Fine-tuned in the wind tunnel of the Politecnico di Torino under the watchful eye of Battista Farina, the ground-breaking Aprilia was a marvel of modern design belied by its restrained, streamlined bodywork, beneath which lay a raft of innovative engineering solutions. Among them were fully independent front and rear suspension and hydraulic brakes, revelations that could be traced back to the 1923 Lancia Lambda, plus a jewel of a narrow-angle, overhead camshaft, 1,352 cc V-4 engine that produced 48 horsepower.
An astounding machine that would have taken the world by storm were it not for the more egalitarian Citroën Traction Avant, clever packaging and ingenious design resulted in a kerb weight of around 850 kg, a top speed in excess of 80 mph, and remarkable fuel efficiency of 28 mpg.
Story by RM Sotheby’s
