The story of a unique car, which first frames the partnership between art and mechanics, challenging conventions and telling the vision of the creative genius. The Lancia Flaminia Coupé Loraymo is a custom-built variant born outside the box, to be a creative quirk, a task that it succeeded very well. Presented at 47th Paris Motor Show in 1960 as a version it is a Lancia different from all the others, because it was born far from the Turin style centers and the industrial logic of the time.
It was one of the greatest designers of the twentieth century who wanted it, designed it and signed it, an American whose aesthetic flair is not satisfied with owning a Flaminia Coupé, but redesigns it: Raymond Loewy.
The originality of Raymond Loewy
To fully understand the Lancia Flaminia Loraymo we must start from its author. Raymond Loewy is a central artist of 20th century industrial design whose legacy extends far beyond the world of the automobile. Born in France but soon moved to America, he is remembered as a product designer of trains, refrigerators, household appliances, logos and everyday objects. His restyling of the is famous Coca-Cola bottlethe famous Lucky Strike logo, that of Shell, as well as numerous projects for the transport industry.
Its design thread translates into the famous MAYA (Most Advanced Yet Acceptable) principle, which leads to one of the most elegant cars of the time: the Lancia Flaminia Coupé. This time, however, it is not a job requested by some client but rather his desire to own a unique car that reflects his artistic flair, perhaps inspired by the special variants commissioned from the three coachbuilders Zagato, Pininfarina and Touring. We are therefore faced with one of Loewy’s most personal and intimate works.
The artist then purchases a Flaminia and redesigns it according to his own stylistic dictates, without compromise, renaming it Loraymo precisely because of this private dimension. It is in fact the acronym of LOewy RAYMOnd, and corresponds to the telegraphic address of his studio.
The smiling grille
Just look at the Loraymo from the front to understand that it is not a Flaminia like the others. The front is dominated by a large tapered grillewith an almost smiling shape, set in an imposing chrome frame which performs a double function: aesthetic and structural. This frame, in fact, also acts as a elastic bumpera very advanced solution for its time, which anticipated passive safety concepts that were still not widespread at the time.
Two stand out on the sides fog lightsseparated from the bodywork by a thin aerodynamic fin. A choice that allows the air to be guided more cleanly along the sides of the car. The main, central headlight is set in the mudguard, set back and open at the bottom to improve visibility. front brake cooling.
The details tells the story of an almost obsessive attention to aerodynamics and a search for solutions outside the box. Loraymo manages the rare feat of looking elegant and bold, in perfect harmony with the creator.
Not just shape
The side of the Lancia Flaminia Loraymo is a style exercise in the most explicit way possible. A sinuous line has no sharp edges. The surfaces flow into each other naturally, creating a sense of movement. Aerodynamics is at the center of the project, as demonstrated by extremely rare solutions for the late 1950s.
Among these, a wing located above the rear window stands out, designed to stabilize the air flow in queue. The completely closed chrome wheel covers reduce turbulence generated by the wheels, while the panoramic rear window connects directly to the trunk, creating a single fluid volume.
The luggage compartment, consistent with Loewy’s vision, is not accessible from the outside, but only from the passenger compartment. A choice that favors clean lines over daily practicality. At the rear, the only protruding elements are the double exhaust pipe and a thin bumper, while the rear headlights are completely drowned in the bodywork.
The realization
To turn the project into reality, Raymond Loewy relied on one of the most expert bodybuilders of the time in the use of aluminum: Rocco Mottoa Turin craftsman known for his ability to translate complex ideas into concrete forms. The bodywork is made entirely by hand, with obsessive attention to detail and surfaces.
The mechanical part, however, is entrusted to Nardihistorical name of Italian processing. The V6 engine of the Flaminia, in its 2.5 liter version, is revised and the power rises from the original 119 HP to approximately 150 cavallimaking the Loraymo not only fascinating, but also downright brilliant on the road.
The final result excites Loewy enough to decide to exhibit the car at 1960 Paris Motor Showwhere the Loraymo commands attention like a true work of art on wheels.
Technical characteristics
Under the Loewy tailoring, the Lancia Flaminia Loraymo retains a solid and refined technical base.
- engine: 6-cylinder V petrol, longitudinal front, 2458 cm³
- power: 150 HP
- maximum speed: approximately 190 km/h
Numbers which, for the time, place the Loraymo among the fastest and most advanced coupés, perfectly in line with the image of a modern and sophisticated grand tourer.
A second life
For years, Raymond Loewy used his Lancia Flaminia Loraymo as his personal car, first in Europe and then in the United States. It is not a car destined to remain idle in a showroom or a museum, but a vehicle experienced, driven and appreciated in everyday life. An aspect that makes his story even more fascinating.
After the designer’s disappearance, the car is found by president of the Lancia Club of Americawho immediately understands the historical and cultural value of the specimen. So he decides to bring it back to Italy, donating it to Lancia. A symbolic gesture, which ideally closes the circle of a story that began overseas.
Today the Lancia Flaminia Loraymo is a unique example in the world, part of the Stellantis Heritage collection and usually exhibited at theHeritage Hub of Turin. His memory represents a bridge between different worlds: the elegance of the Italian automotive industry of the time, the eccentricity of American design, and art in its purest form.
It is proof of how Lancia, in those years, was a brand capable of attracting the most brilliant and visionary minds. And also the tangible memory of the genius of Raymond Loewy, one of the most influential designers of all time, capable of leaving his mark on both a bottle of Coca-Cola and an Italian coupé.
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