[1] 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.

Special designs include those by Ugo Zagato (1938),[4] a Carrozzeria Touring convertible,[5] the army's Torpedo militare (World War II),[6] a Luigi Pagani-tuned barchetta bodied by boatbuilders Riva di Merate on a pre-war chassis (1946),[7] a Bertone convertible (1947),[8] one of Michelotti's first, while at Vignale (1949).

[9] Despite being well regarded by enthusiasts, the Lancia Ardennes was overshadowed in the French market place by the pioneering and aggressively priced Citroën Traction.

The Lancia Aprilia is featured in Land of Black Gold, one of The Adventures of Tintin, in the story's car chase scene.

Driven by Tintin with Captain Haddock and Snowy as passengers, they chased the villain Prof. Smith, alias Dr. Müller, who kidnapped Prince Abdullah and tried to run away in the desert.