Lancia Aprilia Spider Basso

The Lancia Aprilia Spider Basso was conceived in Turin in 1949 as part of a limited production run commissioned by the Lancia agent Archimede “Ferry” Fioretti and executed in Giovanni Basso’s mechanical workshop. Basso, formerly associated with the Lancia engine department, had developed a series of modified Aprilia power units featuring twin-cam cylinder heads and improved lubrication systems. His tubular chassis, constructed from salvaged aircraft-grade steel, provided a light and rigid structure that became the foundation for both the Berlinetta and Spider variants. The Spider’s body was built by Carrozzeria Ghia, following a design by Giovanni Michelotti, who at the time was working with Stabilimenti Farina and Ghia on several small-series sports cars. The bodywork was made entirely of hand-formed aluminum panels fixed to Basso’s tubular frame. The proportions were compact and balanced, with a higher bonnet to accommodate the twin-cam Aprilia engine, a wide grille for cooling, and recessed headlamps integrated into the front wings. The bumpers were reduced to thin horizontal bars, emphasizing the car’s sporting character. Two Berlinettas and one Spider were produced for Fioretti’s dealership. The Spider, finished in light metallic sage green, was used by Fioretti himself in competition and display. In September 1949 it appeared at the Concorso d’Eleganza di Villa d’Este, where it won first prize in its class. The same car also competed in regional hill climbs, including the Susa–Moncenisio and Aosta–Gran San Bernardo events, serving as a demonstration model for Basso’s engineering and Ghia’s craftsmanship. The mechanical specification combined the modified Aprilia four-cylinder engine with Basso’s twin-cam head, producing around 90 horsepower—significantly higher than the standard Aprilia’s output. The transmission remained the original four-speed unit, reinforced for reliability, and the suspension retained Lancia’s independent layout front and rear. After several competitions, the Spider suffered overheating and mechanical issues similar to those that affected the twin-cam Berlinetta. With no spare parts produced, the car was eventually refitted with a standard Lancia unit and kept in private hands. It was later registered in Alghero in 1951 and carried Naples plates from 1956. Only three Lancia Aprilia Spider Basso cars are believed to have been built, each differing slightly in detail and configuration. The Ghia-bodied Spider remains the best documented, notable for its Michelotti design, advanced chassis construction, and association with Basso’s experimental engineering program. Its appearance at Villa d’Este and its connection to postwar Turin’s network of small constructors place it among the most technically interesting examples of the Aprilia lineage—a transitional car bridging the hand-built tradition of the 1940s with the new industrial precision that would define the Italian sports cars of the 1950s.