The highest price paid for a lot at the recent Coy's Monaco Auction was for a stunning 1955 Lancia B 24 S Spider America which put desirable entries from marques including Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Bentley, Rolls-Royce and Porsche firmly into the shade.

The highest price paid for a lot at the recent Coy's Monaco Auction was for a stunning 1955 Lancia B 24 S Spider America which put desirable entries from marques including Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Bentley, Rolls-Royce and Porsche firmly into the shade.

The 281,500 euros that a buyer paid for this superb early example of the B 24 S Spider America at the prestigious Coy's auction, which was finished in white and came with a stunning red leather interior, clearly shows that, coming after a string of high auction results for this model, the mystique and desirability it holds for the collector today. The next highest price was for a clean 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 that had had just one owner for the past 30 years and it fetched 232,000 euros. Then came an immaculate Bugatti Type 57 Ventoux (190,000 euros), Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS (177,000 euros), Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III Chinese Eye Drop Head Coupé (159,734 euros) and a Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 (138,800 euros). Also of note to Italian enthusiasts in the auction was a Maserati Indy (21,819 euros), Fiat O.S.C.A. 1600 S Coupé (35,500 euros), Alfa Romeo 2600 Spider Touring (55,000 euros), Maserati Quattroporte I (28,800 euros) and an Abarth 1000 TC (26,600 euros).

Since it first began producing motor cars, Lancia wasted no time in earning a reputation for original and innovative designs. The Aprilia of the 1930s was a perfect example and when it was finally replaced after the World War Two, its successor the Aurelia continued the trend. Designed by Vittorio Jano, the legendary engineer responsible for a string of highly successful Alfa Romeo Grand Prix cars, it bristled with innovation. Beneath a four door, pillar-less saloon body, the Aurelia sported an all-alloy V6 engine while the four-speed transaxle, complete with in-board brakes and using a column change, ensured good weight distribution. Add to that all independent suspension, via sliding pillars/coil springs at the front and semi-trailing arms at the rear, together with then revolutionary Michelin radial tyres, and fine roadholding and handling were assured.

When launched in B10 guise at the 1950 Turin Show, the Aurelia produced 56bhp from 1,756cc. With the B12 of 1951 capacity increased to 1,991cc and power to 70bhp; there was also the B20GT, an attractive 2+2 Pininfarina coupé with shorter wheelbase and 80bhp - arguably the first true GT. The Aurelia then began an illustrious competition career, including Giovanni Bracco’s second place in the 1951 Mille Miglia, class wins in the 1951 and ‘52 Le Mans 24 Hours and a 1-2-3 in the 1952 Targa Florio.

For 1952 came the B15 with long wheelbase, wider track and 65bhp, while the normal wheelbase B22 now boasted 90bhp and there were convertible Spider options. It was the following year that the B20 GT 2500 was launched, an example of which Louis Chiron used to win the 1954 Monte Carlo Rally. Capable of 115mph and 0-60mph in 14 seconds, its 2,451cc engine produced 118bhp and 126lb/ft, whilst rear leaf springs, a de Dion rear axle and floor change also became standard. In 1955 it was joined by the B24 Spider - or Spider America as it was also known - again styled by Pininfarina but with an eight inch shorter wheelbase and very pretty open coachwork. Not to be confused with earlier and much more common Convertible models, the B24 was evolved from a concept car and featured a distinctive, unique wrap-around windscreen and quarter-light windows. Weighing 25kg less than the GT 2500, but with the same specification, the rapid and rare B24 Spider - a total of just 181 examples were produced of - is understandably the most sought after of all Aurelias.

Chassis No 1008, one of the very first to be produced, is equipped with the highly desirable factory hard top as well as the optional Borrani wire wheels. Most attractively finished in white with a dark red leather interior, it came to auction at Monaco from a private owner who had purchased the car in the early 1990s and since then participated in a number of very prestigious events, among them the 1994 Mille Miglia and the historic Targa Florio in Sicily. Interestingly, he also entered the car into the 1994 Concorso d’Eleganza in Turin, where this Aurelia received the prestigious Trofeo Toro award, ahead of the Aurelia B24 S from the Pininfarina collection.

A most charming and rare detail of this example is the top of the dashboard clad in the same dark red leather as the seats, a rare period option as specified in the accompanying copy of the original brochure. Having benefited from a comprehensive restoration in the 1980s was described in Coy's auction catalogue by the vendor as being in excellent condition throughout and it was offered with Italian registration documents as well as copies of older Italian documents relating to the car and current ASI homologation papers. Coy's commented that it was "one of the finest America Spyders we have seen."