Beschreibung:

Excellence can occur at any time, but greatness is often a product of crisis or change. As the 1930s ran their course, it was clear that that the world was heading for conflict. There had been Mussolini's invasion of Abyssinia, the Spanish Civil War, and ever more aggressive demands from Germany. Europe seemed bent on conflict and the carnage of the Great War was a recent memory. It was a time to grasp whatever pleasure one could, like dancing the last tango on the Titanic, and this feeling was expressed in the bespoke coachwork of the times. There had been been advances in aerodynamics and coachbuilders existed who could respond to new styling trends in a matter of weeks. That is why some of the most innovative, extravagant, and sumptuous styles in automotive history were created in France and Italy in the two or three years immediately before the outbreak of the Second World War. Style was the name of the game. In some cases a coachbuilder's confection looked fabulous in a showroom, but was impractical in daily use, like some of the frocks which today grab the headlines during a fashion week in London, Paris or Milan. This unique car, however, combines the latest thinking in styling with dignity and poise. It was commissioned by the then Duke of Montaigu, whose title was established in the 11th Century. His choice of chassis was interesting for he bought the latest (Series 4) version of the Lancia Astura. Lancia had a peerless reputation for engineering integrity and the Astura had a 2,972cc ohv V8 engine which was designed for maximum smoothness and torque rather than just power. The Series 4 Astura had a platform chassis, hydraulic brakes and a centralised lubrication system. Most Asturas had luxury, formal bodies with little sporting pretensions, but a few customers specified two-seat coupé or cabriolet bodies which gave stylists a great deal of leeway. For the coachwork, the Duke turned to Carrosserie Pourtout on the outskirts of Paris. Marcel Pourtout had established his concern in 1925 and had first made unexceptional bodies until the arrival of Georges Paulin, a man who understood both engineering and aerodynamics even though he had trained as a dentist. For Peugeot, Paulin designed the Eclipse roof, which he patented, a metal panel which could be folded into the boot so turning a hardtop into an open car. It took Peugeot more than sixty years to repeat the feat. Pourtout was responsible for the celebrated Embiricos Bentley coupé, the Darl'Mat Peugeots, which ran at Le Mans, and some of the most distinctive Delages of the late 1930s. The company's most important single customer, however, was France's Lancia concessionaire. A French customer might admire the engineering of a Lancia, but he might also want to drive a car with a Gallic, rather than a Latin, air. Today, only experts would know the difference; in 1938 schoolboys knew. In the late 1930s, there was also the clash of political ideologies not far beneath the surface. Pourtout could take an Italian car and make it a Franco-Italian car which was a more ambiguous statement. Pourtout fitted bodies to 326 Lancia Augusta chassis, 36 Aprilia chassis and this single Astura, a unique creation. As befitted a Duke with an ancient title, this body is more subtle than some of Pourtout's contemporary bespoke styles. The headlights set low between the front wings and radiator was a Pourtout trademark, as was the second pair of lights. A particular feature is the semi-razor edge styling of the roof which both contrasts with, and complements, the easy sweep of the wing-line. It also suggests that the Duke looked more to London than to Berlin, such nuances were important at the time. With space to play with, Pourtout was able to give the car three very desirable features: a large boot, wide doors and a very long bonnet. With its torquey V8 engine this car was ideal for use in Paris or for a relaxed, high-speed, trip to Nice or Monte Carlo. There were cars with a higher top spee