Lancia Flaminia Berlina

This aristocratic Italian saloon is unjustly overlooked

Big classic saloons often tread a fine line between sub-zero cool and completely unfashionable, but there’s no doubt where the Lancia Flaminia sits. It always exuded style and sophistication in a way only an Italian car could and, while the rarer two-door versions have become seriously collectable, the Berlina remains a hidden gem.

Pininfarina styled the Berlina but, unlike the Coupé and other coachbuilt models, it was manufactured inhouse by Lancia at the Borgo San Paolo plant in Turin. It made quite an impact at the 1957 Turin motor show, with styling much influenced by the earlier Florida prototype, although sadly the ‘suicide’ rear doors didn’t make it to production.

It was larger in size, and more conservatively styled, than the Aurelia it replaced, in an attempt to move Lancia slightly more upmarket. The engine was a development of the 60-degree V6 Aurelia unit, offered initially in 2.5-litre, 102bhp form. A tweaked 110bhp version followed in 1961 and a much-improved 2.8-litre, with 128bhp, arrived a year later. A fourspeed manual transaxle was standard; the semiautomatic ‘Saxomat’ gearbox was a rare option.

Double-wishbone suspension up front and a de Dion rear axle located by a Panhard rod and halfelliptic leaf springs, all-new but developed from the Aurelia arrangement, combined with the V6 to make the Flaminia seem exotic relative to rivals. Early Berlinas made do with drum brakes all round and, although adequate, they were one of the car’s weaker points. Discs were an option, and standard after 1960.

The biggest problem was a lack of pace. In its move upmarket the Flaminia had become bulky. It was an impressive handler, as buyers expected from Lancia, but 102bhp was not enough to shift the 1440kg saloon with any verve. Get to know a Berlina, though, and you’ll soon appreciate this beautifully crafted car. The performance won’t blow you away but the refinement, comfort and high-speed stability certainly will.

It’s crammed full of lovely details. The vacuumoperated quarter windows and twin rear interior and exterior window wipers are charming, while a heating and ventilation system much praised when new makes life with a Berlina all the more pleasing. The dashboard is as elegant as the exterior, adding to the grandeur.

Various coachbuilt Flaminias came and went from 1957 to 1970, but the Berlina was the only body style to remain broadly unchanged throughout production. Just 3943 Berlinas were built over 13 years – fewer than the Pininfarina-built Coupé – although export sales increased, notably in the US, later in life.

You can argue that the Berlina lives in the shadow of its glamorous Coupé, Touring GT and Zagato-bodied Super Sport siblings, but that doesn’t make it any less appealing. No Italian saloon this side of a Maserati Quattroporte looks quite so classy, and few four-doors of the era offer such excellent driving manners. Perhaps a victim of its coachbuilt cousins’ fame, the Flaminia Berlina has never been truly appreciated and seems to have slipped into obscurity. Find one now, and be happy that such a fine car can still be enjoyed on a relatively modest budget.