1964 Lancia Flavia

Vincenzo Lancia is regarded as one of the most gifted automobile engineers of all time. He founded his own company in 1906 after serving as FIAT's chief test driver. Immediately, the cars built by the Lancia marque displayed an independence of thought and bucked convention with mechanical sophistication that distinguished them from their peers. Their revolutionary Lambda model of 1922 was the world's first car to have a stress-bearing monocoque body and the first to be powered by a V4 engine. Devoid of a separate chassis, the driver was positioned lower, resulting in modern aerodynamic bodylines. Lancia's patented sliding-pillar independent front suspension endowed the Lambda with ride and handling qualities unmatched by anything in its class.

The Lancia Aprilla, introduced in 1937 and built through 1949, was one of the first automobiles to be designed using a wind tunnel, and had a low drag coefficient of 0.47. The Aurelia of 1950 was one of the first to utilize a series-production V6 engine. Beginning a new post-war tradition, it was the first Lancia to be named after a Roman road.

The Lancia Flavia (Tipo 815/819/820)
The Lancia Flavia, named after Via Flavia - the Roman road from Trieste (Tergeste) to Dalmatia, was introduced in 1960 at the Turin Motor Show. Unlike the previous 'compact' and 'family' cars, the Flavia was an 'executive' car with larger interior accommodations for its occupants. The four-door sedan body style was quickly joined by coupe and convertible versions by Pininfarina and Vignale.

Production of the Lancia Flavia lasted from 1961 to 1971 and as the Lancia 2000 from 1971 to 1975. The 2000 was an evolution of the Flavia and the final series of automobiles designed by Lancia engineers before Fiat acquired the marque in 1969. A total of 105,848 examples of the combined Flavia and 2000 were built.

Mechanical Specification
The development of the Lancia Flavia began in the late 1950s by technical director Ing. Prof. Antonio Fessia with Piero Castegnero creating the body design. The aluminum boxer (horizontally opposed) 1,488cc (1.5-liter) four-cylinder engine produced approximately 77 horsepower. With a double carburetor, output was nearly 90 hp. Within a few years, displacement grew to 1.8 liters with a 3.46-inch bore and a 2.91-inch stroke. With 9:1 compression and offered in carbureted and mechanical injection form (via a Kugelfischer system), output reached as high as 105 horsepower. Competition versions were even more potent. The final displacement increase arrived in 1969, now measuring 1,991cc. With a single carburetor, it developed 112 horsepower, while the fuel-injected version offered 125 horsepower.

The longitudinal, front-mounted engine powered the front wheels via a four-speed ZF manual transmission (the fuel-injected 2000 received a five-speed manual). Dunlop disc brakes at all four corners provided the stopping power. The wheelbase measured 104 inches, an overall length of 180 inches, a width of 63.5 inches, and stood 58 inches tall. The front suspension was by unequal-length wishbones.

Body Styles
The Lancia Flavia was initially offered as a four-door Berlina (sedan) that remained in production throughout the lifespan of the Flavia. In May of 1967, a re-bodied version of the Berlina with a new interior was introduced (model number 819) and is commonly referred to as the Series II. Following the introduction of the 819, the Zagato and Vignale versions were discontinued.

The two-door coupe wearing a design courtesy of Pininfarina on a shortened platform arrived shortly after the Berlina in 1961. Carrozzeria Vignale built 1,601 examples of the two-door convertible. The Ercole Spada-designed, Zagato-built Sport arrived in 1962 and incorporated design cues from earlier vehicles, such as the windows into the roofline which harkened back to the Panoramic Fiats of the early 1950s. Approximately thirty-two examples were 1.8-liter Iniezione (fuel injected) examples with Zagato coachwork, while the rest were normally aspirated, two carbureted versions. A total of 626 Zagato-bodied models were built, plus three prototypes. Ninety-eight were 1500s and the remaining 512 received the 1800cc engine.

The Zagato-bodied Lancias were formed from lightweight aluminum, and additional weight-saving techniques included two or three thin coats of paint, and thin vinyl interiors.

The Lancia 2000
The Lancia 2000 was powered by the tipo 820 H4 2.0-liter engine and it used a 181.9-inch long platform for the Berlina (sedan) and 179.3 inches for the coupe. The Berlina (saloon) was styled by Piero Castagnero and Pininfarina designed the coupe. The body of the berlina remained mostly faithful to its predecessor, with updates to the front and rear. It continued to use front-wheel drive, independent suspension, and all-round disc brakes.

Production of this flagship model continued through 1974, with 14,319 examples constructed.

by Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2023