1938 Lancia Astura

Vincenzo Lancia founded his company in 1906, having previously served as chief test driver for Fiat. An accomplished racer, Lancia finished well in many of the most important early races, including the Vanderbilt Cup and Targa Florio. The first Lancia automobile rolled out of the factory in Torino in 1907, the work of the great engineer and racing driver Vincenzo Lancia. The marque soon became synonymous with technical innovation, and the first V8-engined Lancia, the Trikappa sportscar, arrived in 1922. The Lambda model was also introduced in 1922 and was the world's first production car with monocoque construction and independent front suspension, combined with lightweight bodywork, a V-4 engine, and four-wheel brakes. The Dilambda arrived in 1928 and it was instrumental in establishing Lancia among the world's finest builders of automobiles and further enhanced its exalted position with a succession of elegant coachbuilt models during the 1930s. Two new models were introduced in 1931 at the Paris Salon, the V8 Astura and the V4-engined Artena which replaced the Dilambda and Lambda, respectively. These were the first Lancias to be named after Italian locations rather than the Greek alphabet, in keeping with the trend of the nationalistic spirit of the age. While the Lambda had used unitized body construction, the Artena and Astura returned to more traditional body-on-frame construction which was more suitable for coachbuilt bodies.

Like the Dilambda, the Astura was powered by a narrow-angle V8 engine, but while the Dilambda's measured 24-degrees, the Astura had a compact 19-degree V-angle, becoming narrower in 1933 at 17-degrees.

The Lancia Astura was manufactured between 1931 and 1939 over four series, with 496 examples built as First series and 750 examples of Second Series. First Series examples were built through 1932 and Second Series through 1933. Both used the 2606cc displacement size and rested on a 125.2-inch wheelbase platform. The Second Series had modified engine mountings that reduced noise and vibration. With the introduction of the Third Series in 1933, the engine displacement had grown to nearly 3 liters for added low-end torque, and wheelbase sizes of 122- and 131.1 inches were available. Power-assisted brakes, central chassis lubrication, an improved gearbox, and adjustable rear shock absorbers added to the usability, performance, and comfort. Power was transmitted by a four-speed manual gearbox, operating through a single dry-plate clutch. Produced through 1937, a total of 1,243 examples were built before the arrival of the Fourth Series.

Lancia's patented sliding pillar independent front suspension, introduced in the Lambda, was standard equipment on the Astura. In the rear was a more traditional live axle setup with semi-elliptic leaf springs and Siata-type shock absorbers. Stopping power was by four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes with improved servo-assist.

The Fourth Series featured a longer unitary chassis that was perfectly suited for some of the finest coachwork of the period. Coachbuilders were attracted to the Astura for its large and robust box-section frame structure. Among the firms that regularly bodied Lancia's Astura included Castagna, Viotti, Pinin Farina, and Touring.

During the production lifespan of the Astura, nearly 3,000 examples were built, and many were the choice for prominent Italian government officials and influential people.

During Lancia's five decades as a family-owned business, it continually introduced innovative and remarkable models one after the other, including the Lambda, Dilambda, Astura, Artena, Aprilia, Aurelia, Flaminia, and Fulvia. Their vehicles were renowned for their construction, engineering, and subtly conservative appearance.

by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2021