Lancia Augusta Cabriolet Stabilimenti Farina

The 1935 Lancia Augusta Cabriolet by Stabilimenti Farina represents a refined example of pre-war Italian coachbuilding applied to a compact chassis. Commissioned for Baroness Elena Jellouschegg de Fischtenan, the car combines the engineering of the Lancia Augusta with bespoke open-body coachwork attributed to Pietro Frua, who was at the time a young designer working within the Stabilimenti Farina studio. His influence is evident in the body’s clean proportions, restrained detailing, and careful balance between structural clarity and decorative subtlety. Mechanically, the Augusta was equipped with Lancia’s narrow-angle V4 engine, displacing 1,196 cc and producing modest power within its category. It featured a three-speed gearbox, independent front suspension, and a monocoque-type chassis—technically advanced elements for a model of its class. The cabriolet configuration, though uncommon on the Augusta, offered a level of exclusivity aligned with upper-class private commissions of the time. The car received formal recognition shortly after completion. It was presented at the Concorso d’Eleganza di Como, held at Villa Olmo on 14–15 September 1935. Entered as number 79 in Class XIII, reserved for transformable vehicles under 1,500 cc, the Augusta cabriolet was awarded the “Coppa di 1° grado” for its category. This distinction placed it among the most favorably judged entries in its class and emphasized the significance of its design and craftsmanship. While most Augusta models were delivered with factory-built saloon bodies, a limited number were turned over to external carrozzerie for custom treatment. The Stabilimenti Farina cabriolet remains one of the few known examples, further distinguished by its period provenance, concours participation, and association with Pietro Frua’s early stylistic contributions. It stands as a representative artifact of mid-1930s Italian automotive design, shaped by a collaboration between technical engineering and the emerging aesthetic direction of custom-bodied light automobiles.