Take a look at our newest merchandise
One time, on a sure British automotive TV present, two members of a trio of hosts you’ve most likely heard of proclaimed that Lancia is the automaker that has produced probably the most “really nice” automobiles. Whereas Lancia can generally be the butt of jokes, principally due to reliability (or lack thereof), we will’t deny the affect the model has had on the automotive world.
From real improvements, just like the first-ever manufacturing V6 engine, to an all-conquering rally dynasty that comprised the 037, the Stratos, and the Delta Integrale, Lancia has left fairly the mark on automobile historical past. They could not have been all that dependable, however they had been really fascinating and, oftentimes, fairly good to drive.
Lancia was just about given the boot within the 2000s, making frivolously rebadged Fiats, Chryslers, and, as of lately, Peugeots. Nonetheless, earlier than Fiat stopped seeing the potential in Lancia, they got one final likelihood to take the world of luxurious automobiles by storm; the Thesis.
How the Thesis Got here To Be
The Thesis, the ultimate correct Lancia sedan, can hint its roots again to the Dialogos idea automobile proven on the 1998 Turin Motor Present. Enjoyable truth: that’s the exact same present the place Fiat debuted the Multipla. The Dialogos was a showstopping luxurious sedan with coach doorways and a curvy exterior impressed by the unbelievable Aurelia.
After all, it could take a couple of years for the manufacturing automobile to materialize, however not earlier than an nearly completed prototype of what would grow to be the Thesis was gifted to the Pope in the course of the Nice Jubillee in 2000. Finally, the manufacturing Lancia Thesis debuted in 2001 on the Frankfurt Motor Present.
Immediately, the Thesis made it clear that it wasn’t going to run with the pack, and that conservative, protected styling was not a precedence for the designers. It was a really uncommon design, to say the least. Some liked it, some hated it, but it surely’s robust to dispute how distinctive it’s. The tiny headlights, the skinny, tail fin-inspired rear finish and slim taillights, and the affect from the Dialogos idea automobile all made the Thesis stand out. For each the precise and the improper causes.
In addition to attempting to tempt folks away from the Germans with the styling, the Thesis carried a decrease sticker value than the competitors. However it’s important to dig deeper to see how severely Lancia took this complete factor.
A Utterly Bespoke Platform
Platform sharing is well the commonest apply within the automobile business proper now. A great deal of automobiles all share one widespread platform, as that saves engineering prices and permits the automakers to pad out the lineup very effectively. Sarcastically, Stellantis remains to be extraordinarily responsible of this at this time.
Lancia realized that this wouldn’t be sufficient for the Thesis. That’s why they dumped thousands and thousands of {dollars} into creating a bespoke platform that might solely be utilized by the Thesis and no different automobile. Whereas the earlier Lancia luxurious sedan, the Kappa, shared some DNA with the Alfa Romeo 166, not a single piece of the Thesis was shared with any Fiat or Alfa Romeo mannequin.
This made the Thesis really distinctive, and as one proprietor informed me, it additionally implies that it’s very costly to take care of and restore drivetrain elements. Lancia did come to its senses for the powertrains, nevertheless, as these had been shared with different fashions within the Fiat secure. There have been numerous five-cylinder diesel and gasoline items, in addition to two gasoline-powered V6 engines that shared lots with the legendary Alfa Romeo Busso engine.
Not Fairly The Supposed Runaway Success
Regardless of 9 figures value of improvement and an optimistic board of administrators, the Lancia Thesis merely didn’t catch on. Even with its cheaper base value and courageous design, it didn’t actually stand an opportunity in opposition to the Germans, and even the Japanese.
For one, early fashions struggled with efficiency, with the early diesel engine specifically being severely underpowered for such an enormous and heavy automobile. It was solely manufactured in LHD, that means some international markets couldn’t take pleasure in a chunk of the pie.
Lancia had forecasted gross sales figures of about 13,000 fashions per yr when the Thesis was first launched, however that was some fairly intense optimism. As a substitute, Lancia solely managed to shift 16,000 Thesises throughout your entire manufacturing run from 2002 to 2009.
The Final Correct Lancia Sedan
Only a few folks realized it on the time, however this may be the final correct Lancia sedan, or at the least the final one to have a lot involvement from the automaker. After the Thesis and in direction of the tip of the 2000s, Fiat determined that Lancia was merely not value caring about anymore. The Delta and the Ypsilon had been each badge-engineered Fiats, and the remainder of Lancia’s lineup was taken up by rebadged Chryslers. To additional the confusion, within the UK, Lancia’s Fiat-based fashions would even be bought as Chryslers.
The Thesis is certainly a curious piece of automotive historical past, and if issues had panned out otherwise for Lancia, it may have grow to be an absolute tour de pressure within the luxurious automobile world. Possibly the 2020s will lastly give solution to a Lancia redemption arc… as quickly as they’re finished making that rebadged Peugeot 208.
