Vincenzo Lancia
Encyclopedia
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
, engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
and founder of Lancia
Lancia
Lancia Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian automobile manufacturer founded in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia and which became part of the Fiat Group in 1969. The company has a long history of producing distinctive cars and also has a strong rally heritage. Some modern Lancias are seen as presenting a more...
.
Vincenzo Lancia was born in the small village of Fobello
Fobello
Fobello is a comune in the Province of Vercelli in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 100 km northeast of Turin and about 70 km northwest of Vercelli...
on 24 August 1881, close to Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
. He was the youngest of four children (one sister and two brothers), his father being a soup canner who made his money in Argentina before returning to Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
to start his business. From an early age, Vincenzo showed a gift with numbers, and it was intended for him to become a bookkeeper, but developed an interest in machinery and engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, and was fascinated with the new motor car.
He eventually became an apprentice with Giovanni Battista Ceirano
Giovanni Battista Ceirano
Giovanni Battista Ceirano was an Italian entrepreneur and car pioneer.Born in Cuneo in 1860, Ceirano is the eldest of three brothers who were pioneers of the Italian car industry...
, a bicycle importer in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, and he was named bookkeeper in the company's brochure in 1898. He was also developing his skills at engineering, design and construction, and developed patience, perseverance and determination. Soon he could tackle most problems single-handedly.
Once Lancia was sent to help Count Carlo Biscaretti di Ruffia
Carlo Biscaretti di Ruffia
Carlo Biscaretti di Ruffia was an Italian conte, known for his works as artist, industrial designer, journalist and as automobile enthusiast....
, who owned a Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
. When they met in February 1899 they quickly became friends. He was to become important in Lancia's later career, and was credited with the design of the now familiar Lancia
Lancia
Lancia Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian automobile manufacturer founded in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia and which became part of the Fiat Group in 1969. The company has a long history of producing distinctive cars and also has a strong rally heritage. Some modern Lancias are seen as presenting a more...
logo (1911).
Lancia, however, was now chief inspector at Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
, and was also test driver, although only 19. His driving impressed the Fiat bosses, and he was invited to drive their cars in races, and his first success was in 1900, in Fiat's second race. Lancia led the first lap of first French Grand Prix
1906 French Grand Prix
The 1906 Grand Prix de l'Automobile Club de France, commonly known as the 1906 French Grand Prix, was a motor race held on 26 and 27 June 1906, on closed public roads outside the city of Le Mans...
at Le Mans
Le Mans
Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
with a time of 53 minutes 42 seconds. He was an exceptionally fast driver, often fastest of all, but often suffered a mechanical failure.
His first car was built in 1907 - the 12 hp Alfa
Lancia Alfa-12HP
The Lancia Alfa 12 HP was the first car made by Lancia. The cars first road tests begun in September 1907 and production started in 1908. Vincenzo Lancia unveiled his first car in Turin Motor Show in 1908...
, which included a lot of the technology now taken for granted, and he produced groundbreaking models such as the Lambda
Lancia Lambda
The Lancia Lambda is an innovative automobile produced from 1922 through 1931. It was the first car to feature a load-bearing monocoque-type body, and it also pioneered the use of an independent suspension . Vincenzo Lancia even invented a shock absorber for the car and it had excellent four wheel...
and the Aprilia
Lancia Aprilia
Lancia Aprilia is automobile manufactured by Lancia, one of the first designed using wind tunnel in collaboration with Battista Farina and Politecnico di Torino, achieving a record low drag coefficient of 0.47....
. He died from a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
on 15 February 1937 just before the Aprilia
Lancia Aprilia
Lancia Aprilia is automobile manufactured by Lancia, one of the first designed using wind tunnel in collaboration with Battista Farina and Politecnico di Torino, achieving a record low drag coefficient of 0.47....
was put into full production. He was 55 years old, and he lies buried at Fobello
Fobello
Fobello is a comune in the Province of Vercelli in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 100 km northeast of Turin and about 70 km northwest of Vercelli...
. His wife Adele Miglietti Lancia, and their son Gianni Lancia
Gianni Lancia
Gianni Lancia is an Italian former automobile engineer, industrialist and racing enthusiast, known for running the Lancia carmaker in Torino...
continued the management of the car manufacturer (1937–1955).
External links
- Lancia Motor Club (UK)
- Vincenzo Lancia (VanderbiltCupRaces.com)