Coys Auction - Automoto D‘Epoca
Padova Fiera
Padova, Italy
Saturday 23 October 2010
Admission by catalogue only - admits two
Lancia kept the highly innovative Lambda in production during the whole Twenties, and even if this car could still be considered modern by the early Thirties, decided to remain one step ahead of its competitors by introducing its successor, the Artena, at the 1931 Paris motor show. As for the Dilambda, a “super-Lambda” of sorts, it gave way to the Astura.
Though the Artena was powered by a V4 as the Lambda had been, a 2.6-litre V8 was designed for the Astura. The job was so cleverly done by Lancia’s engineering team that the larger block could fit in the very same chassis as the smaller one, while most cars of the time would require different wheelbases in order to accommodate their diverse engines. Rather squarish and unexciting, fully-bodied cars were available from the factory but, particularly in the case of the top-of-the-line Astura, many new vehicles were