Lancia Lambda Weymann Bertone

The Lancia Lambda VIII Limousine by Carrozzeria Bertone represents one of the final iterations of the Lambda chassis, a model renowned for its technical innovations in the late 1920s. First introduced in 1922, the Lambda series pioneered several key engineering solutions, including the use of a load-bearing unibody structure and independent sliding-pillar front suspension. By the time the eighth series entered production in 1928, the model had evolved to support longer wheelbase variants and more complex coachwork. The eighth series Lambda utilized a 2,569 cc narrow-angle V4 engine, overhead camshaft, and a four-speed manual gearbox. Power output was rated at approximately 69 horsepower, with performance focused more on refined touring than outright speed. The car featured mechanical drum brakes on all four wheels, a development in keeping with the model’s forward-thinking engineering. This particular variant, bodied by Carrozzeria Bertone, was constructed using the Weymann system. The Weymann license permitted the creation of lightweight coachwork through a flexible wooden frame covered with fabric or thin metal panels. While early Lambdas employed balloon roofs, the Bertone-built limousine from 1929 featured a fixed metal roof, reflecting a shift in design practices of the period and the growing obsolescence of the inflatable roof concept. The car retained the long-wheelbase chassis layout, allowing for increased interior accommodation and formal limousine proportions. The design includes upright seating for rear passengers, spacious glass surfaces for visibility, and externally mounted spare wheels. The styling is restrained and linear, emphasizing the limousine’s dignified purpose. Few examples of Lambda VIII chassis were bodied in this formal style, and the number produced by Bertone remains undocumented. Chassis numbers and ownership records for this particular specimen are presently unverified in public archives.