Celestia Spider

This particular model is the convertible Spider version.

This car was a rare venture into mid engine cars for an American car manufacturer. Not just an experiment, this was a serious venture into more affordable mid engine performance sports cars that other auto manufacturers tried to start with their own sub-series brands

French Canadian car designer, Alfonse Gauthier was eager to undertake this project as he wanted Aurora to enter European rally racing and compete directly with the infamous RS200. Right away the challenges of a mid engine car was fraught with complications as engine development took much longer than expected. Several types were considered, and for the longest time they planned for a transverse mounted inline six cylinder. Which was highly desired as the aluminum block had a great power to weight ratio, very stable, and relatively cheap. Unfortunately they just couldn’t get it to fit right.

For a while a boxer engine was considered, but Alfonse insisted, “If you’re going to be putting this engine on full public view under a glass bonnet, you want to display something beautiful, not make it look like you’re trying to steal someone’s old washing machine."

Alfonse got wind of a V6 developed by FleetPower Motors for small trucks that was abandoned by the big three in favour of a smaller inline four cylinder. Aurora snatched up the engines on the cheap as the 2 litre engine fit seamlessly under the bonnet of the Celestia. Standard factory tuned at a naturally aspirated 210 horsepower, this sturdy truck engine was later modified with a turbo for rally competitions. Legendary pro rally driver Maximilian von Rennmeister called it, “What a Lancia Stratos could have been if they built it with decent leg room.”