Lancia Aprilia Cabriolet Pininfarina

The Lancia Aprilia Cabriolet chassis 439-11397 by Pininfarina is a rare and remarkable model, blending Italian craftsmanship with bold innovation. Before World War II, Pinin Farina  was already renowned for creating bespoke Lancia Aprilias for both road and competition use. Among these, two-door cabriolets and various berlinas featured prominently in Lancia’s factory catalogues. Despite the heavy toll that Allied bombings took on Italy during the war, Lancia Aprilia production continued throughout, though it was greatly reduced. Of the more than 28,600 Lancia Aprilias produced between 1937 and 1949, only 10 units were blessed with this Pinin Farina’s elegant cabriolet bodywork. These hand-crafted masterpieces embodied the peak of pre-war design and continued to shine even in post-war Europe. Chassis 439-11397, played a key role in one of Battista Pininfarina’s most famous promotional feats. In 1946, Italy had been excluded from the Paris Motor Show due to the country’s wartime allegiances, but this didn’t deter Pininfarina. Battista and his son Sergio made a daring decision to drive two newly designed models, the Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 and Lancia Aprilia 439-11397, across Europe from Turin to Paris. Upon arriving, they boldly parked their cars right at the entrance to the Grand Palais, the venue for the motor show, capturing the attention of everyone in attendance. The striking presence of the two cars, coupled with Pininfarina’s impeccable sense of timing and showmanship, won over the press and the public alike. One French journalist famously remarked, “Ce diable de Farina a ouvert son antisalon personnel” (This devil Farina has opened his personal anti-show), highlighting Pininfarina’s audacious and highly successful guerrilla marketing. This act cemented the Lancia Aprilia Cabriolet Pininfarina as not only a symbol of elegance but also of bold innovation.