Words Remigio Camilla / Photos Alessandro Marrone

“I say front-wheel drive”, that’s how Prof. Fessia started, suddenly entering the office of Eng. Dante Giacosa, before resigning from FIAT as Director of the Central Technical Offices. Convinced supporter of engine and traction up front, he had collaborated with Eng. Giacosa and Eng. Lardone to the creation of the 500 never born, the one with an air-cooled twin-cylinder engine equipped with front-wheel drive. He then arrives at CEMSA-CAPRONI where in 1949 he designed and built the car he had always dreamed of, with a cantilevered engine on the front axle, opposing pistons and front wheel drive, independent front and rear suspensions, identification code F 11 (where the F stands for Fessia and 11 indicates the 1.100-cc displacement).

The car was meant to be used to reconvert, after the Second World War, the Caproni from the production of war material to the car market. Unfortunately, financial reasons prevented the company from doing so, remaining at the prototype stage or almost, as it was made in 10 pre-series units. Eng. Fessia, however, had been able to put his theories into practice and ascertain the validity of his project. In 1955, with the passage of Lancia to the Pesenti group, Fessia was called upon to take the position of Technical Central Director and with the Flavia project it was finally the right moment to re-propose what had already been experienced with the F 11 in a more contemporary key, with self-supporting body, cantilever engine on the front axle, 4 opposed cylinders, independent front wheels, front wheel drive and four-wheel disc brakes with double braking circuit that on a production model was the first produced in Italy with such characteristics. The surfaces of the bodywork designed by Piero Castagnero were rounded and clean, without edges and above all with chrome moldings, now considered useless frills.

 

 

 

The front, thanks to the adoption of the boxer engine, was characterized by a flat bonnet sloping downwards such as to create a difference in level and dynamism compared to the front fenders equipped with twin headlights. The interior was fitted with a front sofa with continuous backrest that could accommodate three people, thanks also to the gearshift lever on the steering wheel. Very interesting and absolutely unconventional is the console with controls for the secondary functions, in the shape of a quarter of a circle placed to the left of the steering wheel at the base of the column, where the various black and white keys vaguely recalled the idea of ​​the piano.

Prof. Fessia has always had safety as its primary objective and this led him to under-size the engines used in relation to the mass and weight of the body. For this absolute conviction, the new model was initially equipped with a 1,500 cc 78 HP engine, powered by a single 32 Solex or Weber twin-barrel carburetor with modest performance, for this reason much criticized. Lancisti did not recognize the boxer engine as a Lancia engine, because it totally departed from the narrow V to which they had always been accustomed. The choice of the name was conducted through a competition led by the official Lancia magazine, which contained a postcard with some questions, including the one relating to the name. The most voted was FLAVIA, following the tradition of using Roman consular roads. A similar advertising initiative was used a few years later by Alfa Romeo to identify the name of the new Pininfarina spyder: the Duetto.

 

 

 

Now that all the pieces were in place, the Flavia could be officially presented to the public and this took place at the 42^nd Turin Motor Show in 1960. For the new born sports versions were planned as well, with chassis shortened by 17 cm compared to that of the sedan and delivered respectively to Pininfarina for the construction of the Coupe version, to Vignale for the Convertible and to Zagato for the Sport version dedicated especially to drivers. The Coupe was conceived, designed and engineered by Pininfarina as an elegant and comfortable grand tourer, with four comfortable seats and a large trunk. In order to fully evaluate the proportions and the elegance of the line, the life-size model was created by Stola, a company that had collaborated with Pininfarina for years and for which it had made other models, also located in Borgo San Paolo. The production of the model itself was entrusted directly to Pininfarina and the car proudly bears the logo on the rear sides at the bottom immediately behind the doors.

The harmonious, taut and elegant line was very similar to the 1960 Ferrari 250 GT 2+2, especially in the tail profile, in the cut of the sloping rear window and in the rib that marked the side. Compared to the Ferrari, which in the tail section still had light fins accentuated by the vertical lights, the light fin compared to the volume of the boot of the Flavia was also softened through the adoption of a horizontally placed lights that catch the eye downwards, giving way to a lower perception of the fins and seeking connection and coherence with the front.

