1927 Lancia Lambda 7th Series

Albany Airway by Albany

Coachbuilt Lancia lambdas became more popular with the advent of the 7th and 8th Series chassis designs. In Britain, Lambdas were available from James Young, Gurney Nutting, Corsica, and the Albany Coachwork Company. This is the only surviving example of three very intriguing Airway saloons built by Albany. The streamlined aero-style bodywork on this car, which was shown at the London Motor Show in 1927, includes an altimeter, an air speed indicator, and a spotlight on the roof. The Curtis Automobile Company of London, the sole UK Lancia concessionaire at the time, described it as 'The Airliner on Land.' This Airway was recently restored.

Torpedo Tourer
Chassis number: 17176LANC1A
Engine number: 7203

This Lambda was completed at the Turin Lancia plant on May 6th of 1927 and delivered new to Australia. It has body style number 218, which indicates that it has a short wheelbase. There is still a dashboard plaque attached to the car from the dealer, Shields Motor Company Pty. Ltd. of Melbourne.

The early history of this car is unknown. By around 1960, the car was still complete but dismantled. It was in the care of Australian owner John Davies. Mr. Davies later sold the car to Walter Hunter of Como, Western Australia, in 1976. Mr. Hunter gave the car a restoration and then re-sold it to Mr. Davies in 1993. In October 1995, the tourer ran in the biennial Castlemaine Rally, hosted by the Australian Lancia Register. It was brought to the United States in 2004 and sent to a major California collection.

Seventh-series cars have wider doors, cut out in the rear for the fender. They are powered by the Tipo 78 engine and have a larger displacement, improved exhaust porting and spark plug relocation to the cylinder head. They had much more power than the previous Lambda models.

In 2010, this vehicle was offered for sale at the Pebble Beach Auction presented by Gooding & Company. The car was estimated to sell for $150,000 - $200,000. The car would leave the auction unsold.

by Dan Vaughan

Roadster by Casaro
Chassis number: 16140
Engine number: 6185

This Lancia Lambda Short Wheelbase Roadster is a complete, unmolested, and original automobile. It is a late, seventh series example with roadster coachwork with a vanishing rumble seat from the local coachbuilder Casaro of Turin. Casaro also penned the bodywork for the three unofficial Lancia team Mille Miglia entries in 1928 and 1929.

The car retains many original features such as the carburetor and Autovac, its Bosch lighting, and switchgear. The radiator and 'eared' gas caps are also present. The interior fabric is period-grained leather. Under the front seats are neatly arranged trays for spares, which still include some original tools.

In the 1940s, this vehicle was acquired from its former owner in New York state from a gentleman who had bought it with the intention of turning it into a trailer. Since the car did not have a conventional chassis, it was therefore no use to him. His intention had been to crap the car and keep the wheels. The previous owner intervened and managed to negotiate an exchange for some Ford Model A wheels. From that point in history and forward, it saw very little use.

In 2011, this vehicle was offered for sale at the Quail Lodge auction presented by Bonhams. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $202,800 inclusive of the buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

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 Dan Vaughan