A new arrival at Oldtimer Australia is this lovely 1979 Lancia Beta Spider 2000 (Series II) by Zagato.

The Lancia Beta Spider (Tipo 828) is an interesting and somewhat unusual Italian sports car. Designed by Pininfarina and built by Zagato, the Spider combined the practicality of a four seat car with the enjoyment of open top motoring. With its distinctive removable targa roof panel and folding rear soft top, it offered something a little different from the traditional convertible.

The Lancia Beta Spider was never sold new in Australia and as a result these cars are rarely seen on Australian roads.

The early history of this car is not known, however, we do know that it spent time in Western Australia before it found its way to Victoria and into the hands of well-known Lancia enthusiast Graham Kerslake in circa 2000.

Kerslake spent many years painstakingly restoring the car. Documentation on file confirms that in 2015 the engine was removed and completely rebuilt, including a rebuild of the cylinder head.

With the engine removed, attention turned to the bodywork. The interior was stripped out and the car was mounted on a rotisserie to allow the necessary bodywork to be undertaken. The car was subsequently repainted in Rosso Corsa (Tipo 851).

The interior was also extensively refurbished. The seats and door cards were reconditioned and retrimmed in high grade leatherette, while new carpet mats, featuring the Lancia logo, were fitted in the cabin and boot.

Considerable attention was also given to the electrical system. The tail lights were restored, the headlight buckets and lamps were replaced with original Carello components, the interior lights were refitted and rewired. Additionally, the indicator stalk was replaced with a new old stock (NOS) item.

Sadly, Kerslake passed away before he could complete the restoration of his beloved Lancia.

The car was sold to another very well-known Lancia enthusiast in Melbourne in April 2019. Whilst a lot of the major work had been completed, there was still quite a lot to do to finish the restoration. As we all know, the last 10% of a restoration can be the most time consuming.

By April 2022 this wonderful Lancia Beta Spider was back on the road. The car was used sporadically over the next few months before the owner decided to sell.

The current owner acquired this car in June 2023 and at that time the odometer read 81,490km. He is a real classic car enthusiast, having owned a number of interesting cars over the years. He is very passionate about Lancias and some years ago completed a concours standard restoration of a 1960 Lancia Flaminia GT by Touring, which we had the pleasure of selling for him back in November 2022.

When the opportunity arose to acquire this Lancia Beta Spider, he simply couldnt resist.

Over the last three and a half years, the car has been used and enjoyed. It made an appearance at the 2024 All Italian Day in Brisbane, where it attracted considerable interest and was very well received.

Unfortunately, due to health reasons, the owner has now made the difficult decision to part with the car.

In his ownership the car was serviced on the 11th December 2025 by Classic Cool in Coopers Plains, QLD. At that time the odometer read 83,369 km.

At the time of our photography, the odometer read 83,708 km.

First impressions of this Lancia are very good. Although the restoration commenced more than ten years ago, it was only completed in 2022 and the car has clearly been well cared for since.

The Rosso Corsa paintwork presents beautifully, retaining a strong depth of colour and a lovely gloss finish. There are a few very minor imperfections, as you would expect on a car that has been used and enjoyed, but you really have to look closely to find them.

The distinctive removable targa roof panel and folding rear soft top are both in good condition. The plastic rear window remains clear and has not yellowed, as can often be the case with older convertible tops. Raising and lowering the soft top is a straightforward exercise that can easily be managed by one person.

The car retains its original Lancia wheels, all of which are stamped Original Lancia. They present well, with only a very small scrape noted on the front left wheel. They are shod with Pirelli Cinturato P6 tyres, size 185/65R14. They are date stamped 2819 (week 28, 2019) and 3419 (week 34, 2019). The tyres are still in a good condition.

Opening the door reveals a nicely presented and inviting interior. The cabin has a distinctly Italian character and is both functional and comfortable. Everything you need is there, but it is all very simple. The cream upholstery provides an excellent colour contrast with the black dashboard and carpets and it makes the cabin light and airy.

The seats are in very good condition, with no evidence of any rips or tears in the upholstery. They are comfortable and provide good support. The dashboard also presents well, as do the instruments, all of which appeared to be functioning correctly during our test drive.

The door cards and carpets are similarly well presented, while the rear seats appear to have seen very little use.

Opening the boot reveals a clean and well presented luggage compartment. There is a spare wheel, jack and small toolkit, while the boot mat features a Lancia logo, a nice finishing touch from the restoration. There is also sufficient luggage space for a weekend away.

Under the bonnet is also neat, clean and tidy. Everything looks to be correct and all of the ID tags and stickers are in place.

Out on the open road, this little Lancia is an absolute delight to drive.

