LANCIA (Italy) 1906 to date
Wealthy soup manufacturer's son Vincenzo Lancia worked for Fiat
before founding his own factory at Turin (and continued to race
for Fiat until 1908).
His first production model, the 2543cc Alpha, appeared in 1907,
joined in 1908 by the 3815cc DiAlfa, of which only 23 were made.
Lancia ran through the Greek alphabet with the 3117cc Beta ( 1909),
followed by the similar Gamma ( 1910) and the 4082cc Delta (1911).
The 1912 Eta, also of 4082cc, was the first Lancia with electric
lighting. The 4939cc Theta of 1914 was said to be the first European
car with standardized electric lighting and starting.
A development, the Kappa, with detachable cylinder head, was Lancia's
first post-war model, a narrow-angle V-12 with monobloc ohc engine
shown in 1919 failing to reach production. The Kappa was followed
by the DiKappa and by the ohc V-8 TriKappa, but these were only
a prelude to the classic Lambda, which made its public debut in
1922. This had a narrow-angle V-4 engine of 2124cc, sliding-pillar
ifs and integral body/chassis construction. In 1926, the Seventh
Series Lambda acquired a 2370cc power unit, enlarged to 2570cc on
the Eighth Series of 1928-29.
At the end of 1929, Lancia introduced the more conventional DiLambda,
with a 3960cc V-8, and in 1931 replaced the Lambda with the 1925cc
ohc V-4 Artena and the 2605cc V-8 Astura (later models were of 2972cc).
Unit construction reappeared with the 1196cc Augusta which proved
to have outstanding roadholding; and led to Vincenzo Lancia's last
classic car, the pillarless Aprilia, introduced just before his
death in 1937. A smaller development, the 1091cc Ardea, appeared
a little while later.
The Aprilia was built until 1950, when the Jano-designed Aurelia
was announced, initially with a 1754cc V-6 engine, later enlarged
to 1991 cc; 2261cc and 2451cc. The Aurelia GT was also the basis
for the sports-racing D23 and D24 models, with 2693cc and 2983cc
dohc power units, some supercharged. In 1953 Gianni Lancia designed
the 1091cc Appia V-4, but a couple of years later financial difficulties
forced him to sell his company to Fiat.
The Flaminia, powered by a development of the 2458cc Aurelia GT
engine, succeeded the Aurelia in 1956, but a real sensation was
caused in 1961 by the fwd Flavia, designed by Professor Fossia;
it had a flat-four engine of 1498cc, increased to 1798cc three years
later. The Fulvia, another fwd model, succeeded the. Appia as the
smallest car in the Lancia range in 1964; by the end of the decade
it was available with 1216cc and 1298cc engines.
The Beta, first announced in 1972, was available in 1979 with ohc
four-cylinder engines of 1297cc;1585cc and 1995cc. It was sold alongside
the 1999cc and 2484cc Gamma, which had flat-four dohc power units.
The Stratos a limited-production sporting model, had a mid-mounted
dohc V-6 developing 190 bhp, and in 1979 won the Monte Carlo Rally
for the fifth time.
1957 Lancia Aurelia
1957 Lancia Aurelia
1976 Lancia Beta Monte-Carlo (Scorpion)
1982 Lancia Zagato
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