Lancia Aprilia

Rédaction : Albert Lallement

Vincenzo's last opus

Launched in April 1937, the Aprilia is considered to be Vincenzo Lancia's last masterpiece. Sadly, he died two months earlier and was unable to witness the introduction of this revolutionary new model.

Lancia's Aprilia continued the tradition of avant-garde cars that made the Turin-based manufacturer internationally famous, from the emblematic Lambda of 1922 onwards. In fact, Vincenzo Lancia's latest model incorporated a number of innovative technical solutions, whilst at the same time adopting a number of new features such as a self-supporting body and four-wheel independent suspension. Production of the Aprilia slowed down during the war, but was continued steadily until 1949, when the Ardia was added to the range.

The body offers plenty of room for four people and is easy to access thanks to its doors opening in opposite directions and the absence of a central upright. © IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Lancia D.R.

From the early 1930s onwards, Lancia was committed to making cars with cutting-edge technology that also offered a high level of comfort. With the Aprilia, Vincenzo Lancia wanted to launch a model as radically innovative as the Lambda, but with a smaller engine. The specifications were very strict: a body with a maximum length of 4 metres to accommodate five passengers, with a weight below 900 kg and a compact V4 engine with a capacity of less than 1.5 litres, yet more powerful and more fuel efficient than that of the Augusta.

At the time of its official presentation, the Revue Technique Automobile headlined: "The Lancia Aprilia is a credit to the Italian motor industry". © IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Lancia D.R.

APPROVED BY THE BOSS!

The first drafts of the Aprilia emerged in April 1934, in the form of a very round 'teardrop' body with two large doors with no external hinges, echoing the Rumpler 'Tropfenwagen' of 1922. The final design, submitted in March 1935, was the work of in-house engineer Battista Falchetto, who had previously worked on the Lambda and Dilambda. For the Aprilia, he carried out extensive aerodynamic studies in conjunction with the wind tunnel at Turin Polytechnic.

The result was breathtaking for its time, showing a drag coefficient of just 0.47. At the same time, the structure and chassis were developed by a team of engineers under the supervision of Giuseppe Baggi. The first road tests took place in autumn 1935 and lasted until June 1936. That summer, Vincenzo Lancia asked his regular team of engineers, Gismondi, Varga and Tacchini, to take him for a test drive between Turin and Bologna. On the way back, he took the wheel and when he arrived at the factory, having not said a word until then, he exclaimed: "What a wonderful car! The new Lancia was presented at the 1936 Paris Motor Show and then exhibited at the London and Milan Motor Shows, where it created a sensation.

From the start, the Aprilia was acclaimed as a prestige saloon car redefining the car as it had been known until then. Among the special-interest magazines praising the model at the time were "La Vie Automobile" by French journalist Charles Faroux, and the leading British magazine "Autocar". The series production started on 24 February 1937, but Vincenzo was unable to monitor the debut of his latest creation because he died of a heart attack a few days earlier, on 15 February 1937.

The characteristic Lancia Aprilia grille will be continued on the Aurelia. Like all pre-war Lancia models, the Aprilia had right-hand drive. © IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Lancia D.R.

A STYLISH SALOON CAR

Like its predecessor, the Augusta, the Lancia Aprilia was initially offered only as a four-door saloon (tipo 238) with a 1,351.74 cm3 V4 engine producing 47 bhp. In the summer of 1937, a Lusso (Luxury) version, tipo 238L, became available. It was fitted with additional equipment such as a running board and a more complete dashboard, bringing the weight down to 895 kg. At the same time, a bare chassis (tipo 239) was available.

The first major change was with the second series (tipo 438 and 439 for the bare chassis), launched on 18 August 1938 and produced until 22 October 1949. The engine's cubic capacity was increased to 1,486.5 cm3 (bore/stroke: 74.61 mm x 85 mm). The aim was not so much to improve power (barely 1 bhp) as to enhance the torque at low revs and improve the agility and acceleration of the dashing V4. This second series showed the same finishing as the previous Lusso, recognisable by its slightly more rounded grille, while the standard saloon was removed from the catalogue.

A new Zenith 32 VIML3 carburettor was fitted to this series, as were Italian SABIF brakes instead of the original ones from Lockheed. The car was a little heavier (950 kg), meaning that the gearbox had better ratios. This version of the Aprilia was produced for a number of years post-war, the last model leaving the assembly lines in Turin on 22 October 1948 to be replaced by the Aurelia B10 the following March. Production of the Aprilia totalled 27,637 units (of which 7,555 were bare chassis), including 14,704 units of the first series, to which must be added the 1,620 Ardennes, making a total of 29,257 units.

The Lancia Aprilia was named after a town in the province of Latina, built in 1936 in the Pontine marshes by the Mussolini government. © IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Lancia D.R.

The Aprilia's post-war catalogue was still full of elegant convertibles, such as this four-seater designed by Pinin Farina in 1949. © IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Lancia D.R.

DATASHEET

Lancia Aprilia Tipo 238 (1937)

• Engine: Lancia (type 97), 4-cylinder 18° 8' V-twin, front, longitudinal

• Displacement: 1,351.74 cm3

• Bore x stroke: 72 mm x 83 mm

• Power: 47 bhp at 4,000 rpm

• Fuel: Weber 32 VIM single-barrel carburettor

• Ignition: battery, coil and Marelli distributor

• Timing: single overhead camshaft, 2 inclined overhead valves per cylinder

• Transmission: rear-wheel, 4-speed synchronised gearbox + M.A.

• Tyres: 140 x 40 (front and rear)

• Brakes: Lockheed drums (front and rear), hydraulic control

• Length: 3955 mm

• Width: 1470 mm

• Height: 1455 mm

• Wheelbase: 2750 mm

• Front track: 1286 mm

• Rear track: 1286 mm

• Weight (empty): 880 kg

• Maximum speed: 125 km/h

THE ARDENNES

When officially presented at the Paris Motor Show in October 1936, the new Lancia was not named Aprilia, as it had been in Italy, but Ardennes. Because of high customs duties, it was planned to produce this model at the Lancia France factory in Bonneuil-sur-Marne, using mechanical parts moulded at the Monthermé ironworks in the Ardennes.

For some unexplained reason, the Ardennes went on sale in France in the autumn of 1936, whereas the original Italian version was not available until mid 1936. The two models were identical in every respect, except that the Cibié headlights on the Ardennes were wider than those supplied by Carello for the Aprilia. In addition, their internal coding differed: chassis tipo F38 and engine tipo 97F for the French model, compared with 238 and 97 for the Italian. As with the saloon version produced in Turin, the Ardennes was also offered as a bare chassis (with mechanics) for the creation of special bodies by craftsmen such as Pourtout. Around 120 units were transformed into cabriolets and coaches.