Lancia's Landmark Aprilia

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Bristling with innovation, the Aprilia was the last car directly overseen by company founder Vincenzo Lancia before his untimely death, aged 55, in 1937. Having pioneered unitary construction with the Lambda in 1922, Lancia’s new ambition was to develop the small car market with a model capable of seating five people in the smallest possible space whilst transporting them with effortless efficiency.

The Aprilia was the realisation of this vision, incorporating the old Lancia trademarks – lightweight unitary construction, sliding pillar front suspension and a compact V4 – alongside new developments including independent rear suspension and inboard rear brakes. The 1352cc engine could propel the Aprilia to 80mph, a speed which most similar-sized family cars would not approach for another 25 years.

In its styling, the Aprilia took aerodynamics seriously when its contemporaries still sat upright or were only superficially streamlined. Wind tunnel testing revealed a Cd of 0.47 when 0.6 or 0.7 was typical, even better than the 0.48 of the early Volkswagens. Pinin Farina took the streamlining further for the ultimately non-occurrent 1938 Berlin-Rome road race, and his efforts helped the Aprilia to 100mph.

Clearly, Nuvolari and Hawthorn were Aprilia fans for good reason. Delwyn Mallett shares their enthusiasm for the intelligent little car in the November issue of The Automobile, available now.

Words by Zack Stiling. Photographs by Mick Walsh.

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