FWD Lancias

[Will Owen <nashwill@xxxxxxxxx>]

Joel Hailey wrote in AD#277 about the 164
<< "I was surprised (and pleased) to find
 that much of the engineering "philosophy" if you will, obviously came
from
the same
 technological think tank that gave us the modern front wheel drive
Lancias,
the first
 of which was the Beta. The cradle type subframe, the style of the motor
mounts, the
 internals of the transaxle, the suspension design, the brakes."

Having just spent a few hours slogging through a box full of old
Lancia magazines (anyone interested, by the way?), I'm more than ready
to tell anyone who cares that the first FWD Lancia was not the Beta
(1972), but the Flavia (1961), a flat-four powered car designed by a
Dr. Fessia, previously distnguished by having designed the prewar Fiat
Topolino. This was followed by the Fulvia (1964). The last real Lancia
was the Gamma, another flat-four, but by then Fiat had taken over,
which was when we got the Beta, which used the Fiat DOHC 4...and I
guess that gives us some Alfa content, at least by marriage.

Will Owen
Nashville, TN


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