A Villa d’Este win with many links to The International Guild of Specialist Engineers

• Lancia Astura Serie II, restored by TIGOSE Life Member Paul Grist, wins Coppa D’Oro
• The ex-Steady Barker car was previously owned by TIGOSE founder Michael Scott
• Another Astura with strong links to Steady Barker is still owned by Michael Scott

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London – A 1933 Lancia Astura Serie II, previously owned by both TIGOSE Founder Michael Scott and legendary road test driver and columnist Ronald “Steady” Barker, has won the public vote and “Coppa d’Oro” at the famous Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, this month.

The Astura had just completed a total restoration by TIGOSE Life Member Paul Grist, owner of the internationally renowned Alfa Romeo specialist Traction-Seabert.

In Lancia’s best tradition, the pre-war Astura had a Castagna body coachbuilt for its chassis after it was first registered; unusually, however, it was a body which had originally been built for an Alfa 8C, and was then fitted to the Lancia as requested by Benito Mussolini’s son, Vittorio.

Michael Scott is no stranger to Lancia Asturas. He still owns the 1934 “Steady Special” Astura, whose body was redesigned following 60-year-old sketches drawn by the late Steady Barker. TIGOSE Member and specialist Tim Samways rebuilt its famous, original 3.0 litre narrow-angle V8 engine.

Like Michael Scott’s Steady Special Astura, whose chassis was shortened for racing, the Villa d’Este winner’s wheelbase was substantially shortened to fit the new body and the original 2.6 litre V8 was switched for the later 3-litre version.

“I have an affinity for Lancia Asturas,” jokes Michael Scott. “It was great to see the Villa d’Este Coppa d’Oro go to a car which was mine for a while. I still have the Lancia Astura Steady Special, which is with the Villa d’Este winner’s restorer, Paul Grist, at the moment. Both cars have plenty of history to be proud of.”

The Lancia Astura Steady Special will be up for sale later this year.

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