1952 Lancia Aurelia B53 Giardinetta
Lancia’s Aurelia platform introduced one of the first production V6 engines when it debuted in 1950, establishing new technical standards with its rear-mounted transaxle configuration. The company sold bare chassis to Italy’s finest coachbuilders, enabling specialized variants that standard factory production could not accommodate.
Turin-based Carrozzeria Viotti responded by creating wood-structured station wagons that merged American styling influences with European luxury. Designer Giovanni Michelotti penned many of the Giardinetta bodies, featuring four-door configurations with rear coach doors that opened against traffic flow.
The designation itself came from company founder Vittorio Viotti, who introduced and protected the Giardinetta name for his postwar family wagons in 1946; it later evolved into generic Italian usage for station wagons built by other makers.
Records suggest just 47 Aurelia-based Giardinettas were completed, with only two B53 examples known to survive. The B53 specification employed a 2.0-liter overhead-valve V6 rated at roughly 90 horsepower, connected to a four-speed manual transaxle.
This longer-wheelbase platform-chassis variant incorporated gearing and tire choices that differed from standard Aurelia berlinas, transforming practical transportation into fashionable vehicles for affluent Italian families heading out on Alpine weekend excursions.
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