Marica: The Mythical One-Off That Closed an Italian Design Era

Mythic Farewell - Car concepts often arrive as bold promises of the future, yet some appear more like thoughtful reflections—quiet, elegant ideas shaped by the moment they were born into. The Lancia Flaminia Marica belongs firmly to this second category. Created at a time when Italian coachbuilding was navigating uncertainty and reinvention, the Marica stands as a refined closing chapter to the Flaminia story, blending classic Lancia values with late-1960s design sensibilities. 

The 1969 Lancia Flaminia Marica by Ghia stands as a refined closing chapter to the Flaminia story, blending classic Lancia values with late-1960s design sensibilities. (Picture from: Carrozzeria-Italiani)

Unveiled in the autumn of 1969 at the 51st Turin Motor Show, the Marica was already something of an anachronism from the start. Lancia had ended Flaminia production, and the brand itself was facing severe financial difficulties while searching for a buyer. The concept was built by Carrozzeria Ghia on a short-wheelbase Flaminia chassis measuring 252 centimeters—specifically chassis number 1168, the final example of its series. This made the Marica one of only two non-production design studies to use this particular platform, instantly placing it in rare company. 

The 1969 Lancia Flaminia Marica by Ghia was built by Carrozzeria Ghia on a short-wheelbase Flaminia chassis measuring 252 centimeters—specifically chassis number 1168, the final example of its series. (Picture from: Carrozzeria-Italiani)

Behind the project stood Alejandro de Tomaso, who had acquired Ghia in 1967 and was rapidly becoming a central figure in Italy’s automotive industry. The Marica is widely believed to have been commissioned at his urging, not as a commercial product but as a strategic gesture—an attempt to remind the world of Lancia’s design pedigree and potential value. Whether altruistic or opportunistic, the decision resulted in a singular vehicle that quietly carried considerable symbolic weight. 

The 1969 Lancia Flaminia Marica by Ghia was designed by American stylist Tom Tjaarda, who revisited the Flaminia platform with a close-coupled coupé that balanced elegance and restraint. (Picture from: Carrozzeria-Italiani)

The design itself came from Tom Tjaarda, an American stylist whose career bridged Pininfarina, Ghia, and later Ital Design. Having already explored the Flaminia platform earlier in the decade, Tjaarda approached the Marica as a close-coupled coupé that balanced elegance with restraint. It was named after Marica, a nymph from Roman mythology, reinforcing its poetic rather than aggressive character. The body avoided dramatic flourishes, instead favoring proportion, surface quality, and subtle detailing. 

The 1969 Lancia Flaminia Marica by Ghia features a spacious, finely finished interior that reflects the era’s idea of quiet Italian luxury, favoring comfort over spectacle. (Picture from: Carrozzeria-Italiani)

Visually, the Marica is unmistakably a Lancia, yet not a copy of any production model. The front features a restrained interpretation of the marque’s traditional shield grille, integrated into a more horizontal nose treatment. Both the windshield and rear window are sharply inclined, giving the car a sleek, flowing profile. Along the sides, clean lines are interrupted only by a pronounced swage that rises toward the C-pillar, while the tail is truncated with raised upper edges—a clear nod to the Fulvia Coupé that anchors the car firmly within Lancia’s design language. 

The 1969 Lancia Flaminia Marica by Ghia was powered by Lancia’s 2.8-liter (2775 cc) V6 engine, using a triple-carburetor setup, the same mechanical specification found in the Flaminia 3C 2800 GT. (Picture from: Carrozzeria-Italiani)

Inside, the Marica reflects the quiet luxury expected of a flagship Italian coupé of its era. The cabin is spacious and carefully finished, emphasizing comfort over spectacle. A walnut briar dashboard spans the interior, with centrally positioned gauges that give the cockpit a balanced, architectural feel. Materials and layout work together to create an atmosphere that feels refined rather than experimental, suggesting a car meant to be lived with, not merely admired on a show stand. 

Today, the Lancia Flaminia Marica remains a one-off creation and the last of five Flaminia fuori serie crafted by Italian coachbuilders. It never evolved into a production model, yet its influence echoed into the 1970s through later designs associated with Tjaarda and beyond. More than a missed opportunity or a forgotten prototype, the Marica reads as a thoughtful pause in automotive history—a graceful reminder of how design, circumstance, and ambition briefly aligned before an era quietly came to an end. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CARROZZIERI-ITALIANI | DRIVETOWRITE | ALVIO TETTO IN PINTEREST ]

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