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<blockquote>This outwardly conventional saloon bristled with innovation and ingenuity, in which the masterly hand of [[Vittorio Jano]] is apparent. In the B20 are elements of the Cistalia of 1947, coupés which Pinin undertook on a 6C Alfa Romeo and Maserati in 1948, along with the Fiat 1100 S coupé with its rear accommodation for children. The original Aurelia had been under-powered and, in 1951, the V6 was enlarged to 1991 cc, which was also extended to the coupé, though in 75 rather than 70 bhp form as the B20 was developed as a sporting model in its own right. In addition the B20 had a shorter wheelbase and a higher rear axle ratio, making it a 100 mph car. Lancia chose the ''Gran Turismo'' name for its new model and the suggestion could only have come from Vittorio Jano himself, for had he not been responsible for the original 1750 Alfa Romeo of the same name back in 1929?<ref name=":0" /></blockquote>
Four ''semi-ufficiali'' works B20 GTs, together with a number of privateer entrants, were sent to the Mille Miglia in April 1951, where the factory [[Giovanni Bracco|Bracco]] / [[Umberto Maglioli|Maglioli]] car finished second overall, behind only a Ferrari sports racer of twice the engine capacity. Lancia Aurelias swept the GT 2.0 Liter division.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Mille_Miglia-1951-04-29.html|title=Mille Miglia 1951 – Race Results – Racing Sports Cars|website=racingsportscars.com|access-date=2 September 2016}}</ref> In June 1951, Bracco was partnered with the "father of GT racing" himself, [[Giovanni Lurani|Johnny Lurani]], to race a B20 GT at Le Mans, where they were victorious in the 2.0 liter sportscar division, placing a very creditable 12th overall. A 1–2 finish at the famous Coppa d'Oro delle Dolomiti,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.barchetta.cc/all.Ferraris/coppa-d-oro---story/index.html |title=Coppa d'Oro – Story |website=barchetta.cc |access-date=2 September 2016}}</ref> among other victories including the 6 Ore di Pescara,<ref>{{cite web |url=
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===1937–1948 CSAI===
Italy's national governing body of motorsport was the ''Commissione Sportiva Automobilistica Italiana'' (CSAI).<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.csai.aci.it/ |title=CSAI |website=csai.aci.it |access-date=21 January 2017}}</ref> [[Giovanni Lurani|Count Giovanni Lurani Cernuschi]] (popularly known as Johnny Lurani) was a key commissioner.<ref>{{cite web |url=
Lurani was instrumental in designing the regulations for the Italian 1937 ''Turismo Nazionale'' championship, whereby production vehicles approved by the CSAI were raced with the original chassis and engine layout as specified in the factory catalog and available for customers to buy;<ref>The concepts of production (or "touring") car racing and homologation (meaning "official approval") originate with the regulations for the inaugural [[1923 24 Hours of Le Mans|1923 24 Heures du Mans]], credited to: Charles Faroux, a motoring journalist for ''La Vie Automobile;'' Georges Durand, Secretary General of ''[[Automobile Club de l'Ouest|l'Automobile Club de l'Ouest]]''; and Emile Coquille, Managing Director of the French branch of the [[Rudge-Whitworth]] detachable-wire-wheel company. The regulations required for each entry a formal document swearing thirty identical examples had been produced conforming strictly to the manufacturer's catalog, and conceiving "of a day-long touring car race featuring the cars, equipment, accessories, fuels and lubricants normal motorists could actually buy" and "presaging the entire Grand Touring concept".--''Le Mans: Before the 24'' by Charles ("Chuck") Dressing, Radio Le Mans, Brumos Racing; originally published on www.speedvision.com in 2000.</ref> engines could be tuned and bored out, but the bodywork had to conform to regulations. The CSAI were concerned that FIA (known as AIACR at the time) '[[Sports car racing|Annexe C]]'<ref name=":21">{{cite web|url= http://historicdb.fia.com/regulations/period-appendix-c |title=Regulations - Period Appendix C {{!}} FIA Historic Database |website=historicdb.fia.com |access-date=19 April 2017}}</ref> Sports cars were becoming little more than thinly-disguised two-seat [[Grand Prix motor racing|Grand Prix]] racers, far removed from the cars ordinary motorists could purchase from the manufacturers' catalogs.<ref name=":19">{{cite web|url= http://forums.autosport.com/topic/36913-campionato-italiano-sport-1937-1965/?p=727413 |title=Campionato Italiano Sport 1937–1965 |work=Autosport |last1=McKinney |first1=David |access-date=15 February 2016}}</ref>
The CSAI was shut down by the Italian [[Fascism|Fascist]] government under [[Benito Mussolini|Mussolini]] at the end of 1937, and replaced with a new organization called FASI.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://8w.forix.com/40s-nice.html |title=8W – When? – Racing in the 40s |website=8w.forix.com |access-date=30 November 2016|quote=A federation of teams and drivers affiliated with the Italian Olympic Committee.}}</ref> The [[National Fascist Party|Italian Fascists]], as in [[Nazi Germany]], sought control of motor racing as an important vehicle for national prestige and [[propaganda]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://eu.eot.su/2015/11/05/the-rule-of-italian-fascism-political-formation-and-fascist-practices-part-ii/ |title=The rule of Italian fascism |work=Essence of Time |access-date=15 February 2016 |date=5 November 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.grandprixhistory.org/mille_miglia_history.htm |title=Mille Miglia - History |website=grandprixhistory.org |date=November 2007 |access-date=3 May 2017}}</ref><ref>"The nationalist Fascist government promoted Italian motorsport as one of the pillars of its sporting propaganda under Il Duce Benito Mussolini, who embraced motorsport as one of the most important activities of the new Fascist era."[http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/gp2701.htm --http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/gp2701.htm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190630064926/http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/gp2701.htm |date=30 June 2019 }}</ref> FASI replaced ''Turismo Nazionale'' with the less strictly regulated ''Sports Nazionale'' championship, which ran in 1938 and 1939.<ref name=":19" /><ref>"The nationalist Fascist government promoted Italian motorsport as one of the pillars of its sporting propaganda under Il Duce Benito Mussolini, who embraced motorsport as one of the most important activities of the new Fascist era."--http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/gp2701.htm</ref>
Postwar, the CSAI was re-established and in 1947 Italian national championships were held for both ''Sports Internazionale'' (FIA Annexe C sports cars) and ''Sports Nazionale''. ''Sports Nazionale'' was abolished in 1948, creating the opportunity for a new category in 1949.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://forums.autosport.com/topic/36913-campionato-italiano-sport-1937-1965/?p=727526 |title=Campionato Italiano Sport 1937–1965 |website=Autosport.com |last1=Silva |first1=Alessandro |access-date=15 February 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.racingsportscars.com/championship/Italian%20Championship%20Sport.html |title=Campionato Italiano Sport |work=Racing Sports Cars|access-date=15 February 2016}}</ref>
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