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The Astura,
one of the great Lancias of all time
To replace the famous Lambda and later the Dilambda, in 1931 the Artena and Astura were introduced. The two models were well received and judged as being very satisfactory to drive. Light steering, powerful brakes and excellent road-holding all contributed to the cars' performance.
The Astura which was to grow into one of the most important cars, started life with the usual narrow V-8 engine of only 2604 cc, which produced a modest 73 bhp giving the car a maximum speed of about 125 km/h. In 1934 the Astura engine was changed to 3 litres capable of producing 82 bhp and a maximum speed of 130 km/h. In later years it was fitted with some of the most handsome coachwork of the pre-war period, and was widely adopted as the official government transport for high dignitaries of the Mussolini regime.
| Lancia Astura | |||
| Model | Year | Prod. nos. | Chassis nos. |
| 1st series tipo 230 | 1931 - 1932 | 3 - 500 | 30.1001 - 30.1496 |
| 2nd series tipo 230 | 1932 - 1933 | 501 - 1250 | 30-1501 - 30.2250 |
| 3rd series tipo 233 Longo | 1933 - 1934 | 1251 - 1550 | 33.2501 - 33.2800 |
| 1936 - 1937 | 1851 - 2458 |
33.2801 - 33.3408 |
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| 3rd series tipo 233 Corto | 1933 - 1936 | 1551 - 1850 | 33.5001 - 33.5303 |
| 2501 - 2528 | 33.5296 - 33.5327 | ||
| 4th series tipo 241 | 1937 - 1939 | 5 - 426 | 41.2905 - 41.3326 |
| 1942 | 2 chassis built | ||
| Production volumes: Series I & II: 1.246; Series III & IV: 1.665 | |||
Both Artena and Astura were produced in four series and were available throughout the 1930s. Their development reflected the technology of the period in the form of hydraulic brakes, improved servo design and better shock absorbers, and they more than held their own against newer designs. The Astura engine with its perfect symmetry is one of the most beautiful Lancia engines. This V-8 is hardly any longer or wider than a V-4 or a conventional four in line, and this made it an easy fit into the same chassis as the Artena.
Lancia Astura 3rd Series Engine
| Astura 230 | Astura 233 Corto | Astura 233 Longo | Astura 241 | |
| Tipo | 85 | 91 | 91 | 91 |
| Year of manufacture | 1931 - 1933 | 1933 - 1937 | 1933 - 1937 | 1937 - 1939 |
| Cylinders | 8, 19ºV | 8, 19ºV | 8, 19ºV | 8, 19ºV |
| Capacity | 2.604cc 69.85x85 mm | 2.972cc 74.61x85 mm | 2.972cc 74.61x85 mm | 2.972cc 74.61x85 mm |
| Valves | Overhead camshaft | Overhead camshaft | Overhead camshaft | Overhead camshaft |
| Max BHP | 73 at 4.000 rpm | 82 at 4.000 rpm | 82 at 4.000 rpm | 82 at 4.000 rpm |
| Carburettor | Zenith 30 DVT double choke downdraught | Zenith 30 DVI double choke downdraught | Zenith 30 DVI double choke downdraught | Zenith 30 DVI double choke downdraught |
| Ignition | Bosch VG 8 A | Bosch VG 8 A | Bosch VG 8 A | Bosch VG 8 A |
| Clutch | Single dry plate | Single dry plate | Single dry plate | Single dry plate |
| Gearbox | 4-speed with reverse | 4-speed with reverse | 4-speed with reverse | 4-speed with reverse |
| Transmission | Cardan shaft | Cardan shaft | Cardan shaft | Cardan shaft |
| Wheels | Rudge Whitworth wire wheels, 14x45 | Rudge Whitworth wire wheels, 14x45 | Rudge Whitworth wire wheels, 14x45 | Steel disc, Fergat-type |
| Tyres | 550x18; 15x45 low pressure | 15x45 | 15x45 | 16x45 |
| Wheelbase | 3.177 mm | 3.100 mm | 3.332 mm | 3.475 mm |
| Front track | 1.374 mm | 1.374 mm | 1.374 mm | 1.400 mm |
| Rear track | 1.396 mm | 1.396 mm | 1.396 mm | 1.420 mm |
| Maximum width | 1.642 mm | 1.628 mm | 1.628 mm | 1.620 mm |
| Maximum length | 4.517 mm | 4.593 mm | 4.750 mm | 4.840 mm |
| Chassis weight/kerb weight | 960/1.250 kg | 960/1500 kg | 1000/1700 kg | 1050/1750 kg |
| Maximum speed | 125 km/h | 130 km/h | 130 km/h | 128 km/h |
| Fuel consumption | 15 L/100 km | 15 L/100 km | 15 L/100 km | 16.5 L/100 km |
| Maintenance every 3000 km | Change engine oil; clean oil filter; clean fuel filter; check engine compression; check valve adjustment; check oil level of gearbox and rear axle; check brake system; lubricate leaf springs. | |||
| Maintenance every 8000 km | change transmission and rear axle coil; grease front wheel bearings; clean Autoclean filter. | |||
When clothed in one of the beautiful bodies created by such Italian firms as Bertone, Boneschi, Castagna, Pininfarina, Stabilimenti Farina, Touring or Viotti the Astura was among the finest and most satisfying cars of its day. Other non-Italian coachbuilders were Abbey Coachworks, Carlton Carriage London, Gurney Nutting, March and James Young from Great Britain, Pourtout from France, Otto Rasch from Germany and Sodomka from Czechoslovakia.
