Lancia Aprilia Aerodinamica

The third Lancia Aprilia Aerodinamica coupé, completed in 1939, represents the most mature and refined expression of the Aerodinamica concept before the interruption imposed by the outbreak of the Second World War. Building upon the experimental boldness of the 1937 show car and the competitive validation achieved by the 1938 racing example, this final coupé sought to harmonize aerodynamic research, structural coherence, and stylistic resolution into a single, balanced design. Once again designed by Mario Revelli di Beaumont and bodied by Pininfarina on a Lancia Aprilia chassis, the third Aerodinamica reflected a clearer understanding of airflow management gained through both theoretical study and real-world competition. While its overall silhouette remained faithful to the streamlined, integrated form that defined the series, numerous details were revised to improve efficiency and visual clarity. The most visible changes were concentrated at the front and along the flanks. The grille was redesigned to achieve a cleaner airflow entry, while the headlamps were fully faired into the bodywork, eliminating sources of turbulence that had persisted in earlier versions. Wheels and body surfaces were simplified, reducing visual complexity and reinforcing the car’s monolithic appearance. These refinements resulted in a body that appeared less experimental and more resolved, anticipating post-war aerodynamic idioms. Unlike the second coupé, the third example was not conceived primarily for competition. Its development emphasized aerodynamic balance and usability rather than outright racing performance. Cooling, visibility, and structural integrity were addressed with greater restraint, suggesting that the car represented a hypothetical endpoint for a future production-oriented evolution rather than a pure racing prototype. From a stylistic standpoint, the third Aerodinamica marked a decisive break with pre-war conventions. The full integration of wings into the body, the absence of running boards, and the continuous side profile prefigured solutions that would only become widespread a decade later. In this sense, the car stands as a bridge between avant-garde experimentation and the emerging language of modern automotive design. The third Lancia Aprilia Aerodinamica coupé thus occupies a unique position within the series. It was neither a manifesto nor a test vehicle, but a synthesis—an attempt to consolidate the lessons learned from earlier examples into a coherent, forward-looking automobile. With the advent of war, this line of research was abruptly halted, leaving the third coupé as the final pre-war statement of one of Italy’s most visionary automotive experiments.