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UK V5
See UK Registration/Import Status Guide in catalogue.

The revolutionary Lancia Lambda combined a host of innovative features developed by Vincenzo Lancia and his talented team into a harmonious whole. They took a clean sheet approach which set the Lambda apart from all of its contemporaries and showed other manufacturers the path for the future. The monocoque chassis-less construction combined with independent front suspension, great rigidity, light weight and highly effective brakes capable of a 1g stop were all key features. The handling and roadholding were far ahead of any contemporary car and so impressed Rolls-Royce that they purchased a Lambda and disassembled it in an effort to discover the secrets of its remarkable road behavior.

This car is the only known survivor of the nine cars which Lancia prepared for the 1928 Mille Miglia. According to the consignor, it retains its original body, engine, and special Mille Miglia features; it also has a continuous history from new. The special features include a cut-down driver’s door, long flowing wings, high running boards different from the standard Torpédo, additional adjustable rear shock absorbers, twin Autovac fuel supply units, a Pirotta cylinder head, and 120-liter fuel tank with a large external filler. Available records do not show which of the factory-prepared cars was driven by which driver and co-driver; however, a certificate from Lancia confirms that this is a genuine Mille Miglia car, confirmed by its history and special features. In one of the nine factory-prepared Lambdas, drivers Strazza and Varallo challenged for the lead over a long period but dropped a valve in the closing stages to come in 3rd Overall and win their class. Moreover, with two other Lambdas finishing in 7th and 9th Overall and also 11th and 19th, the race was a vindication of the Lambdas’ superior handling and excellent preparation, although the cars lacked sufficient power to challenge Campari who won the race in his Alfa Romeo.

After the 1928 Mille Miglia, the car was sent by Lancia to its English subsidiary at Alperton on the outskirts of London. An article in the April 12, 1929 edition of The Autocar, reviewing this Lancia refers to it as the “Thousand Mile” car and discusses the twin Autovac system and the large fuel tank taking up most of the luggage compartment.

Lancia England then sold the car to Fred Bird, an American who divided his time between London, Switzerland and Cabris in the south of France, circa 1930. Mr. Bird added an astonishing 250,000 miles to the car before eventually retiring it. Circa 1960 it was acquired by Edmund Tory, a UK Lancia club stalwart, before coming into the hands of Gerald Batt circa 1970. Mr. Batt was a well-known English Lambda enthusiast who at one time had no less than 17 examples. Recognizing the rarity and historical importance of the car, Mr. Batt parted with a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost in order to acquire the Lambda. Approximately fifteen years ago, the present owner visited Mr. Batt and expressed interest in the Lambda, which Mr. Batt said he would never sell. Years later and after much patience, the present owner managed to buy the car from Mr. Batt. Following a gentle recommissioning, the present owner and his wife embarked on the 2019 1000 Miglia retrospective, on which the car performed faultlessly. Immediately after the finish of the 1000 Miglia, they took the car to the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, where the judges fully appreciated the car’s history, originality, and recent historic exhibition use. The Lancia received the FIVA Award for best preserved and most original prewar car.

On returning to England, the Lambda was taken to noted restorer Jonathan Wood. He carried out a full assessment of the car and undertook the work necessary to return it to proper running condition in all departments. The work included overhaul of front and rear suspension, new wheels and tires, manufacture of a new 120-liter stainless steel fuel tank, overhaul of the electrical system, including installation of hidden coil ignition, and realignment of the engine, gearbox, and prop shaft.

The Lambda is UK-registered with its long-term number “MP 4770” and comes with an extensive history file, including a copy of the Anniversary Edition of Automobile Magazine, which features an article on the car when it was owned by Gerald Batt. The chance to acquire this Lambda MM Torpédo Tourer, with its 1928 Mille Miglia history, irreplaceable originality, and vast event eligibility, is an opportunity not to be overlooked.