The Lancia Astura: Italy’s Monument on Wheels
The Lancia Astura: a symbol of Italian power and elegance. This article covers its full history, engineering, coachbuilders, and legacy.
Lancia Astura Flying Star
The 1938 Lancia Astura Flying Star by Touring Superleggera.
Vehicle Overview
The Lancia Astura IV Serie Flying Star Coupé was a one-off automobile constructed in 1938 by Carrozzeria Touring of Milan. The car was built on the long-wheelbase chassis of the fourth series Lancia Astura, intended for presentation at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. Owing to escalating geopolitical instability in Europe, the event was cancelled, and the vehicle was not exhibited publicly as originally planned. The chassis employed for the Flying Star coupé variant belonged to the final series of the Astura line. It featured a front-mounted V8 engine with a single overhead camshaft configuration. The displacement of the engine was 2,973 cubic centimetres, producing an output of approximately 82 horsepower. A four-speed manual transmission was fitted. The chassis was constructed in ladder-frame steel, with independent front suspension and a live rear axle. Braking was accomplished by mechanically operated drum brakes on all four wheels. The Flying Star designation had previously been associated with open bodywork executed by Touring on Alfa Romeo and Lancia chassis. In this instance, however, the styling was applied to a closed two-door coupé body. The aluminium panels were mounted using the patented Superleggera method over a tubular support frame. The body design was distinguished by a full-length polished chrome strip extending from the radiator grille, along the flanks, and tapering rearward in a ‘V’ formation. The rear quarter included a series of curved ventilation slats, positioned to recall the visual metaphor of a comet’s tail. The cabin accommodated up to six occupants, a result of the long wheelbase and interior layout, which prioritised spaciousness and formality. Trim materials included leather and wood veneer. The coupé maintained Touring’s reputation for combining lightness with elegance, and the overall design exhibited coherence between function and visual restraint. Only one specimen of the Lancia Astura IV Flying Star Coupé was built. It did not proceed to series production, and the car is known primarily through period documentation and coachbuilder archives. No public record confirms the chassis or engine numbers, nor has a continuous ownership chain been established. The vehicle’s subsequent fate is unknown.
Technical Specifications
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Body
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Year1938
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MakeLancia
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ModelAstura Coupé
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CoachbuilderTouring
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Length (mm)N/A
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Height (mm)N/A
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Units built1
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Engine TypeV8
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ModelN/A
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Cylinder CapacityN/A
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Number Of DoorsN/A
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Type ApprovalN/A
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Wheel PlanN/A
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Type ApprovalN/A
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Wheel PlanN/A
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Revenue WeightN/A
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DESIGNER
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Touring Superleggera Flying Star
The Flying Star is a type of body created by Touring Superleggera introduced at the 1931 Milan Auto Show on a Isotta Fraschini 8B chassis which gained a great success. It was also adapted to other chassis maintaining the same basic settings. The trademark elements of this kind of bodywork were basically a thick chrome strip on the side that starts from the radiator, runs along the entire car forming a ‘V’ at the doors and descends on the tail.
