Lancia Dilambda Berlina Luminosa

The Lancia Dilambda Berlina Luminosa was a one-off coachbuilt saloon completed in 1933 on a Lancia Dilambda chassis and commissioned by Count Rossi di Montelera. The body was executed by Pininfarina and designed by Mario Revelli di Beaumont, whose work during the early 1930s was characterized by a systematic integration of formal elegance and technical innovation. The project reflects the high point of bespoke Italian coachbuilding in the prewar period, when private clients frequently commissioned unique bodies tailored to specific functional and aesthetic requirements. The Dilambda chassis provided a technically advanced basis for large luxury coachwork. Introduced in 1928, it featured a narrow-angle V8 engine and independent front suspension, allowing refined road behavior and improved comfort compared with conventional rigid-axle designs. Pininfarina’s Berlina Luminosa was conceived as a closed saloon emphasizing passenger comfort, interior brightness, and year-round usability rather than sporting intent. The most distinctive feature of the Luminosa was its sliding front roof constructed entirely in laminated safety glass, supplied by VIS. This solution represented a departure from traditional sliding roofs, which were typically fabricated in metal or fabric and offered limited thermal insulation. The VIS shatterproof glass roof allowed the advantages of a sliding opening—ventilation and openness—to be retained even during winter use. Contemporary descriptions noted that the system significantly increased interior aeration and illumination, creating an experience comparable to that of an open torpedo body while preserving the protection and rigidity of a closed saloon. Additional attention was given to glazing throughout the body. Ventilation was enhanced through a coordinated arrangement of door windows, while cabin brightness was further improved by an extended upper windshield section, fitted with specially curved glass. This feature derived from a proprietary system developed and refined by Pininfarina over several years, intended to maximize light penetration without compromising structural integrity or weather sealing. Externally, the Berlina Luminosa adopted restrained proportions and limited ornamentation, allowing the glazing and roof treatment to define its character. The car was presented at the 1933 Concorso d’Eleganza at Villa Olmo, where it received a category prize, acknowledging both its technical originality and formal coherence.