Lancia Ardea
The Lancia Ardea is a small family car produced by Italian car manufacturer Lancia between 1939 and 1953. Its unusually short bonnet reportedly contained the smallest V4 engine ever commercialized in a small family car.
| Lancia Ardea | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Lancia |
| Production | 1939–1953 approx 32 000 vehicles |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Small family car (C) |
| Body style |
|
| Layout | Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 903 cc Lancia V4 Max. Power output 26 bhp (19 kW) at 4600 rpm |
| Transmission | 4-speed manual (1939–1948) 5-speed manual (1948–1953) |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase |
|
| Length | 3,615 mm (142.3 in) |
| Width | 1,380 mm (54.3 in) |
| Kerb weight | 780 kg (1,720 lb) (saloon) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Lancia Augusta |
| Successor | Lancia Appia |
Nearly 23,000 of the Ardeas produced were standard bodied saloons but between 1940 and 1942 approximately 500 Ardeas were manufactured with lengthened bodies and a squared off rear cabin for use in Rome as taxis. After the war more than 8,500 commercial adaptations of the Ardea known as 'furgoncini' (light van versions) and the 'camioncini' (car based light trucks) were also produced.
The third series Ardea, produced from 1948, was the first mass-produced car with a 5-speed manual transmission. Ardea was named either after Ardea town (Lazio), or Via Ardeatina, Roman road leading from Rome to that town.