Why Italy Has The World's Coolest Presidential Car

#Lancia #Flaminia #Presidenziale
The Italian Presidential Limousine is perhaps the coolest state limo in the world: it may be as bulletproof as ravioli, but there's no denying it looks gorgeous. Built in 1961, the Lancia Flaminia "335" is still in service today.
The story of the presidential Flaminias started in 1960. Italy was in the midst of an economic boom that rapidly transformed the country into one of the world’s top economies and was preparing to celebrate its first century as a unified nation-state. So then-president Giovanni Gronchi commissioned Lancia to build a new limo to reflect Italy’s status in the modern world.
Lancia was the obvious choice, as its reputation as the purveyor of Italy’s finest cars was unquestionable, and the Flaminia saloon provided a natural base for the project.
The sheer charm of these special Lancias never failed to seduce each new president, so they were never decommissioned, despite the passage of time and the wear and tear that inevitably came with it.
In 2001 Fiat Auto carried out a conservative restoration of the aging fleet, but only the Belvedere and Belfiore returned to active service following their restoration and are still used at least once a year, 60 years after manufacture!
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