Lancia Lambda VIII Limousine Bertone

The Lancia Lambda VIII series, produced from 1928 to 1930, marked the culmination of a technically advanced model line introduced in 1922. Designed under the direction of Vincenzo Lancia, the Lambda was the first production car to employ a load-bearing unibody chassis and independent front suspension. The eighth series was the final evolution of the model and featured a long-wheelbase chassis measuring approximately 3,475 mm, designated “Lungo.” This extended platform offered greater flexibility for coachbuilders and was frequently employed for formal and ceremonial body styles. The example in question, a limousine bodied by Carrozzeria Bertone, reflects the formal coachbuilding practices of the late 1920s. It features an upright body style with a clearly defined chauffeur compartment, enclosed rear passenger area, and side-mounted spare wheels. The overall design adheres to the aesthetic conventions of the period, with pronounced fenders, flat roofline, and a low beltline that provides generous glass surface area. Bertone’s execution is in line with its contemporary custom commissions for aristocracy and government institutions. The powerplant is a 2,569 cc narrow-angle V4 engine equipped with a single overhead camshaft. In this eighth-series configuration, the engine produces approximately 69 horsepower, allowing for a maximum speed of around 125 km/h. The transmission is a four-speed manual unit. Suspension at the front is by sliding-pillar independent system—a Lancia patent—while the rear uses a rigid axle. Braking is via mechanical drum brakes on all four wheels. Approximately 3,903 units of the eighth series Lambda were produced, though the exact number bodied as limousines by Bertone is unknown. Surviving examples of such body configurations are rare, as many were later modified or scrapped. The Lambda VIII Limousine by Bertone illustrates the successful combination of advanced engineering and bespoke coachbuilding in interwar Italy. While Lancia provided a mechanically innovative platform, Bertone’s contribution lies in its dignified and restrained design, consistent with the expectations of executive and ceremonial use in the late 1920s. No confirmed chassis number or ownership records are presently available for this particular example.