1937 Lancia Aprilia Cabriolet

Footnotes

One of the most gifted automobile engineers of all time, Vincenzo Lancia did not live long enough to see his final creation enter production, although the exacting parameters he set out would shape what many consider to be the true ancestor of the modern motor car. Launched in 1937, two months after his death, the Aprilia set new standards in production car design. Presaging post-war developments, the saloon broke away from the traditional 'three-box' layout and incorporated all-independent suspension and hydraulic braking, while the unitary construction bodyshell and overhead-camshaft narrow-angle V4 engine were advances Lancia devotees had enjoyed for many years. Rather than being merely a styling device, the Aprilia's streamlined shape had been determined by wind tunnel experimentation, one of the very first instances of the science of aerodynamics being applied to a production car. This meant that despite having only 1,351cc (later 1,485cc) at its disposal, the Aprilia was good for nearly 80mph and stopped and handled better than anything in its class. 'Mirror-image' doors and pillar-less construction ensured that for ease of passenger access the Aprilia was unrivalled.

The accompanying estratto cronologico records this Aprilia's post-war ownership, commencing on 6th August 1945 when the car was registered to a Mr Francesco Pesce of Vittorio Veneto. He was followed by Giulia Inusmer of Padova (21/9/1946) and then Attilio Gambaro, also of Padova (14/12/1946). The next three owners were Giuseppe Artuso (14/08/1948), Domenico Monteleone (4/9/1948) and Luigi Gianfrancesco (18/1949). Its owner since 7th January 1985, Domenico Paterlini, living near Brescia, sold the Aprilia in the early 2000s to Mr Mandelli, a famous collector in Bologna. Mr Mandelli decided to restore the Lancia, and had the car repainted in its original black livery, traces of black paint having been found under the existing blue finish. The tan leather interior likewise is of correct specification. The mechanical side of the restoration was entrusted to the well-known Officina Gamberini in Bologna, who tuned the engine with twin carburettors, a Nardi inlet manifold, and a British-made multi-branch exhaust manifold. We tested the Aprilia recently and these modifications were found to have effected a noticeable improvement in its performance. The car is offered with Italian registration and ASI homologation documents.

Please note that these lot will require an Export License to be exported out of Italy.