DEATH OF DESIGNER

Southland Times, Issue 23182, 24 April 1937, Page 20

DEATH OF DESIGNER

NOTED ITALIAN ENGINEER It would be difficult to over-estimate the ability of Commendatore Vicenzo Lancia, who died in Turin recently, says the Autocar. The design of the cars for which he became so famous, though unorthodox, was always sound and in advance of the times. Also in pre-war days, between 1904 and 1908, he was one of the most famous drivers of Fiats in races. His outstanding mechanical ability was recognized by Vaccarossi, of Michelin’s and Fogolin, of Fiat’s, who formed a separate company for him in 1907. His first car was destroyed by fire in that year, but another 15 horsepower model was prepared and exhibited at Brussels and Turin in 1908. This has been regarded by many as the pioneer light car. After the war came his four-cylinder Lambda model, a 1921 car with independent front-wheel suspension and the chassis forming part of the body! There followed the eight-cylinder Dilambda, the little Augusta, and more recently the Aprilia. An unusual feature of their engines was the slightly staggered arrangements of the cylinders in the block. Although he rose to fame from humble parentage, Lancia had a profound knowledge on many subjects, including history and photography. He drove in the Gordon Bennetts of 1904 and 1905, was third in the Florio Cup in 1905, fourth in the Vanderbilt Cup the same year, drove the second Fiat home behind Nazzaro in the first of all Grands Prix, being fifth in general classsification, was second in the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup race, and second in the 1907 Targa Florio. He won the first Kaiserpreis eliminating race in 1907, and came in second in the 1908 Targa Florio.