The Lambda is a very important car for Lancia, and even more for the entire car industry. Conceived by Vincenzo Lancia, it rewrote the way cars were built, being the first car in the world to feature a unibody construction. The design was influenced by aeronautical engineering, and it had several advantages compared to the traditional ladder frame based cars, which were popular at the time:
- Lower center of gravity
- Lighter weight
- Higher structural rigidity
- Improved handling and perfomance
But its innovative quirks didn’t end there - it was also the first production car in the world to mount independent front suspension, featuring a sliding pillar with coil spring design, giving it exceptional handling and great road holding.
Under the hood, the Lambda was powered by an aluminium narrow-angle V4 engine, another choice that provided a compact yet powerful layout. It was also equipped with four-wheel drum brakes, a rarity at the time, ensuring great stopping power and safety.
Thanks to this unique combination of advanced engineering solutions — unibody construction, independent suspension, V4 engine, and four-wheel brakes — the Lambda proved highly competitive in motorsport. Despite not being designed as a sports car, it achieved remarkable success in endurance events and hill climbs as Mille Miglia and Targa Florio, always finishing in the top ten.
The version I'm suggesting was specially prepared for Mille Miglia by Carrozzeria Zagato, which turned the tourer into a lightweight, 2-seat design. The V4 engine's displacement was also increased to 2.800 cc, for an increased horsepower output.
Specs:
engine: V4 2.800 cm³, 81 hp at 3.800 RPM
top speed: 150 km/h
weight: 1150 kg
Sources:
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancia_Lambda
https://www.supercars.net/blog/1927-lancia-lambda-mm-zagato-spider/
https://www.stellantisheritage.com/en-uk/heritage/stories/lancia-lambda
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