Lancia 12 HP Tipo 51 Double Phaeton
Lancia's first production car replaced exposed drive chains with a cleaner, stronger shaft and announced the engineering-first character of the new company.
Lancia 12 HP Double Phaeton archive image · Unknown; Fiat/Lancia historical archive via SAN/ICAR · Public domain (Public Domain Mark)
Research pending
A matching completed auction sale has not been verified for this exact year, body, trim, engine, transmission and market.
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More than a set of wheels.
Vincenzo Lancia and Claudio Fogolin founded Lancia in Turin in November 1906, completed their first chassis in 1907 and presented the Tipo 51 at the Turin Motor Show in January 1908. It was called 12 HP for tax purposes; the Greek-letter name Alpha was applied later. This profile follows the 1907 first-model Double Phaeton road car, not the lighter Sport racer.
Look a little closer.
The car became 'Alpha' only years later, when Vincenzo Lancia's brother suggested naming the company's cars with Greek letters.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
The first Lancia already tried something better
A shaft with universal joints carried power to the rear wheels. Stellantis Heritage describes it as cleaner, stronger and more reliable than the chain drives then common, and the layout soon became normal throughout the industry.
Source: Stellantis Heritage · Lancia Alpha 12 HP ↗A chassis could wear several outfits
Early buyers often selected a body for a manufacturer's powered chassis. Lancia offered the Tipo 51 as a luxury coupé, double phaeton, limousine or landaulet. The road-car Double Phaeton here is kept separate from the small number of short-wheelbase Sport racers.
Source: Stellantis Media · Lancia 12 HP at Milano AutoClassica ↗Where these facts come from
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed September 30, 2026.