Lancia Ardea
Lancia Ardea
front view – elegant!
A small car introduced in 1939, the Lancia Ardea charmed Italy until it finished production in 1953. Over 20,000 were made, all with the 903 cc engine. Not seen in the US, there is an active Ardea group in Italy. They have a remarkably detailed website www.lancia-ardea.it/index.htm, one of the most extraordinarily detailed sites, full of information rarely seen. It really is a worthwhile visit.
Abarth aftermarket two carb setup for the Ardea
Ardea from the back, an unusual notion for a car in 1939
Wonderful little cars. So well-proportioned, in fact, that it’s hard to judge the size from the photos. I was reminded last weekend how compact the Aprilia is, and the Ardea is the 3/4 size version. Given the engine size, I suspect it’d be a bit of a challenge to use one in the US for anything other than local driving. But they’re just so appealling…
Ed Levin
September 8, 2012 at 4:48 am