Lancia is making a comeback

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Since the 2011 Ypsilon, Lancia has not shown any innovations. And since 2017 the old traditional brand visits Italy only as its shadow. After all, the ancient Ypsilon is the only model that is still one of the best-selling models.

But under the new parent company Stellantis, everything should start again in 2024: Lancia is back as a premium brand to complement Alfa Romeo and DS. With its first concept car since its 100th birthday 17 years ago, the Italian brand is now showing a sign of life. Pu+Ra HPE aims to provide a preview of what can be expected from future Lancia design.

details as before

The bizarre name refers to the brand’s history: the acronym for HPE once stood for High Performance Real Estate in the German sports sedan. E now takes on new meaning with Electric, as the entire Stellantis Group will be electrified in the future. So cool: the full window of the passenger compartment above the waist. Finally you can get a good look out of this electric car.

Details of earlier models can also be found in the work, such as the slats on the rear roof pillar, the round tail lights or the triangular front grille that can be recognized with much imagination. But overall, the concept car is a pretty radical and crazy new start. Is it a risk? Which of today’s new car customers still remember the glorious Lancia models of the 1970s and 1980s?

Luxury furniture in the interior

The interior is quite Italian: Lancia collaborated on the design with luxury furniture manufacturer Cassina. The seats therefore look more like chaise lounges. It even has a round side table in front of it. Recycled materials are used – Stellantis also works on a circular economy to recycle old materials without loss of quality.

The infotainment system with adaptive ambient lighting is also very new. Overall, the study looks more like a wheelchair than a classic car. No details about the ride yet. But an estimated range of 700 kilometers and consumption of around ten kilowatt-hours (kWh) per 100 kilometers must be determined – even though the latter still seems utopian at the moment.

Design work, not production model

What’s next? Pu+Ra HPE should not have a concrete serial model – the study only shows the future design direction. It starts with Lancia’s reboot next year with a new Ypsilon – again based on the Fiat 500, all new all-electric on the Fiat 500e platform. From 2028, Lancia should finally finish off the internal combustion engines – after which the internal combustion and hybrid Ypsilon will be phased out.

It continues with a new big Lancia in 2026 – the Beta name is already unforgettable. Fit: The first beta was available from 1972 to 1984 as a sedan, coupé, spider, mid-engine sports car, shoot brake, and hatchback sedan. One for almost everyone who would speak out in favor of being called an SUV today. Two years later – in 2028 – the new Delta will follow suit as a compact car.

Lancia is said to be the most environmentally friendly Stellantis brand. It has the highest rate of environmentally friendly and recycled materials in the group. Half of all sales should be made online, but Lancia CEO Luca Napolitano still plans around 100 garages in 60 major European cities.

Source: Blick