Berlina 1e serie


Berlina 1e serie


Berlina 4e serie


Panoramica Zagato, 1949


Tassi Roma (taxi)
ARDEA 1939-1953,
Lancia’s forgotten baby
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The Ardea (pronounced, exceptionally, with the stress on the first syllable) is always referred to as the Aprilia’s little sister and rightly so because the resemblance is obvious. The Ardea is smaller overall, the bonnet is relatively shorter and the tail somewhat more vertical than on the Aprilia. The Ardea was Lancia’s economy model and obviously the design is less spectacular than the Aprilia, but Lancia could not design a new car without a completely new engine. As advanced as the Aprilia but much smaller, it also has hemispherical combustion chambers and an overhead camshaft, but it has a much simpler form of valve gear. It also featured aluminium alloy con-rods and the crankshaft was supported in three bronze bearings, rather than white metal.

The Ardea was built between 1939 and 1953 in four series. The 2nd series came in 1948 and had a different cylinder head, hydraulic rear shock-absorbers and 12 volt electrics. Only half a year later the 3rd series arrived without the split rear window and centre moulding on the roof, but it now had a five speed gearbox - a world first on a production car! The 4th series was produced from 1949 until the end of production in 1953. It had an aluminium cylinder head and is the most frequently (sic) seen Ardea with 11,700 produced.


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Top speed:		 Streamlined four door pillarless saloon of unitary construction.
V4 with an inclined angle of 19°54’, overhead camshaft, 903 cc, 29 pk.
Four speed unsynchronised, from 3th series five speed.
145-400 or 4.00-15.
2440 mm.
780 kg.
Approximately. 32.000.
110 km/h

 
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