With such enthusiastic support from the coachbuilders the Lancia factory had no need to produce a wide choice of bodywork and confined itself to four and six light saloons in a sort of mid-Atlantic style. These bodies were also fitted to the Artena.
Being an Astura addict for years I already found lots of pictures on the internet. A summary is given below.
I am trying to set up a database of surviving Asturas. So if you have an Astura, please mail me a picture, together with data like year, chassis-number, engine-number, coach, coachbuilder, etcetera.
Please mail to: info@jancia.eu
Information will not be passed to other people and treated discretely.
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1931 Lancia Astura Saloon 1st Series
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1932 |
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1932 Lancia Astura Saloon
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1932 Lancia Astura Convertible
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1932 Lancia Astura Coupe Pininfarina 2nd Series
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1932 Lancia Astura Carlton Carriage of Willesden
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1933 |
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1933 Lancia Astura Saloon
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1933 Lancia Astura Double Phaeton, Castagna Before restoration
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1933 Lancia Astura Double Phaeton, Castagna After restoration |
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| 1933 Lancia Astura Convertible Viotti | |
| 1934 | |
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1934 Lancia Astura Saloon 233 Longo 3rd
Series
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| 1934 Lancia Astura Saloon Abbey Coachworks |
1934 Lancia Astura Sport (UK)
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| 1935 | |
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1935 Lancia Astura
Saloon 3rd Series
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1935 Lancia Astura Saloon
3rd Series
See below for more pictures |
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1935 Lancia Astura Saloon
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1935 Lancia Astura Saloon Pininfarina 3rd Series |
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| 1935 Lancia Astura 233 Coupe |
1935 Lancia Astura Coupe Gran Lusso Stabilimenti
Farina
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1935 Lancia Astura
Roadster Pininfarina
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1935 Lancia Astura Convertible 3rd
Series
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| 1935 Lancia Astura
Convertible Pininfarina
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1935 Lancia Astura
Convertible Pininfarina
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1935 Lancia Astura Convertible Pininfarina |
1935 Lancia Astura March |
| 1936 | |
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| 1936 Lancia Astura
Saloon Pininfarina Short Wheelbase
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1936 Lancia Astura Coupe Victoria Pininfarina 3rd Series |
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| 1936 Lancia Astura
Pininfarina Short Wheelbase
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1936 Lancia Astura Pininfarina Long Wheelbase |
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| 1936 Lancia Astura Tourer 3rd Series | 1936 Lancia Astura Convertible
Gurney Nutting 3rd Series
See below for more pictures |
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| 1936 Lancia Astura Convertible
Pininfarina 3rd Series
See below for more pictures |
1936 Lancia Astura Convertible Tipo 233C Pininfarina |
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| 1936 Lancia Astura
Convertible tipo Bocca Pininfarina
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1936 Lancia Astura
Convertible tipo Bocca Pininfarina
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| 1936 Lancia Astura
Convertible Pininfarina
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| 1937 Lancia Astura
Saloon Mayfair Carriage
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| 1937 Lancia Astura Convertible Sodomka | 1937
Lancia Astura Roadster Pininfarina
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| 1938 Lancia Astura
Saloon Pininfarina ex-car of Haile Selassie
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| 1938 Lancia Astura Ministeriale Saloon Stabilimenti Farina | 1938 Lancia Astura Coupe de
Ville Pininfarina
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| 1938 Lancia Astura
Aerodinamica Castagna
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1938 Lancia Astura Sports Coupé
Pourtout
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| 1938 Lancia Astura
4th Series Touring
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| 1938 Lancia Astura
Convertible Pininfarina
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1938 Lancia Astura
Convertible Pininfarina
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| 1938 Lancia Astura Convertible Pininfarina 4th Series | 1938 Lancia Astura
Convertible Pininfarina
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| 1938 Lancia Astura
Convertible Pininfarina
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| 1938 Lancia Astura Gran Lusso Convertible
Boneschi
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1938 Lancia Astura
Convertible Pininfarina
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| 1938 Lancia Astura Convertible tipo Bocca Pininfarina | 1938 Lancia Astura
Convertible Pininfarina
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| 1938 Lancia Astura
Mille Miglia
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| 1939 | |
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| 1939 Lancia Astura
Saloon Farina
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| 1939 Lancia Astura
Saloon Pininfarina
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| 1939 Lancia Astura Ministeriale Convertible Pininfarina Mussolini | 1939 Lancia Astura Ministeriale Convertible Boneschi Mussolini
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| 1939 Lancia Astura
Convertible Pininfarina
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1939
Lancia Astura
Convertible Pininfarina
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| 1939 Lancia Astura
Convertible Pininfarina
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| 1940 Lancia Astura
Limousine-Landaulet 6 Posti Pininfarina
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1942 Lancia Astura Lince
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| 1947 Lancia Astura
Convertible Stabilimenti Farina
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| 1947 Lancia Astura
Convertible Stabilimenti Farina
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picture of your Astura could be placed here...
The Lancia Astura. The most beautiful car ever made. Though some disagree..... To their opinion they are right. |
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My Asturas
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1936 Lancia Astura Convertible Gurney Nutting 33-3094 |
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1936 Lancia Astura Convertible Pininfarina 3th Series 33-30?6 |
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1935 Lancia Astura Saloon 3th Series 33-2896 |
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| If
you have pictures of Asturas not displayed on this page, please mail them
to me.
Please mail to: info@jancia.eu |
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| I
am trying to set up a database of surviving Asturas. So if you have an
Astura, please mail me a picture, together with data like year,
chassis-number, engine-number, coach, coachbuilder etcetera.
Please mail to: info@jancia.eu Information will not be passed to other people and treated discretely. |
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