1938 Lancia Aprilia Sport Zagato Sanction II (2006)

The Lancia Aprilia (1937–1949) was a revolutionary car, one of the first designed using wind tunnel in collaboration with Battista Farina and Politecnico di Torino, achieving a record low drag coefficient of 0.47. The berlinetta aerodinamica was first shown in 1936. Production commenced in February 1937, the month in which the firm's founder died: this was the last of Vincenzo Lancia's designs, featuring four pillarless doors. The first series (mod. 238, 10,354 units, 1937–39) featured a 1,352 cc V4 motor providing 47 bhp (35 kW). The second series (mod. 438, 9,728 units, 1939–49) had its engine capacity increased to 1,486 cc, which provided 48 bhp (36 kW). With the Aprilia Lancia followed their tradition of offering cars with the steering wheel on the right even in markets seen by other manufacturers as left hand drive markets. In 1938 began appearing in Italian races the first Lancia Aprilia prepared according to the regulations of the National Sports category. The debut was that of Luigi Villoresi who won the Mille Miglia with a spider Zagato. The Aprilia Sport was commissioned in 1936 by Enrico Minetti, a Lancia dealer based in Milan. Zagato made three examples, all with different studies of bodywork inspired by aviation. The third and last car built was with an advanced and aerodynamic body. The cars were used in many races, including the Mille Miglia and the Circuito di Pescara, driven by Eugenio Minetti, son of Enrico and Luigi Villoresi, under the colors of the Scuderia Ambrosiana which were founders. All three cars have now disappeared.

To celebrate the centenary of Lancia and the long standing affiliation between the marque and the Milanese coachbuilder for its Sport versions, Andrea Zagato decided to re-create the Lancia Aprilia Sport Aerodinamica built by his grandfather Ugo in 1938. The complicated process did not start from hand drawn sketches, but from two black and white photos – the only remaining source of accurate information. As the original car no longer exists, state of the art digitalisation, CAD modelling and CNC technologies were used to reconstruct the body of the Aprilia Sport, which most effectively expressed the aeronautical themes of the 1930s. The sheet metal of the bodywork was then hand crafted by master panel beaters, combined with an original 1938 Lancia Aprilia chassis and engine. This is the first of two cars Sanction II built.