Lancia Augusta Cabriolet Farina

The Lancia Augusta Cabriolet by Stabilimenti Farina was a coachbuilt open two-door body constructed in 1934 on the Type 234 long-wheelbase chassis. Stabilimenti Farina, based in Turin and founded by Giovanni Farina, was among the prominent Italian carrozzerie of the pre-war period, known for executing bespoke coachwork in limited quantities. The Augusta platform, with its relatively compact dimensions and innovative mechanical layout, offered a versatile base for lightweight custom bodies of both formal and sporting character. The Augusta was equipped with a narrow-angle V4 engine of 1,196 cc displacement. Featuring a single overhead camshaft and hemispherical combustion chambers, the engine produced approximately 35 horsepower at 4,000 revolutions per minute. The powertrain included a four-speed manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive. Suspension comprised an independent sliding pillar system at the front—a patented Lancia design—and a live rear axle supported by semi-elliptic leaf springs. Braking was managed via mechanically operated drum brakes on all four wheels. The coachwork by Stabilimenti Farina was executed in steel panels over a wooden frame, typical of the period. The design featured a restrained, balanced silhouette with curved front wings, a tapering rear, and a manually operated folding canvas top. The grille was narrow and upright, recessed slightly beneath the bonnet line, and flanked by fender-mounted headlamps. Wheel arches were modestly flared, and spoked wheels were standard. Exterior trim was limited, emphasizing clean body lines and proportion over ornament. Exact production figures are not available, but the total output of Augusta chassis bodied by Stabilimenti Farina is believed to have been limited. Of these, the cabriolet variant appears only occasionally in period documentation and contemporary registries, suggesting very low production, likely limited to a few examples. Chassis numbers for individual units remain largely undocumented. Surviving examples are few, with one known restoration attributed to a vehicle sold in central Italy in recent decades. The Lancia Augusta Cabriolet by Stabilimenti Farina remains a rare representation of Italian prewar coachbuilding applied to a technically advanced but compact platform. It reflects the synthesis of engineering precision and aesthetic moderation characteristic of Lancia and its associated carrozzerie during the mid-1930s.