Lancia also returns to the Mille Miglia

Lancia will soon not only be returning to the first markets outside Italy, but will also be taking part in the Mille Miglia (June 11-15) again after a break of six years. Former world rally champion Miki Biasion will be competing in a 1955 Lancia Aurelia B20 GT in the legendary classic car rally from Brescia to Rome and back again. The event also marks the 70th anniversary of Alberto Ascari's victory with the Lancia D24 Spider in the 1954 Mille Miglia.

Since 1977, the former road race has been held as a regularity rally for vehicles built between 1927 and 1957. It is not the speed that is judged, but the precision of the time trials. Only cars that took part in the original road race are eligible.

Miki Biasion won the drivers' title in the World Rally Championship in 1988 and 1989 in the Lancia works team. The B20 GT is the coupé version of the Lancia Aurelia, the first production car with a V6 engine. The final design of the Lancia Aurelia B20 GT was created at Pininfarina, where the coupé was also produced between 1951 and 1958 in a quantity of around 3000 units. Originally equipped with a 2.0-liter engine, the model received a V6 with a displacement of 2.5 liters from 1953. The power output was up to 118 hp.

The Lancia Aurelia B20 GT's greatest success in motorsport was the victory at the 1954 Monte-Carlo Rally by Formula 1 driver Louis Chiron from Monaco and co-driver Ciro Basadonna. This was the first of Lancia's 13 victories to date in what is probably the most famous rally in the world. (aum)