Speciale introduces straight quarters terminating in modest fins—an element absent from all Aurelia production spiders, which employ rounded rear wings and a tapering tail. The trunk lid and rear panel adopt flatter geometry, illustrating Pininfarina’s evolving design vocabulary. Wheel arch shapes are more squared than the circular cutouts typical of the B24 series, and external trim is limited, avoiding the decorative elements applied to the production cars. Interior architecture, including instrumentation and seating, is unique to the prototype and developed independently from the series cockpit design. During the model’s exhibition tour, Brigitte Bardot encountered the Spider Speciale at the 1958 Paris Motor Show and acquired it directly. She requested a revised exterior color and custom interior trim, which Pininfarina executed after the show. The car was repainted and reupholstered according to her specifications, creating a documented, coachbuilder-sanctioned variant of the prototype associated with Bardot’s ownership.