Lancia Aprilia
Before his untimely death in 1937, Vincenzo Lancia saw the Aprilia taking shape. It was a clever and an effective small saloon car. In 1933 Lancia entered the small car market with the Augusta, that was a well-engineered compact. It had a 1.2 litre narrow angle V4 engine which gave it a spry performance.
In 1934, work began on the car that was built on Augusta's virtues, but with some innovation of its own. This car was called the Aprilia.
The Aprilia had a new V4 engine with an alloy block and a single cast iron cylinder head spanning the two cylinder banks and containing an overhead camshaft. A complex system of rockers operated the valves that allowed the head to be arranged in a cross-flow fashion with the carburettor on one side and the exhaust manifold on the other.
The running gear was unusual in a sense that it had an independent rear suspension by swing axles and a transverse leaf spring, sliding pillar independent front suspension and in board rear brakes.
Aprilia's monocoque body shell was given a clean air-cleaving shape. To minimize the drag and to help Aprilia make most of its 48 bhp, a smooth under tray and a cabin which curved in plan and elevation was developed.
Superb roadholding and handling made the Aprilia very famous among its buyers who wanted quality and performance in a small package.