LANCIA Dilambda 1928-1933 Photos, engines & full specs

Lancia tried to impress the rich people from both sides of the Atlantic, and, somehow, it succeeded with the huge Dilambda model.

The world economic crisis didn't burst yet, and Lancia was riding the high tides on the market as a premium carmaker. Unlike other manufacturers, it built its own coaches and only if the customer insisted it provided a bare-chassis model. The production model was revealed at the Paris Motor Show in 1928 after the carmaker unveiled it as a prototype in 1927 in New York.

There were some significant changes when compared to other Lancia models from that era. First of all, it was huge! Its 5.05 m (16.6 ft) length attracted rich customers, including the Carlton Hotel owner, who ordered a specific, yellow-on-black, open-top sedan with four doors. Its massive vertical grille was flanked by a set of big headlights mounted on the wide, long, and curved wheel fenders.

Inside, the customer had to choose what to get, from leather seats to expensive wood trims, ivory, or silk. Worth mentioning that dials and switches covered the instrument panel to make the car impress its owners. Depending on the customer's desires, Lancia installed either a bench at the front and one in the back or individual seats for the front occupants.

Under the hood, Lancia installed a 24 degrees V-8 engine that provided 100 hp. After 1932, the carmaker upgraded the Dilambda's powerplant.