Lancia · 1939–1953
Lancia Ardea
The Lancia Ardea is a small family car produced by Italian car manufacturer Lancia between 1939 and 1953. Its unusually short bonnet reportedly contained the smallest V4 engine ever commercialized in a small family car. Nearly 23,000 of the Ardeas produced were standard bodied saloons but between 1940 and 1942 approximately 500 Ardeas were manufactured with lengthened bodies and a squared off rear cabin for use in Rome as taxis. After the war more than 8,500 commercial adaptations of the Ardea known as 'furgoncini' (light van versions) and the 'camioncini' (car based light trucks) were also produced. The third series Ardea, produced from 1948, was the first mass-produced car with a 5-speed manual transmission. Ardea was named either after Ardea town (Lazio), or Via Ardeatina, Roman road leading from Rome to that town.
Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Predecessor: Lancia Augusta · Successor: Lancia Appia
All Lancia Ardea data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →
Specifications
- name
- Lancia Ardea
- Manufacturer
- Lancia
- Production
- 1939–1953, approx 32 000 vehicles
- Class
- Small family car (C)
- Body style
- 4-door saloon, 2-door pickup (Camioncino), 3-door van (Furgoncino), 4-door taxi (Tassì Roma)
- Layout
- Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
- Engine
- 903 cc Lancia V4, Max. Power output 26 bhp at 4600 rpm
- Transmission
- 4-speed manual (1939–1948), 5-speed manual (1948–1953)
- Wheelbase
- 2440 mm, 2500 mm (pick-up/van), 2950 mm (taxi)
- Length
- 3615 mm
- Width
- 1380 mm
- Kerb weight
- 780 kg (saloon)
- Predecessor
- Lancia Augusta
- Successor
- Lancia Appia
- sp
- uk
- Top speed
- 110 km/h
Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.
Sources
- Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1801831CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancia_ArdeaCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1241217096 · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lancia_Ardea.JPGPublic domain · Photo: Luc106 · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.