The last surviving example of a 1969 Lancia Fulvia Spider F&M realised £227,000 ($370,872) at a Coys auction at the NEC in Birmingham, UK on January 11.
Produced to combat the heat exhaustion suffered by racing drivers in the 1960s, Lancia removed the roof from a HF Coupe and reduced the length of the chassis - a workaround that proved highly effective in terms of cooling and reducing the car's overall weight.
|
Only three examples were ever produced, with this example achieving victories at the Nuremburg 1000 and the Rally del Medditerraneo in the year it was built.
Designed by Cesare Fiorio and Claudio Maglioli, the manager and head driver at Lancia at the time, one of the cars was used in the development of the Stratos, which won the World Rally Championship in 1974, 1975 and 1976.
A replica of the 1968 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Evocation was another major highlight of the sale, achieving £144,500 ($236,084).
|
Produced in a workshop near Turin by a pair of brothers in 2011, the car is near identical to the original 300 SLR - an innovative and beautifully designed race car which aped the space-age look of the "Gullwing" coupe produced by the company in the 1950s.
We have this unique racing jacket, worn by actor and car enthusiast Paul Newman, for sale.
Follow the link to sign up to our free newsletter and get the latest on classic cars and other collectibles direct to your inbox.