Lancia is a car company that was once massive all over the world. They were the best rally team in the world, their cars were uber-luxurious but also very unreliable. Fast forward to 2021 and yes they still make one popular car (and only one car) and that’s the hideous Ypsilon which is the second best-selling new car in Italy right now. That is a truly hideous little car that has been around now since 2011.
Lancia is far from the company it once was. However, maybe an EV revival will bring back the magic from the good old days? The thing is though, if Lancia does not get an EV revival, it will go bust. Stellantis, who now own Lancia will ax the brand if they can’t find a future for it.
There will be an electric Yplsion of some sort in the future, as Europe switches to EVs. It’s unlikely the US will get that car since small cars have never usually worked in North America. Could an electric Lancia SUV be in the woodworks? Possibly, however, that will come later on since the Stellantis group are massively working on an all-new Delta to sit above the Astra and 308 within their hatchback lineup. Again, the Delta probably won’t come to North America as hatchbacks do not usually work at all there.
Lancia is a company that needs to be revived. It is essentially the Italian Mercedes, just without any of the Mercedes engineering, build-quality, or reliability. Luckily though, no Lancia looks like a Mercedes, and the reason I say “luckily” is because Lancia makes incredible-looking cars.
Currently, Lancia’s main market is the Italian one However, at one point they were very successful across Europe. Unfortunately, bad build quality killed the reputation of the brand, especially in countries like the UK where the rusty Beta ended Lancia’s venture within the British isles.
So, what are my thoughts on Lancia going electric? Well, let’s find out.
Picture via: carscoops.com
A Load Of Iconic Names Will Be Revived.
Thema, Fulvia, Stratos, Montecarlo, Gamma, Aurelia, etc are all famous Lancia models, which could be revived as part of this EV plan. Of course, most of these names will end up on the back of an SUV maybe or a China only weird MPV, however, names like Stratos or Fulvia could end up on future Lancia EV sports cars or supercars.
The first iconic name to be revived though is Delta. As mentioned earlier, it will be a prestigious hatchback put above the 308 Peugeot and Vauxhall/Opel Astra. It will be based on the same platform used by the electric equivalent of those vehicles and the new Delta will rival the likes of the Mercedes A-Class or Audi A3. It will also be launched in 2028 which is seven years away from now.
Who knows what else within these seven years will come along too. We are praying that an 037 or Stratos revival will happen, though how will petrolheads feel about these cars being electric? After all, both had marvelous engines fitted to them. Just maybe, Stellantis will make an exception here and make just one more final combustion-powered Lancia.
A few car companies over the past few years have brought out their own “revivals” of classic Lancia models. These include the new Stratos, the Kimera 037, and the Automobili Amos Delta. However, allow these cars are ridiculously expensive, very hard to get hold of, and all not made by Lancia. They’re in fact made by Lancia enthusiasts which is great but it’s about time the real deal makes their own modern take on what a Lancia should be.
What About Alfa Romeo?
Alfa Romeo is that another Italian premium brand under Stellantis that could suffer if Lancia is revived. They too probably will go electric, however, won’t they become a direct rival for Lancia?
Alfa Romeo plans to launch an all-electric GTV sports car, an SUV, and a sedan. Pretty similar then to the Lancia lineup, and both marques will share the same platforms. Things will get tight, and in my opinion, I just don’t know how Stellantis will balance out the two brands. They could sell Lancia’s to one market and Alfa Romeo’s to another, we’ll have to wait and see.
Both Lancia and Alfa Romeo had such a large pedigree. Both are very successful in motorsport, both make very beautiful cars and both have for years had financial issues. Can both brands survive? The market is so much more competitive these days, and Alfa Romeo nor Lancia have ever been “bestsellers.”
Lancia Has Been Revived In The Past.
Lancia has been revived in the past. However, most models were re-badged Chrysler vehicles based on existing Fiat vehicles. There was the Delta in 2008, which wasn’t great whatsoever (sold as the Chrysler Delta here in the UK). That car was meant to be launched as a Lancia in the UK but plans for a UK revival were scrapped.
Between the mid-2000s and the late 2010s, Lancia made some very awful cars. They were all badge-engineered Chrysler’s ao they never had the same charm or soul as elder Lancia’s. Reliability though as always was pretty poor and so was the build quality. It all felt as if everything was done on a shoestring budget.
In my opinion, things did not work. Lancia now only makes one car, and the values and beliefs the brand once had are far gone. They’re not really considered that premium anymore at all.
This means that Stellantis will have to work very hard on reviving the Lancia name. Hence why they’re naming some of these new vehicles after elder previous more famous models. This gives them a sportier feel that carries a lot of pedigree. Lancia will also have to make very good-looking cars in order to succeed since for the past decade, all of their cars have looked average and that is a shame for a brand that once made the most beautiful cars in the world.
To Conclude.
Lancia’s revival sounds pretty exciting. However, it will be a large gamble considering the company has not been very successful outside of Italy whatsoever. If Stellantis want Lancia to be a worldwide name, then it will take some time and a lot of heavy marketing. Luckily, most people in the UK at least have forgotten about Lancia and its rusty reputation.
However, it will be very hard to compete against German rivals who at the minute have a monopoly within the luxury car market. Tesla will also be another brand Lancia will have to compete with. Things will be hard, but Stellantis do have a lot of money to invest into the brand. However, Stellantis will pull the plug on Lancia if they feel they do not have a future or if the revival fails.