Lancia Lambda 4th Series Torpedo Ballon
First mass-produced car with unitary body
Engineer Vincenzo Lancia and designer Battista Falchetto developed an innovative and Lambda that brought the automobiles in general to a higher level. The Lancia Lambda is one of the technological milestones in automotive history. It is the first mass-produced car in the world to have an unitary body that integrated the structural functions of the chassis, in order to limit overall weight and increase rigidity and safety. The Lambda weighs only about 850 kg in the Torpedo version. The model also features four-wheel brakes and independent front suspension. All very common features today, but at the 1922 Paris Motor Show where the Lambda debuted, it was revolutionary for series production. Another innovation was the Ballon concept, a fully removable wooden roof, and its compact V4 engine with the small block angle of only 13.6 degrees. Lancia initially placed the four seats staggered from each other in order to make the car smaller and therefore lighter. It didn’t make it to the production stage. A total of nine editions were launched, between 1922 and 1931. From the 5th generation the Lambda had a four-speed gearbox (replaced the 3-speed), from the 6th edition there were two wheelbases (3.10 and 3.45 meters), the 7th saw the introduction of a 2,370 cc engine and the 8th got the left-hand drive option. Lancia built 13,000 units of the ingenious Lambda.