 

 

 

This solution had immediately aroused perplexity because it seemed a mistake, as we were used to the rear lights in a vertical position. But soon this detail constituted an element of great characterization. Compared to the Ferrari 250 GT, it appeared decidedly more modern, not only in the tail section but above all in the front, where the double headlights gave it a flatter, squared off, horizontal pattern, further underlined by the thin, sharp bumpers without beaks. The group of lights and indicators was gathered in a single specific element of circular shape that led to other Pininfarina models, such as the Flaminia Berlina and Coupe. The large interior for four people, like a true grand tourer perfectly consistent with the elegance of the exterior was comfortable and well cared for, through the use of valuable materials such as the classic Lancia cloth, leather or stretch vinyl fabric for the seats and door panels. The dashboard adopted the same instrumentation as the Sedan, where the ribbon odometer, the circular tachometer on the right and at the bottom four rectangular indicators respectively: fuel level, water thermometer, oil pressure gauge and ammeter were contained in a single ovoid element.

 

 

 

It officially went into production in the summer of 1962, adopting the same engine as the sedan, but equipped with two Solex vertical double-barrel carburettors for a good 90 HP. This version, despite the more powerful engine of the Sedan, was however criticized for two reasons: the difficult set-up of the carburetion and the engine torque that was reached only at high revs. Thus it was that already in 1963 at the Frankfurt Motor Show the new 1.800 version was presented and in 1965 the injection version of the 1.800, with significantly improved performance thanks to the 102 HP that allowed it to reach 180 kph. The interior was slightly revised with a new dashboard again in wood, aligned with the Fulvia Coupe, larger circular odometer and rev counter and three other smaller ones, respectively fuel gauge, water and oil pressure gauge.

 

 

 

In 1969 it was revised in the front and tail section, its line appeared more squared with a decidedly flat front bonnet aligned with the front fenders on which emerged the air intake for internal air conditioning made in a periscope, as on the Fulvia Coupe. Even the rear bonnet no longer went down to the bumper, but stopped at the rib of the side and connected to the rear fenders with an inclined shape that was very reminiscent of the Fiat 124 Spyder designed by Tom Tjaarda.

This new version was equipped with an engine boosted up to 2,000 cc with 115 HP and a speed of 186 kph and within about 6 months it was joined by the 124 HP version with Kugelfischer mechanical injection. 1971 was the year of the last and most powerful Flavia Coupe, with a 2-liter engine with both carburettor and D-Jetronic electronic injection in the HF version of 160 HP and 200 kph, also revised in some details of the body and losing the Flavia denomination in favor of Lancia 2000.

 

 

 

The Flavia is the model that marked the official return of Lancia to racing after ten years of retirement from competitions. Thanks to it, from 1962 to 1965, there were four exciting years in which the Sedan, the Coupe and the Sport by Zagato achieved more than 40 victories and as many placings between rally and track racing. These unexpected wins already led to the birth of the HF Racing Team founded by Cesare Fiorio in February 1963. To open this fantastic racing season, it was driver Piero Frescobaldi who had chosen the new Sedan for its great driving skills, excellent braking, road holding and great handling, all qualities that made up for a poorly performing engine, as already had happened with the Aurelia Sedan in the 1950s. With the unofficial Flavia Sedan 1.500 prepared by Bosato, in 1962 he got first place in group 2 at the Sanremo Rally and third place in 1963. That year in first place there was driver Franco Patria in a Flavia Coupe Pininfarina Group 2 in the Class up to 1,500. The driver who most believed and loved the Flavia Coupr was French René Trautmann, to whom Lancia had offered to race with the new Fulvia Coupe in 1966, an offer he refused because he had been working on the development and research of new technical solutions for the Flavia already by a couple of years. In that same year he got the second place overall at the prestigious Monte Carlo Rally, despite the chronicles of the time were talking about a false result, because Trautmann mysteriously found piles of snow on the route that forced him to arrive forcibly behind the Citroen DS, the team who had never forgiven him for his passage to Lancia. There are many Flavia lovers, but among these in particular an engineer from Piacenza conducted an in-depth study on this model, collecting an infinite number of documents on the various versions, from specials to derivatives to prototypes, from technique to advertising, to competitions, a truly exciting volume of over 750 pages, unfortunately not published. It is hoped that this article, if read, will be some sort of a motivation for publication for the pleasure and knowledge of all Flavia fans.

