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The History of Lancia
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.
