A long-awaited model that marks a new course for the Turin brand. Here are the choices made by the designers based on the PU+RA HPE concept
For connoisseurs of the Turin brand founded in 1906 from the grand prix ace Vincenzo Lancia, starting again from the Ypsilon might seem “little” but it is actually good news. To begin with, even the small Turin hatchback is now history of the brand, almost 40 years have passed since the birth of the Autobianchi Y10, sold in many countries also under the Lancia brand and which from the start already had those typical distinctive Lancia values that many (and many) customers have been able to appreciate. After the Y of 1995, the Ypsilon of 2003 and the one of 2011 arrived, all highly commercially successful cars sharing common characteristics, the same as the first Y10: one strong style and lots of class. The relaunch began with the PU+RA HPE concept, a “declaration of intent” of the next 10 years of the reborn Lancia by Stellantis, a self-propelled manifesto full of historical quotes and which obviously makes its style its strength. Strength, identity, has always been a necessary condition, especially since shared platforms and technologies exist. The relaunch took shape with the marketing of the new Ypsilon Cassina, offered in a limited edition for 1906 buyers.
in front of
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Even though the platform from which the Ypsilon derives is quite visible, thanks to its stylistic features, the new Lancia manages to stand out. Especially at the front. An expert eye can perceive the volume of the Peugeot 208, but the Ypsilon has a look all its own. The stylistic concepts already seen on the showcar remain, reinterpreted, in turn taken from the great Lancias of the past such as the cup-shaped front or the black portion on the nose taken from the 1975 Beta Montecarlo. The low beam headlights are designed below the line of the bonnet, a solution that “breaks” the classic balance and which aims to enhance the daytime lights. Others did it too but, intended or not, the first was the 1955 Lancia Florida 1 by Pininfarina. Speaking of daytime running lights, it will be interesting to see how the group’s other major brand, Opel, handles the front design as the German brand, looking at their recent concepts, is also moving towards a similar arrangement.
side
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The view of the lateral volume is the one that most betrays the proximity to its French sister with the wheel arches being treated in a similar way, coloring them in contrast to the bodywork to emphasize the size of the wheel and therefore to lighten the volume of the car. However, a slightly arched design brings it closer to previous generations. The arrangement of the rear handle embedded in the pillar as on the “outgoing” generation helps to give it greater dynamism by hiding the rear doors, making the side more streamlined. The relationship with the 208, which easily lends itself to criticism, in this case also leads to the Ypsilon an unprecedented and very welcome sportsmanship, almost absent on previous generations. The wheel arches are generous and more generally, the whole volume appears more “placed”, more oriented towards sportiness, which bodes well for its handling qualities as well as for its sporting future.
behind
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A touch of sport is also seen in the rear viewalso taken from the PU+RA HPE, presents stylistic features unmistakably Stratos and therefore absolutely sporty, loaded but certainly characterizing. In the midst of so much sportiness there is also a touch of elegance: the horizontal black band that proudly hosts the “Lancia” brand with a surface treatment similar to that visible on the nose. This is ideally a continuation of the rear window and connects to the level of the lights, visually “lightening” the tail. This solution, although slightly different because it is involved in a more complex design, also derives from the Lancias of the past, this time those of the new millennium, all inspired in this detail by the “Nea” and “GranTurismo” concepts of 2002. Obviously the interiors also fully exude Lancia history, perhaps in an even more profound way and without the caricatural aspects of the exteriors, in particular these of the limited edition “Cassina”, signature of home interior design, Lancia claims to have designed them to inspire the comfort of an Italian home, they are enriched with (ecological) materials that to the sight and to the touch, however, they also unequivocally take you back to the Beta Hpe or the Thema and in general to the many Lancias that have left their mark on automotive interior design, establishing absolute references. Ultimately, this first Lancia of the new Stellantis era may cause discussion among the fundamentalists of the brand for its French accent, but chatter aside, only one unequivocal fact remains: Lancia is back and all those who truly love her must hope that she is here to stay for a long time.
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