 

 

We meet the Coupe of this article in the splendid scenographic setting of the Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi about 10 kilometers from Turin, one of the most important eighteenth-century architectural complexes in Europe. Pleasure place for hunting, parties and weddings, commissioned by the Savoy family by Filippo Juvarra, the Sicilian architect who for many years was in the service of the House of Savoy. The visual impact is remarkable and for a moment it seems to go back in time, when Lancia used to create photographic advertisements looking for settings with classic architecture of the past, especially Baroque, of which Turin is rich. The elegant line of the Coupe, in its Mendoza Blue livery with wheel rims with chromed profiles in classic Chantilly ivory, stands out well and contrasts with the sumptuous refinement of the Palazzina di Caccia. Registered in 1964, the model is marked with the code 818.330, with a displacement of 1,800 cc developing 92 HP and equipped with a single Solex C 32 double-barrel carburetor which at the time allowed the unification of the air filter with the sedan.

 

 

 

It follows exactly the previous model, maintaining the same bodywork, both outside and inside and is recognizable only by reading the initials placed on the right side of the rear bonnet, 1.8 next to Flavia. The interior in light tobacco-colored leather is very well suited for contrast and elegance to the Mendoza Blue of the body. The dashboard featuring the solid wood trim uses the same instrumentation as the sedan with ribbon odometer and round tachometer inserted in the same instrument, the buttons for the secondary functions are positioned horizontally to the left of the beautiful three-spoke wooden steering wheel, giving way to a much more elegant look, rather than a sporty one. The gear lever, long and in polished steel on the floor, is the same that will be adopted by the Fulvia Coupe, but which has links with models of the past such as the Aprilia and Ardea. The floor covered and finished with light colored carpet is covered with the classic rubber mats of the time in beige color matching the seats, in a single piece for the front. The owner Piero, with a strong passion for vintage cars, had started with a family FIAT 500 and later moved on to the Flavia Coupe.

The choice of this model stemmed from family affections as the uncle owned one. Memories of the early years linked to this car had suddenly resurfaced, when he was told that a customer had brought a Flavia Coupe for some touch-ups from a body shop in his area, but it was available for sale. The decision was obviously quick and thoughtless, since then until today the car has been constantly monitored and cared for with continuous maintenance interventions when necessary. Last year, having pulled down the engine to replace a gearbox bearing, the decision to completely recondition it was immediate, as well as the complete overhaul of the carburetor and other mechanical parts. Now the car is in perfect condition. The owner’s driving impressions are those of great comfort, silence, good visibility, good handling combined with great road holding. The engine, although the displacement is certainly not that of a sports car and the second body of the carburetor sometimes seems to struggle to get into action as it is not operated mechanically but by vacuum, must always be kept in torque so as to offer good performance. The passion for the Flavia Coupe also pleasantly involved his son who often uses it for pleasure trips involving his girlfriend as well.

 

 

 

It is a car suitable for long and comfortable journeys and for this very reason it is very pampered. In 2019 he participated in the Lifetime Achievement Award of Eng. Dallara, with a trip from Turin to Varano de’ Melegari in Emilia Romagna, visiting the Dallara factory and then continuing for the entire itinerary planned by the event towards Liguria. The car participated in the 2015 ASI Concorso di Eleganza in Turin, in 2016 at the 50^th ASI anniversary, as well as some editions of the Gentlemen’s Run organized by Auto Class Magazine.

Thanks to Pietro for letting us photograph his beloved car and to the Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi owned by the Mauritian Order Foundation for making the splendid setting of this article available.