Alexandre
The rebirth of a legend is always an event in the automotive world, especially when it involves a brand as iconic as Lancia. The eagerly awaited new generation Lancia Ypsilon promises, according to the brand's director, to revive the legendary sensations of Lancia cars of yesteryear.
Luca Napolitano, CEO of Lancia, recently shared the following details on what we can expect from the new Ypsilon in an interview with La Stampa. The car, which will be officially presented on February 14 in Milan, is the result of a profound transformation compared to its predecessor. Produced in Figueruelas, Spain, the new Ypsilon is not just an evolution, but a complete reinvention.
Napolitano's focus is on the welcoming look of the new Ypsilon interior. In collaboration with Cassina, famous for its interior design, Lancia promises an experience reminiscent of the flagship models of the past, like the Thema of the 1980s. This attention to interior detail is a tribute to the beautiful Lancia of the past, an aspect that has always distinguished the brand.
But the new Ypsilon doesn't just look back. According to Napolitano, this model aims to attract a broader customer baseThis strategy is in line with Lancia's commitment to the European market, thanks to a renewed design and a stronger presence in the main European markets (for several years, Lancia had been present only in Italy). This strategy is in line with Lancia's mission to consolidate the Stellantis Group's premium offering, with a positioning clearly differentiated from that of its competitors.
The success of the current Ypsilon in Italy, where it is the the undisputed leader in the B segment for 39 years, with four generations and 3 million units sold, is a testament to the brand's strength. This new generation is therefore eagerly awaited, not only in Italy, but also on the European market, where it intends to generate a significant proportion of its sales. Please note, The current Ypsilon is sold for just over 10,000 euros, while the new electric model will probably be sold for over 30,000 euros.
Looking to the future, Luca Napolitano also spoke of Lancia's next milestones, with the launch of the future flagship, the Lancia Gamma, in 2026 and the new Delta in 2028. The Gamma, a 4.7-meter fastback with a range of 700 km, promises to be another step forward for the brand, both in Italy and Europe. As for the new Delta, although details are still shrouded in secrecy, curiosity is already palpable among the brand's many fans.
Except that the Thema had extra power, a true premium that just lacked 4WD.
At least the Lancia Ypsilon will be luxurious and pretty. As for the performance of this improved 208, let's wait and see.
The concept raised hopes, but the result is an e-208. Otherwise, we hear talk of premium positioning, but I'm betting that when it comes out, the Sala system will still be several years behind the MBUX system, already on the market in 2023.
Sorry, but the MBUX isn't up to scratch.
The Stellantis system is far from offering the same processing capabilities, such as augmented reality with guidance by an arrow floating above the road, while voice control is night and day, and I'm not even talking about autonomous driving... The best system at the moment is still BMW's, but Mercedes is just behind it in terms of overall performance (even if the ergonomics need a bit of work, but that's only one aspect). It's not complicated: Mercedes is the only manufacturer to have validated level 3 autonomous driving in Europe. Suppliers are proposing things, but will Lancia really have the budget to match its ambitions? Speaking of suppliers, I recently learned that Exor is the largest shareholder in Forvia, formerly Faurecia.
Fredo
Having used it on the S class from time to time, I can assure you that MBUX is a bug-filled disaster that's totally out of touch with reality, which is why very few people use it.
Yes, apparently Exor is also thinking of gradually getting its hands on Magneti Marelli (perhaps to merge the 2 at the same time).
Stellantis' PR people are really full of shit: the beautiful Lancias of the past and they pull the Thema out of their hat! First of all, the Thema isn't exactly the epitome of stylistic elegance. Secondly, what was beautiful before this period may have been a Gamma coupé, a Beta cabrio or coupé or HPE, a Monte Carlo... but who remembers the interior presentation and quality of materials of these models? It was horrifying! Quite simply... So we'll have to go back a long way to talk about the cosy ambience of a beautiful Lancia.
I couldn't agree more: the "beautiful Lancias of the past" were the Flaminia, the Aurelia and the Flavia..,
When you compare the quality and design of an Audi or VAG of that era to a Thema and Delta, yes, the latter two were more attractive and had nothing to envy from the model with the rings. We're not talking about the interior quality of BMWs, which were all plastic, like the 3 Series, Z1 or Z3. Apart from Mercedes, which had a well-conceived interior but a dreadful design... they were no joy, which is why Lexus, with the LS in the early 90s, nuked them all or relegated them to the ranks of antiques with the IS.
Lancia? All I see is an Opel with the Lancia name (not even the badge).
What happened to the Lancia aesthetic that rivalled that of Maserati and Jaguar?
The new designers are to the automobile what rappers are to music, and Stellantis is the tomb of the Italian automobile.
Quick, I want to discover this vehicle.
How much will it cost?
Having suffered a stroke, the automatic gearbox will exist????