Carrozzeria Vignale was not one of Lancia's traditional suppliers of bodywork but had impressed Lancia management by offering a variety of special bodies on the Aurelia chassis. When Lancia issued a limited number of Appia S2 platforms in 1956, Vignale took 3 and created very different vehicles on this base: a sharp-edged coupe named the Sport, a 4-door berlina and a luxurious 2+2 coupe which was referred to as "Lusso". Both coupes were designed by independent stylist by Giovanni Michelotti and especially the Lusso attracted the attention of Lancia.
The Lusso was more conservative looking than the Appia coupe by Pininfarina and featured a version of Lancia's upright, shield-like grill in front and a more standard top without a wrap-around rear window. Having already decided for the fashionable looking Pininfarina coupe, Lancia management contracted Vignale for producing a open-top version of their Lusso design. Michelotti restyled the Lusso into a convertible with a family-resemblance to the Pininfarina coupe, and these production models were introduced at the same time in 1957.

For Vignale this meant a step up from producing specials in limited numbers to a beginning of mass production. Their new open Appia which was distributed by Lancia was called Spyder and a strict 2-seater. Underneath the attractive body, which looked its best with the top down, it had the same Appia chassis and engine as the Pininfarina coupe. The Appia V4 with 1089 cc and 53 hp propelled the 950 kg car to a maximum speed of 143 kph.
The Spyder was only offered for a short while: already in September 1958 the car was modified from a 2-seater into a 2+2, which could seat two extra (small) passengers behind the front seats at a pinch. With that the name of the model was changed to Convertible. Measurements remained the same at 415 x 151 x 132 cm (length x width x height). Production of the Appia S2 Spyder/Convertible ended in March 1959.

The Appia S2 Convertible was replaced by the S3 Convertible, which looked more or less identical. Mechanically it offered a more powerful engine (53 hp, raised again in 1960 to 60 hp), a battery with more capacity and, from 1960, a dual brake circuit. All these improvements were similar to those in the Appia S3 coupe by Pininfarina.
After the series 3 Convertible Vignale also introduced a revamped Lusso, a 2+2 coupe. It basically was a Convertible with a metal hardtop welded on but it looked remarkably appealing. The more traditional top of the Lusso suited the simple yet elegant lines of the 2-door Appia body better than the fancy but imposing top of the Pininfarina coupe. Never the less the Appia coupe by Pininfarina continued to be promoted by Lancia while the Lusso, though also distributed by Lancia, was regarded as a special offering by Vignale. Production of the Appia S3 Lusso ended after less that 2 years in June 1961 but still 477 were made, slightly less than half the number of Pininfarina coupes made in a total of 6 years...
The end for the Appia Convertible came in March 1963 after 1586 had been made (including the rare Spyder). As such it can be regarded as a big success and it cemented the relation between Vignale and Lancia. It also launched Vignale as a serious supplier to the automotive industry and its revenues funded Vignale's new and modern factory which was opened in 1961.

Although the Convertible was the most successful special bodystyle on the Appia chassis it's hard to find these days. Most of them seem to have remained in Italy. That's probably also the reason, besides perhaps its more attractive style, that it's valued considerably higher than the coupe. It still is an affordable classic however; a nice, small engined open top car which is practical yet unusual.
Note: the car shown here lacks front and rear bumper and some trim; it probably was in the process of restoration.