Lancia Lambda

The Lancia Lambda was produced from 1922 through 1931. In 1919 the designing process began and given a monocoque chassis, sliding pillar front suspension, four-wheel brakes and a 'vee' four-cylinder engine. The load-bearing monocoque body was an industry first, and would take the rest of the market thirty years to incorporate the design. Vincenzo Lancia had been inspired by ship designs and the load-bearing principles of the hull, which he incorporated into the vehicle's design. The vehicle's strength came from the driveshaft tunnel which formed the backbone of the car. This meant a heavy frame was not needed.

The Tipo 67 engine had overhead camshafts and displaced 2570cc's. With the help of Zenith Triple Diffuser carburetors, nearly 70 horsepower was ascertained. This was the most powerful engine to propel the Lambda, other options throughout the years included a 2119cc and 2370cc unit. The 2119cc engine had a 13-degree vee angle and produced about 50 horsepower. The 14-degree vee 2370cc unit improved horsepower by 10, to 59.

It only took a few years before Lancia was claiming to have 'The Best Medium Powered Car in the World.' They stated that this was accomplished because the cars were 'Not built to a price but as a masterpiece of advanced design and engineering skill - to satisfy the most discriminating Motorist who demands the utmost in quality, appearance and performance.'

The Lambda had a touring body style but handling and performance characteristics of a sports car. To capitalize on the vehicle's sporty characteristics, Lancia prepared a Mille Miglia (MM) version to race in the grueling Mille Miglia race. The company's efforts were rewarded with top-ten finishes.

From 1922 through 1931, Lancia created over 11,000 examples of the Lambda in eight different series with three different iterations of the narrow V4 engine.
By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2007