Flaminia Sport 3C Series 4 2,8 by Zagato
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Flaminia Sport 3C Series 4 2,8 by Zagato |
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1963-1964 |
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Coupe |
Just 99 examples of the first Flaminia Sport with covered headlamps were constructed before the design was modified, and these earliest Sports remain the rarest and perhaps most sought-after of the three versions that were built before production ended in 1967.
Over the course of a production life of nine years, there were four series, with five versions built. Initially, the Sport had a 2.5-liter single-carburetor engine, smooth, rounded front and rear ends, and covered headlights. After a year, the front end was revised with standing, exposed headlights. In three years, 205 examples were sold. The year 1962 saw the introduction of a three-carburetor version, which boosted power from 119–140 horsepower. Aptly named the “3C,” 174 were built before the engine was enlarged in 1963 to 2.8-liters, bringing approximately another 6-10 horsepower. Only 33 of the Sport 3C 2.8 were made before the final, and arguably the most desirable, variant appeared in 1964. The grandly named Flaminia Super Sport 3C 2.8 brought larger Weber 40 DCN 12 carburetors, an output of 152 horsepower, and a restyled body with recessed headlights and a more sharply defined, yet still smooth, Kamm tail.
The Super Sport was produced in 187 examples from 1964 to 1967, and the combination of the revised styling and most powerful engine make this the model of choice for many. The Super Sport also saw some changes - the rear was updated to a Kammback, while the front was made more aerodynamic with distinctive tear-shape headlight casings. Carrozzeria Zagato has been known practically since its founding for designing cars that are either stunningly beautiful, such as the pre-war Alfa Romeo 1750 roadsters, or quirky and challenging to love, such as the early post-war Panoramica cars. Clearly, this Lancia is one of the loveliest faces to come from the renowned Milanese coachworks.
A limited-slip differential was standard equipment and the Flaminia Super Sport was one of the first cars to benefit from servo-assisted disc brakes all round. Lancia's top-of-the-range Gran Turismo, it came very well equipped and was priced at the same level as a Maserati or Aston Martin. Marcello Mastroianni, Italy's most popular male film star, had his pick of the world's finest cars and he chose a Flaminia Super Sport Zagato. It was a proven design, refined and well equipped, possessing superb performance. It also had sufficient charisma to appeal to an international heartthrob.
