1938 Lancia Astura Pinin Farina – Auction Car of the Week
June 12, 2022
The name Pininfarina is synonymous with car design. The thing is though, for us petrolheads its not just car design. It’s more than that, transcending those boundaries of mere metal and drag co-efficients to become something wholly more ethereal. The output of Pininfarina over the years has been akin to the works of revered artists, works that display proudly in any of the world’s most esteemed galleries, and the body built for the 1938 Lancia Astura is no exception.
The Astura, produced for 8 years between 1931 and 1939, is generally considered to be the pinnacle of pre-war Lancias thanks to its combination of refined engineering and opulent luxury. These facets made it the perfect base on which the independent coach-builders of the time could place their sumptuous, hand-crafted bodies, with one such body coming courtesy of the aforementioned Italian legends.
After becoming a corporation in 1930 Pinin Farina (as it was known then, rather than the Pininfarina it became post 1961) was building bodies for myriad auto makers, including Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Rolls Royce and of course, Lancia. The Astura was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in 1931 as a replacement for the Dilambda and featured a box section chassis and V8 engine. This new model had a high torsional rigidity which created a feeling of solid refinement with the suspension being a mixture of an independent ‘sliding-pillar’ configuration up front and a live rear axle.
This late model 1938 Lancia Astura Pinin Farina is a fourth series saloon which features the larger displacement 2.9-litre engine, producing over 80bhp, as oppose to the earlier cars’ 2.6 which kicked out approximately ten less horsepower. It’s a matching numbers example – confirmed by Lancia themselves and fully documented – that has been meticulously restored in order to bring it back to the condition it’s in currently. Imported from Switzerland back to its native Italy by the current owner where it currently resides, the car was acquired in the early 2000’s in a bit of a sorry state of repair at which point the comprehensive restoration began. A process that involved huge amounts of time and effort that is fully documented and annotated.
A true testament to the professionalism and attention to detail of the restoration work carried out the car today presents incredibly well having only covered a paltry 48km since. The two-tone blue paintwork by GN Car in Treviso is excellent and really does highlight the exquisite design by one of Italy’s pre-eminent design and coach-building firms. Not only that but the car’s wooden frame has been completely replaced, restoring the body’s original rigidity. The series four cars were only offered in long wheel base configuration making the car is quite an imposing machine as a result and this beautiful exterior features some interesting details. The headlamps are by French lighting specialists Marchal and the jewel-like indicators are especially unique.
The restoration work was not limited to the paint and body, with the interior benefiting from a full re-trim, including all new biscuit leather upholstery, new headlining and carpets, as well as a refurbished dashboard and restored steering wheel. The result of which are stunning, restoring the original level of luxury to this Astura. The boot has also been neatly trimmed and includes a jack, handle, and hubcap remover as well as some additional ancillary items.
Reportedly the car starts on the button, runs and drives perfectly well and the V8 engine is quiet and refined with plenty of those Italian stallions still in the stable, so to speak. The four-speed manual gearbox operates exactly as it should and gear changes are smooth and direct. With less than 3,000 Asturas leaving the Lancia factory there is definitely a rarity factor to be enjoyed here and thanks to a full restoration inside and out this particular example is an exciting proposition for any fans of post-war Italian beauties. Not only that but several elements on the car point towards evidence that this was a one off commission for a wealthy buyer back in the late thirties. A badge bearing the name “Marcel Scheizer” who may have assembled the car, French Marchal headlamps, the unique indicator mountings manufactured in Brussels, as well as the small unrestored flagpole which accompanies the car could well be positive indicators of such and a deeper dive may pay dividends to unlock the car’s full history.
