Developed under famed engineer Vittorio Jano and unveiled in 1953, the Appia was the last Lancia that combined a narrow-angle V-4 engine with sliding-pillar front suspension and rear-wheel drive. Between 1956 and 1963, Zagato built approximately 700 lightweight, aerodynamic bodies for the Appia. Zagato’s prototype, nicknamed Cammello (Camel) for its double-bubble roofline, showcased the Appia’s dual-purpose personality; after winning a prize at the Cortina Concours d’Elegance, it secured a 1-2-3 class sweep for Lancia at the Mille Miglia. At the 1958 Torino Motor Show, Lancia introduced the updated Appia GTE, or Gran Turismo Esportazione. This landmark model – the first Zagato-bodied Lancia illustrated in factory literature and sold through authorized dealers – underwent myriad aesthetic and mechanical refinements through 1962.

This GTE is a late-production Series III example, which benefits from a variety of improvements including a more powerful engine. Completed in March 1961, this Lancia spent its early years in Northern Italy, as documented by copies of Automobile Club d’Italia and Automotoclub Storico Italiano records on file. Elegantly presented in gunmetal gray over beige, this GTE was restored approximately 20 years ago and exported to the US in 2016. Collector owned and accompanied by an original owner’s manual, sales brochure, tools, jack, and Lancia Classiche Certificato di Origine confirming its matching-numbers engine, this tastefully presented Appia GTE is among the finest surviving examples of a sophisticated, seldom-seen, Zagato-bodied Lancia.