So, What About Lancia?

It's either bizarre or sad, depending on how you look at it.  I'm talking about Lancia, of course.  Amidst the hubbub of the Fiat/Chrysler merger (or takeover, depending on your views), we've been hearing a lot about Chrysler, Dodge, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Ferrari, and the tech sharing that will occur between them.

The 2013 Dodge Dart is an Alfa Romeo Guilietta underneath.  The Dodge Journey is making it's way over to Europe with Fiat engines (including diesels), new nose, and a slightly refined interior as the Fiat Freemont.  The Fiat brand has returned to the US after an almost 30-year absence, selling the 500. Supposedly the next-generation Viper will include some Ferrari technology mixed in with it's traditional big-block badassery.  The Ram brand will be getting the Fiat Ducato as a commercial van to compete with the Ford Transit Connect as well.

It may look like a Dodge Journey, but it's a Fiat.

With the consumption of the Chrysler Group, Fiat has become nearly Volkswagen-like in it's proliferation of brands and associations.  Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Ferrari (and Maserati), Lancia, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Magnetti-Marelli, and a lot more if you go further into shared interests, etc.  The brand covers everything from the tiny 500 and Panda subcompacts up through 8,000lb Ram Heavy Duty trucks, which could probably tow 10 Fiat 500's.  But what's Lancia getting?

If that looks like a Chrysler 300C to you, you're forgiven.  It's actually a Lancia Thema.  Such uncreative, insubstantive rebadging hasn't been seen since Chrysler sold the Neon as a Dodge and a Plymouth, with the only difference being the badges.  And frankly, such inappropriate rebadging hasn't been seen since Pontiac sold a Daewoo hatchback made out of old Opel parts as the LeMans from '88-'93.  But it's okay.  The 300C might not resonate with Lancia's engineering reputation, but it's a nice car in it's own right.  Surely that's it?

Oh!  The Lancia Voyager!  No points for guessing what this was, they didn't even change the name.  But that has to be it, right?

Ahh, jeez.  You have got to be kidding me.  This is not a Flavia.  No.  This is the automotive equivalent of grabbing your grandma by the lapel and punching her in the face until it's flat.  That, unless I've lost my eyesite, is a Chrysler 200.  One of the most lacklustre cars out there, a relic of old Mopar, a Sebring with a half-assed facelift.  A Sebring Convertible, the dream car of boring real estate agents and octogenarian Floridian retirees.  The Metamucil of automobiles.  That's a crap.  This is a Lancia Flavia.  This is a real Lancia.

That is a gorgeous car, one that was designed by people who loved automobiles, not number crunchers.  This was pre-Fiat Lancia, when they would send a design back to the drawing board if it was too conventional.  This was before Fiat bought them, and forced them to sell cookie-cutter Fiat Strada's as the Prisma.  This was the company that gave us narrow-angle V4's canted to the side, because they could.  For instance, the Flavia had an all-aluminum pushrod flat four.  Why?  Because!

I'll be honest, this sham of a Flavia irks me.  Not just because the 200 isn't a great car, or that it's not a Lancia in anything except badging, but because Lancia has such a rich history to draw from, so much potential.  The brand has existed since 1906.  It was a pioneer in a lot of ways.  Why is it getting saddled with cast-off Chrysler products?

So, why didn't Lancia ever produce the 2003 Fulvia concept?  It was originally green-lit after introduction in 2003 for production, then cancelled, then the same in 2008.  Still, while the brand-sharing of technology runs rampant with every other brand, Lancia gets the proverbial dirty end of the stick.  The Fulvia would've been a fantastic car.  Of course, there was the spot-on styling.  This design is a decade old, but still looks fresh.  It was a modern interpretation of the classic Fulvia Coupe, a car which showed that small and simple could be absolutely beautiful.  The Fulvia rocked the face off of all competition on rally circuits before the arrival of the even wilder Stratos rally car, and it's still a high mark of design today.  Just look at it.

The 2003 Fulvia concept probably would've been great to drive, like a modern CRX Si, except sexy and Italian.  It's underpinnings were taken from the Fiat Barchetta roadster.  Just like the original, it was a strict two-seater with front drive, light weight, and a short wheelbase.  The 1.8L 16v motor made 140 horsepower, drove through a regular 5-speed manual, and the whole concept weighed in at 990kg (2,186lbs.)

Obviously, those underpinnings are outdated today.  But Lancia needs something besides rebadged Chryslers and the amusingly unattractive Delta, Ypsilon and Musa.  Why not build the Fulvia concept on the underpinnings of a hot Alfa?  Basing it on the Giulietta would be a good start.  The 103" wheelbase is a bit on the compact side for a hatchback, but it's great for a coupe - and the modern chassis underpinnings could make it an entertaining steer.  How about a choice between the 1.4TB MultiAir (170bhp) and the 2.0 JTDM-2 diesel with 170bhp for a base model?  Then use the 1750cc TBi motor for an Integrale version - direct injection, twin-scroll turbo, 235 horsepower, that thing would scream!

My point is this: Fiat/Chrysler have a lot of different, valuable brands at their disposal.  There's a lot they can do with Lancia.  After all, do you think the brand that made this rolling piece of sex architecture/rally domination...

...should be stuck hocking rebadged Chrysler Sebrings in Europe?  Should the same Lancia that gave us the Stratos, a bespoke rally car based on a pie-in-the-sky concept with a friggin' Dino engine be selling 300s?  Should the brand that stuffed a Ferrari 328 engine sideways into the front of their family sedan be selling Town & Countrys?  No.  Sergio, get on it - the neglect of Lancia needs to end.