2016 Best of Show Winner
August 6, 2021
1936 Lancia Astura Pinin Farina Cabriolet shown by Richard Mattei
This 1936 Lancia Astura is one of six similar cars built for a Lancia dealer in Biella, Italy. Known as the Tipo Bocca, each had unique features, and this particular car has a power top, curved side glass and engraved side trims running around the entire body. It also has a basket woven interior, skirted rear fenders, and wood-grained instruments. Interestingly, the car’s gauges are not metric, so it is believed that the car was originally delivered to an owner in England.
The car was discovered in very poor condition by Michael Scott in the early 1960s, and a restoration was undertaken by Pininfarina at their own expense in order to keep it from being broken up. When finished, the car was bought by guitarist Eric Clapton, who declared it to be “the most fun I’ve had offstage and out of bed.” He eventually sold it back to Pininfarina, and it was displayed in their museum until recently.
Over the five years leading up to the 2016 Pebble Beach Concours, the car underwent another complete restoration.
