In the world of industrial design, few names shine as brightly as Raymond Loewy. Celebrated for shaping icons like the Coca-Cola bottle, Shell logo, and Lucky Strike packaging, Loewy left an indelible mark on everything he touched — including, perhaps surprisingly, the realm of Italian supercars. Among his lesser-known but most fascinating creations stands the Lancia Loraymo: a one-off marvel that fused American design audacity with Italian engineering finesse.
A Unique Chapter in the Supercar Story of the ’60s
Amid the stylistic explosion of 1960s Italian automotive design, the Loraymo occupies a singular space. Not only was it a one-of-a-kind vehicle, but it also carried the distinctive signature of a man who helped define the visual identity of the 20th century. Designed purely for personal use, the Loraymo was Loewy’s reinterpretation of the Lancia Flaminia Coupé, executed not as a production concept, but as a personal design manifesto.
Behind the project was a Franco-American mind and a passion for elegance, speed, and innovation. For the bodywork, Loewy turned to Turin’s aluminum artisan Rocco Motto, while the mechanical enhancements were entrusted to Enrico Nardi, a legend in tuning Italian engines. The V6 engine was tuned from its stock 119 horsepower to an impressive 150 hp, pushing the car to a top speed of around 190 km/h — a serious number for the era.
Design Beyond Convention
Visually, the Loraymo was a bold departure from anything else on the road. Loewy applied the same streamlined sensibilities that shaped locomotives and spacecraft to the automotive canvas. The front end featured a slim, rectangular grille — outlined by a chrome frame that doubled as a spring-mounted bumper. The effect was futuristic, minimalist, and aerodynamic.
The profile of the car echoed aircraft design, with fully enclosed wheel covers and flowing lines that culminated in a rear spoiler — a feature that wouldn’t become widespread until years later. The rear end was just as forward-thinking: smooth and seamless, with flush-mounted taillights and twin exhausts emerging as the only visible appendages. A panoramic wraparound rear window offered a unique visual finish, and the trunk could only be accessed from inside, preserving the purity of the exterior lines.
The car’s name, “Loraymo”, is itself a creative imprint — a combination of Loewy’s first and last name, and also the telegraphic code for his design studio.
A Legacy Rediscovered
First unveiled to the public at the 47th Paris Motor Show in 1960, the Loraymo immediately drew attention for its radical aesthetics and advanced features. Yet after its brief moment in the spotlight, the car disappeared from public view, becoming a near-mythical object among design and automotive historians.
Years later, the Loraymo resurfaced thanks to the efforts of the American Lancia Club president, who tracked down the vehicle and returned it to the brand. Today, it stands as a proud piece of Lancia’s historical collection, a testament to what can be achieved when visionary design meets artisanal excellence.
An Automotive Work of Art
The Lancia Loraymo is more than a car — it’s a rolling sculpture, a cross-continental design experiment, and a reflection of Raymond Loewy’s relentless pursuit of beauty and function. In a time when the automobile was quickly becoming a symbol of personal freedom and style, Loewy showed that it could also be a canvas for high design — a principle that still resonates in today’s automotive world.
Source: Lancia
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