THE VEHICLE AT A GLANCE
Model dossier
- Manufacturer
- Lancia
- Base model
- Aprilia
- Coachbuilt version
- Cabriolet Speciale Pinin Farina
- Coachbuilder
- Pininfarina
- Production period
- 1949
- Body style
- Cabriolet
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE CAR
Coachbuilding, design & conversions
PRICE & SALES RECORD
Vehicle value
- Original price
- Not documented
- Latest recorded sale
- Not documented
01 / THE STORY
History & context
The Lancia Aprilia Cabriolet Speciale, an exquisite example of post-war Italian automotive craftsmanship, was unveiled by Pininfarina at the 1949 Villa d’Este elegance concours. Built on chassis #539-21418, this one-of-a-kind cabriolet captivated both judges and spectators with its elegant, streamlined bodywork and refined proportions, earning it the category prize at the prestigious event. With its flowing lines, delicate chrome accents, and impeccable attention to detail, the Aprilia Cabriolet Speciale embodied the grace and innovation that defined Pininfarina’s post-war design philosophy. The car’s design seamlessly blended Lancia’s advanced engineering with Pininfarina’s masterful aesthetics, resulting in a vehicle that exuded both sophistication and performance. Following its success at Villa d’Este, the Cabriolet Speciale continued its tour of Europe’s most distinguished automotive showcases. In 1949, it was exhibited at both the Geneva and Paris Auto Show, where it was celebrated as a benchmark of Italian elegance and coachbuilding excellence. The following year, in 1950, the car made an appearance at the Concours d’Elegance in Montecarlo, further solidifying its reputation as one of the most stunning and exclusive Lancia models of its time. Today, the Lancia Aprilia Cabriolet Speciale by Pininfarina remains a rare and cherished symbol of post-war luxury and bespoke craftsmanship, representing a golden era of Italian automotive artistry and the enduring legacy of Lancia and Pininfarina’s collaboration.
02 / TECHNICAL IDENTITY
Specifications & construction
Production & construction
- Production type
- Limited
- Production notes
- Exact chassis 539-21418 is one physical car. Legacy production_units=3 is unsupported as a body-family census and is cleared from this chassis-specific record. Do not substitute the separate ten-car Pinin Farina Cabriolet family count: that evidence concerns a different cabriolet body programme.
Engine & performance
- Engine configuration
- V4
- Displacement
- 1,486 cc
- Power (CV)
- 48 CV
- Engine speed
- 4,300 rpm
- Transmission
- Manual 4-speed
- Drive
- Rear-wheel drive
- Specification notes
- Source-backed donor/model-level baseline for Lancia Aprilia second series (1940–1949 in this projection): narrow-angle V4, 1486 cc, 48 CV at 4300 rpm, 4-speed manual, rear-wheel drive. Coachbuilt-body dimensions, weight and maximum speed are intentionally not inherited.
- Gearbox
- Manual 4-speed
- Drivetrain
- RWD
- Power RPM
- 4300 rpm
03 / DESIGN, BODY & SUPPLIERS
Design, body & suppliers
Design & manufacture
- Manufacturer · Documented
- Lancia
- Coachbuilder / Body Builder · Documented
- Pininfarina
Body form & construction
- Body style
- Cabriolet
04 / EVENTS & CHRONOLOGY
Events & chronology
Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este General · legacy_preserved
- Date
- 1949
- Chassis
- General
Preserved CI 1.0 relation. Evidence field: _yoast_wpseo_primary_events|list_of_awards_0_events. No award inferred.
Villa d’Este General · From the historical archive
- Date
- 1949
- Chassis
- General
CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD
General chronology
Chronological history2 dated records
- Unassigned chassis · Event
Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este
- Unassigned chassis · Event
Villa d’Este
06 / CHASSIS REGISTER
Chassis register
Chassis 539-21418
- Chassis number
- 539-21418
- Year
- 1949
08 / GALLERY
Photo gallery 8 photographs
Show 2 more photographs Show fewer photographs
09 / PERIOD ARCHIVE
Period photographs & advertising
The period archive gallery will show historical photographs, advertisements, brochures and press images once assets, provenance and usage rights have been recorded in the masterfile.











THE CONVERSATION
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