Lancia D23 Spyder Pininfarina

In its debut race in the Gran Premio di Monza for sports cars, this Lancia D23 takes second place with Felice Bonetto at the wheel.

Already in its debut race at the Grand Prix of Monza, this Lancia D23 takes second place thanks to driver Felice Bonetto. For the gruelling Carrera Panamericana race in Mexico, the Lancia racing team fields five cars: two D23s, this one for Bracco and a second for Castellotti, as well as three new D24s for Fangio, Bonetto and Taruffi. In the fourth stage Bonetto is killed in a fatal crash, casting a shadow over Lancias eventual 1-2-3 victory: Fangio finishes first, Taruffi second and Castellotti third with his D23. Bracco has retired due to a broken rear wheel. The color blue is exceptional for an Italian racing car. In this color the car starts at Monza in 1953. This is the only surviving original Lancia D23. The ambitious Gianni Lancia, son of founder Vincenzo and, after his death in 1937, managing director, believes that Lancia must prove itself in motor racing. He develops a racing program in cooperation with the by then sixty year old designer Vittorio Jano, who came from Alfa Romeo. After the war Gianni builds a racer based on the new Aurelia GT, the D20 coupe. In the Targa Florio Lancia wins, but at Le Mans the cars fail completely. Lancia decides to modify two D20s technically and saws off the roof to create an open racer. This becomes the Lancia D23. Later, two more D20s are converted and fitted with a De Dion rear axle, which significantly improves the road holding. With his expensive racing program Gianni Lancia ultimately brings the company to the brink of bankruptcy and is dismissed.