1930 Lancia Dilambda

The Dilambda, produced from 1928 to 1935, was the last of the Lancia cars named after letters of the Greek alphabet, a series that began with the very first car from the company, the Alfa of 1907. The Dilambda project started in 1926 when Vincenzo Lancia decided to create a successor to the Trikappa. Initially, the planned model was supposed to have a displacement around 3 liters. However, Vincenzo foresaw the opportunities that could open up for the Turin company by entering the vast U.S. automobile market, and, apparently without even informing his closest collaborators, he redirected the project toward a larger car. Convinced (and not wrongly) that a unibody structure would not be suitable for a large and heavy model, Monsù Lancia entrusted the technical department with the task of designing a chassis as robust and rigid as possible, while still applying the front independent suspension according to the proven Lambda design. The first box-section frame, patented in June 1927, was modified, and in January 1928, a further patent described the final Dilambda chassis: box-section frame rails, with an “X” cross member and a rear fuel tank functioning as a reinforcement beam. Key technical features included an 8-cylinder V engine at a 24° angle, with a 4-liter displacement, capable of 100 hp at 3800 rpm. According to the specialized press of the time, the Dilambda's greatest qualities were its smooth ride and, despite its size, its handling. The top speed ranged from 120 to 130 kilometers per hour, depending on the version. Among the many unique features of the Dilambda were the application of “silentbloc” joints, a special engine lubrication pump, a thermostat for regulating the cooling water temperature, and a “centralized” chassis lubrication system. A dozen “pre-production” examples were reportedly sent to New York to be displayed at Commodore Hall, but apart from prototypes and pre-series units, the Dilambda was officially presented at the Paris Motor Show in the fall of 1929. In production form, the Dilambda was offered as a sedan and a torpedo, but the real star was the bare chassis: it served as the base for many creations by top Italian and foreign coachbuilders. The model with a 347.5 cm wheelbase was known as “tipo 227” and was produced in two series from 1929 to 1931, with a total of 986 units: 879 from the first series and 107 from the second series. The “tipo 229” with a short wheelbase joined in 1931, and 418 units were built: 225 from the first series and 193 from the second series. In 1933, the final version, known as “tipo 232,” was introduced, still with a long wheelbase, and produced until 1935 with 281 units. These production numbers are likely correct but should be considered with some caution when it comes to individual versions. Between 1929 and 1935, nearly 1,700 Dilambda units were built—a seemingly modest number, but not insignificant considering the difficult economic period following the Wall Street crash and the fact that its selling price was almost prohibitive: twice that of an Artena and nearly four times that of a Fiat 514 Spyder. The Dilambda was also used as a service vehicle by the Royal Air Force.

The first series Dilambda, in the long-wheelbase model 227, was officially unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in the fall of 1929, following a few prototypes and pre-series examples. Production continued successfully throughout 1930. Then, in 1931, the Dilambda type 229, a short-wheelbase version with a 329 cm wheelbase compared to the 347.5 cm of the type 227, was introduced alongside the existing model. In that same year, both models, 227 and 229, received several aesthetic updates (notably to the front grille) and mechanical upgrades (including improvements to the braking system and transmission), which led to their designation as the "second series." From 1929 to 1931, a total of 1,104 first-series Dilambda cars were produced, comprising 879 type 227 units and 225 type 229 units.

The Lancia Dilambda, chassis no. 27-652, is a long-wheelbase unit (tipo 227) of the 1st series bodied by Stabilimenti Farina. According to Lancia's production records, the chassis with complete mechanics was finished and tested on August 9, 1930, before being sent to the coachbuilder, where a very young Pietro Frua had taken over vehicle design just a few months earlier, following Battista (Pinin) Farina's departure from his brother Giovanni's company to establish his own. At Stabilimenti Farina, chassis no. 27-652 was bodied as a two-door, four-seat cabriolet. The car was originally finished in black with a red belt moulding, a beige canvas top, and black leather upholstery. It featured an external trunk located behind the passenger compartment, followed by two spare wheels. The dashboard, designed in pure Art Deco style, was crafted from aluminum with a guilloché pattern. The car was first registered on February 13, 1931, in Milan (license plate MI 3035) and delivered by the Agenzia Minetti dealer to its first owner, Giulio Guttinger, a Swiss entrepreneur based in Bergamo, known for his ventures in textiles as well as electrochemical and electrosiderurgical industries. In 1935, the car was acquired by Achille Radice, owner of "Achille Radice e Figli," an Italian company specializing in harmonium production. During this ownership period, it is believed that the front end of the car was modified to modernize its design, perhaps reflecting the latest aerodynamic trends or to refresh its appearance. The modifications included tilting the radiator grille back slightly, replacing its previously vertical stance, and the addition of curved, lightweight bumpers with a combination of black and chrome finishes. Radice managed to preserve the car through the hardships of World War II, eventually selling it in 1947 to Enrico Dal Buono and Antonio Guarnieri from Ferrara. The vehicle was re-registered with the license plate FE 12993. Dal Buono and Guarnieri retained the car until 1972, at which point it was sold to dealer Ferruccio Pettenella, who resold it a year later to Adamo Pasotti, a prominent entrepreneur from the Brescia area. The chassis no. 27-652 was officially deregistered in 1987, but despite challenges faced by the Pasotti Group during that period, Adamo Pasotti kept the car until 1999. He then sold it to Alfredo Celli, founder of Celli S.p.A., a company renowned for professional agricultural machinery. The car remained in the Celli family after Alfredo's passing (in 2018) until 2023, when it was sold by the heirs via Finarte and Automotive Masterpieces in a private negotiation. Since then, the vehicle has entered a private collection, where a restoration project is underway to return it to its original 1930 appearance.