Good Find Friday features interesting vehicles we’ve found for sale while conducting market analysis or appraisal research. They are not for sale by Wolf and Mare and we have no business relationship with the sellers. We just think they’re worth learning about and sharing with our readers!

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Lancia is one of my favorite car brands and I’ve been fortunate enough to have a Lancia in my personal collection at one time. My interest in their cars was driven by a fascination with rally racing — which Lancia dominated in the 1980s — but that’s just a small part of the brand’s story. Its engineering accomplishments are legendary among devotees, but I do wish more auto enthusiasts were aware of Vincenzo Lancia’s many innovations. In today’s Good Find Friday, I’m highlighting one of those achievements: a 1924 Lancia Lambda.

Few automakers embraced engineering innovation quite like Lancia. Founded in Turin in 1906 by racing driver and engineer Vincenzo Lancia, the company built its reputation on doing things differently, often introducing advanced ideas years before the rest of the industry caught up. That philosophy reached a turning point in 1922 with the debut of the Lancia Lambda, introduced as the replacement for the Kappa.

At a time when most cars still relied on heavy separate chassis and fairly primitive suspension systems, the Lambda felt genuinely ahead of its era. Vincenzo Lancia reportedly drew inspiration from shipbuilding techniques, pursuing a lighter, stiffer structure that would improve both handling and comfort while reducing weight.

What made the Lambda so remarkable was just how many innovative ideas it combined into one car. It is widely regarded as the first production automobile to use a true unibody structure, eliminating the traditional body-on-frame layout used by nearly every other manufacturer of the period. The Lambda also featured independent front suspension with sliding pillars and coil springs, giving it a level of ride quality and road holding that few contemporaries could match.

Power came from Lancia’s compact narrow-angle aluminum V4 engine, another highly unusual design for the early 1920s, paired with advanced features like four-wheel brakes and an overhead-camshaft layout. More than a century later, the Lambda is still considered one of the most influential automobiles ever built, not because it was flashy or extravagant, but because so much of modern automotive engineering can trace its roots back to it.

Today’s Good Find Friday car is a 1924 Lancia Lambda Series 2 Torpedo currently listed for sale on Bring a Trailer by the selling dealer in Turin, Italy. The auction ends on Saturday, May 16.

The second series of Lancia Lambda was produced from 1923 to 1924, and brought with it some modifications to the engine, including upgrading bearings, revised rocker arms, and improved water flow. Essentially, the Series 2 ironed out many of the bugs introduced with the Series 1 in 1922.

Designed as a touring car (meaning an open and convertible top), the Lambda is most seen in this configuration. As a Torpedo, today’s car has sleek bodywork with a straight beltline from front to rear. The car is painted in an eye-catching shade of green with a tan interior and black folding soft top.

The v4 engine on the Lambda displaced 2.2 liters and produced 49 horsepower. This may not sound like much, but the Lancia was faster than any car the company made before it, and privateers took the car racing and won. In 1927, a trio of Lancias even took the first three places in the famous Mille Miglia open road race in Italy.

Four-wheel brakes, unheard of at the time, helped slow the car to a stop. Road-holding and ride quality was improved with an independent front suspension, also an innovation, composed of coil springs, sliding pillar and a hydraulic shock absorber designed by Lancia.

Condition-wise, the car’s body looks quite good, with no obvious signs of rust or corrosion. Some of the fittings have a gentle patina that adds charm. The convertible top includes side curtains for those chilly morning drives. The car is claimed to have its original matching numbers engine and chassis, which surely adds some value. There are some questions as to whether the interior upholstery is actually leather, but a quick whiff should answer that question.

An original owner’s manual is included and, as an added bonus for US bidders, the seller has offered to cover the full cost of shipping overseas. That should give you some sense of the expected sales price of this beauty.

Speaking of sales price, about 1,100 Series 2 Lancia Lambda cars were produced between 1923 and 1924, meaning it’s not quite as rare as a Series 1 or even the last and 9th series of which just 500 were built. About 11,200 Lambdas were produced in total throughout its lifetime.

After 100 years, there aren’t exactly a lot of Lambdas trading hands on the public market, but there have been at least half a dozen or so sales in the last 10 years. The vast majority of cars have sold for under $200,000, with about half of that number selling for around $100,000 or less. This car is being offered in Europe on Bring a Trailer’s European platform, which is still growing its presence. I think there’s a good chance this fails to meet its reserve, but you never know!

As friends of mine know, there is a big part of me that feels a strong pull toward pre-war cars. There’s something so delightfully primitive about the operation of such an automobile. The older I get, the more I find relaxation in simpler experiences that require my full concentration, and piloting a big 1920s Lancia on a back road seems like a wonderful way to spend a Saturday morning. Bring a blanket, a thermos of coffee, some pastries and a significant other and — for a little while — live as though it’s 1924.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

Wolf and Mare provides car finding, appraisal and auction services for sellers and buyers of collector European cars. We also provide importation services. Give us a call or drop us a line!