The England under-21 striker hit the first hat-trick of his career in the space of 12 first-half minutes then limped off at half time with the job well and truly done.
Poor Torquay had no respite as Lita's replacement, Paul Heffernan, helped himself to a classy solo goal for number four in the 54th minute.
Lita opened with a show-stopping 30-yard volley in the ninth minute.
Three minutes later he punished some sloppy marking to head home a right-wing corner by lively debutant Joey Keith.
And in the 21st minute he burst clear on to a back-heel pass by Keith and drilled a low cross-shot past Torquay keeper Andy Marriott and just inside the right-hand post.
Marriott had no chance with any of the goals which took Lita's tally for the season to 26.
Apart from Lita, City's hero was goalkeeper Steve Phillips.
Remarkably, Torquay had more chances, more shots and more corners than City in the first half yet found themselves down and out.
Phillips produced a series of top-class saves as Torquay squandered a host of chances laid on by right winger Martin Phillips.
Heffernan's goal, an end-to-end affair set up by skipper Jamie Smith's raking pass out of defence, killed off any chance of a fightback in the second half.
And, before and after a couple of fans ran on to the pitch and were marched away, City were able to click into cruise control in the closing stages.
The result pushed Torquay, who gave a debut to loan signing Darren Garner from Rotherham in midfield, deeper into relegation trouble.
But for City, it ended a lean spell of only two wins in ten games.