The President of the Italian Republic on board of the Presidential Lancia Flaminia at the June 2nd ceremony

• Today, the President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella opened the procession to celebrate the Festa della Repubblica, aboard the Presidential Lancia Flaminia.
• Its natural successor is the New Gamma, which will be produced at the iconic Melfi plant starting in 2026, in both electric and hybrid versions, embodying exclusivity, sustainability, and technological innovation.
• Since 1961, the Lancia Flaminia has been the Italian President’s official car and has accompanied politicians, heads of state and sovereigns on their official visits to Italy, including Queen Elizabeth II of England, J.F. Kennedy and Charles De Gaulle.
• An icon of creativity and elegance around the world, the Lancia Flaminia is one of nine Lancia models to inspire the design of the brand’s future cars.
   

Today, the celebrations of the Italian Republic were held in Rome: the day is a tribute to the creation of the Italian Republic in 1946. As per tradition, the President of the Italian Republic on board of the Presidential Lancia Flaminia opened the military parade.

Since 1961, the Presidential Lancia Flaminia has been the historical official car of the President of the Italian Republic and an ambassador of Italy in the world. Used on rare occasions like the June 2nd ceremony or the Presidential Inauguration at the Quirinale Palace, it has also escorted politicians, heads of state and sovereigns like Queen Elizabeth II and the President of the United States and France, John F. Kennedy and Charles de Gaulle.

Introduced at the 1957 Geneva Motor Show with a 2.5-liter V6 engine, the Lancia Flaminia had the tough task of replacing the Aurelia and it was soon produced in various special versions. One of these was produced in 1961 with a soft top by Pinin Farina and called “335”, a name which referred to the vehicle’s long-wheelbase in centimeters. The President of the Italian Republic of the time, Giovanni Gronchi, was the first to choose it as his official vehicle. Four other models were then made and, following a well-established tradition, each one with the name of a thoroughbred horse from the Scuderie del Quirinale (Quirinal Stables): Belfiore, Belmonte, Belvedere and Belsito.

Painted in midnight blue, all vehicles contain black Connolly leather seat covers, an intercom system to communicate with the driver, 5 rear seats with a rear bench seat and two additional fold-down seats. Restored in 2001, two models belong to the Scuderie del Quirinale (Quirinal Stables): Belfiore and Belvedere. Belsito can be seen at the Historical Museum of Military Vehicles in Rome and Belmonte has been on display at the Automobile Museum in Turin since 2001.

The Presidential Lancia Flaminia is one of the nine cars to have inspired the design of the brand’s future cars, in terms of its streamlined forms, made up of aerodynamics, sustainability and fluidity of volumes. Its natural successor is the New Gamma, which will be produced starting in 2026 at the iconic Melfi plant (Potenza), one of the Group’s flagship facilities. Designed, engineered, and developed in Italy, the new Lancia flagship embodies the brand’s commitment to sustainability and high performance, celebrating the unmistakable elegance that has defined Lancia for decades. At the same time, it reflects Stellantis’ dedication to enhancing Italian manufacturing sites and promoting the excellence of Made in Italy around the world.

Turin, June 2, 2025