The engine starts easily, even from cold and quickly settles into a smooth idle. The 2.0 litre four cylinder engine is quoted as delivering 120hp and it is responsive, revs freely and provides more than adequate performance. It feels eager and willing, encouraging you to make the most of the driving experience. The five speed manual gearbox is smooth and easy to operate.

Overall, the driving experience is very enjoyable. The car feels lively and engaging and it has no difficulty keeping up with modern traffic. The car feels equally at home cruising along suburban streets or enjoying a winding country road.

The Lancia Beta Spider has a distinctive design that we think has aged particularly well. Its combination of Italian styling, open top motoring in a practical and usable package gives it a character all of its own.

It is also a car that attracts attention and turns heads. During our photoshoot, several people stopped to take a closer look, which is perhaps not surprising given how rarely these cars are seen in Australia.

Despite being more than 45 years old, this Lancia remains a very usable classic. It would be equally at home attending a local Cars & Coffee gathering, participating in an Italian car event or simply being enjoyed on a Sunday morning drive to your favourite café. The Lancia Club scene is also very strong across the country offering a number of great opportunities to use this car with like minded enthusiasts.

Accompanying the car is a history file containing restoration photographs and documentation, together with an original instruction book and a Haynes workshop manual.

This is a wonderful opportunity to acquire a beautifully presented example of a unique Italian classic, benefiting from a restoration and ownership by knowledgeable Lancia enthusiasts.

We think this car offers great value for money.

Highlights:

- A beautifully presented example.
- Extensive restoration completed in 2022.
- Rarely seen in Australia.
- Ready to show, use and enjoy.

Price: $39,950



Background

On the 29th November 1906 Fiat racing drivers Vincenzo Lancia and Claudio Fogolin founded Lancia & C. Fabbrica Automobili in Turin, Italy.

The first car produced by the company was the Tipo 51 otherwise known as the 12 HP, which was in production from 1907 until 1908.

The company quickly became renowned for innovation and is noted for naming many of its cars using letters of the Greek alphabet.

The Theta, introduced in 1913, was the first European production car to feature a complete electrical system as standard.

In 1915 Lancia produced its first truck named the Jota.

The Lambda, produced from 1922 until 1931 was the first car to adapt a monocoque chassis. It also featured what became known as a sliding pillar independent front suspension where the spring and damper were incorporated into one unit.

The Aprilia introduced in 1937 was one of the first cars designed using a wind tunnel to improve aerodynamics. In 1939 Lancia introduced the Ardea. The 3rd series of the Ardea, introduced in 1948, became the first car to use a five speed gearbox.

The first full production V6 engine was fitted to the Lancia Aurelia in 1950 and Lancia was also the first manufacturer to produce a V4 engine. The Aurelia and Flaminia range were the first production cars to be fitted with independent suspension.

The constant drive for innovation and excellence came at a cost. All Lancias essentially were handmade and the production process was complicated. This led to rising costs at a time where demand flattened.

Besides producing road cars Lancia also created its own racing team known as Scuderia Lancia and later as Lancia HF Squadra Corse. The team officially started competing in 1951 in events like the Targa Floria and the Mille Miglia. For a short period they even participated in Formula 1 but they werent really successful. In the early 1960s Lancia started participating in rally events. First with the Flavia Coupe HF and later with the Fulvia Coupe HF.

Fiat made a successful takeover bid for Lancia in late 1969 and set about returning the business to profitability. Under Fiats ownership, Lancia introduced the Beta, Gamma and Stratos during the 1970s. The real success came with the Stratos. The Stratos was particularly important because it started Lancias success in rallying, winning three consecutive World Rally Championships from 1974 to 1976. The Stratos was superseded by the 037 and then the Lancia Delta which won six consecutive constructors titles from 1987 to 1992.

In 1972, Lancia introduced the Beta, the first all-new model launched by the company following its acquisition by Fiat in 1969.

The Beta was positioned as a premium family car and remained in production until 1984. Over its twelve year production life, the range expanded to include a variety of body styles: the four-door Berlina saloon, the two-door Coupé, the three-door HPE sports estate, the four-door Trevi saloon and the distinctive two-door Spider. The mid-engined Montecarlo sports car was also marketed under the Beta name.

The Beta Spider was introduced in 1974 and was designed by Pininfarina, with the bodies built by Zagato. Based on the Beta Coupé, it featured a removable targa roof panel, a fixed roll over hoop and a folding rear soft top, providing an unusual combination of open top motoring and four seat practicality.

In total, approximately 435,000 Lancia Betas were produced across the various models. The Spider was one of the rarest variants, with approximately 9,390 examples built between 1974 and 1982. Of these, approximately 2,189 examples were produced in the later facelifted 2.0-litre specification, making this particular version relatively rare.