Looks like the Frankfurt Show ain’t glamorous enough for Lancia to debut the facelifted 2008 Musa so the Italian carmaker decided to take the wraps off the redesigned compact MPV at the 64th Venice International Film Festival which takes place in Rome (just kidding) from 29 Aug 2007 - 08 Sep 2007. The ’08 Musa has slightly grown in length thanks to the redesigned rear end thus raising the luggage compartment’s capacity to 390lt (previous Musa, 320 lt). And again at the rear, the New Musa features new LED tail-lights while the loading deck has been lowered by 4 centimetres, making it easier to stow bags and suitcases. Up front, the most prominent changes include the new grille and bumper which now features chrome accents. -Continued after the jump

There are no hidden surprises in the engine range, as the New Musa will continue to be offered with the existing 100 bhp 1.9 Multijet, 70 bhp 1.3 Multijet and 90 bhp 1.3 Multijet turbodiesel units in addition to two petrol versions, a 77 bhp 1.4 and 95 bhp 1.4 units.

New Musa, world preview

The New Musa will make its debut with a world preview in Venice. Successor to a winning model that in three years has won the hearts of many European motorists (in 2006 and 2007 it was Italy's best-selling compact MPV), the new car will again be a winner by offering the motoring world all the values of true Italian friendliness. It sets out to recreate a typical Italian atmosphere shape and content-wise, a mix of elegance and informality, punctilious yet disarming, luxury with a naturalness that makes everyone feel at ease. In short, the New Musa is the Italian option in the modern European compact scene, embodying concepts of good taste, warmth and generosity.

New styling in terms of elegance and functionality

The New Musa has been restyled and is now even more up-to-date and attractive thanks to a number of styling cues that reflect the very latest market trends. And, in fact, this refined new look gives the car a greater size impression that target customers will certainly find attractive, given that in addition to an elegant, refined shape they can also appreciate improved functionality and space. Designed at the Lancia Style Centre, this model draws heavily on the classic canons of Lancia styling reinterpreted in a modern key consistent with trends in styling found in the premium car segment.

The front end has been enhanced with a number of chrome features underlining the new stylistic imprint while at the same time emphasising the model's impression of dynamism, an element that will be a key design feature for future Lancia cars. In the centre of the elegant chromed grille is the new Lancia logo, one that is reminiscent of the past but interpreted in a modern key, as is appropriate for a brand projected towards future challenges but at the same time proud of its traditional identity.

The very same harmony and stylistic consistency can be seen in the completely redesigned rear section. Perfectly in line with the new approach adopted at the front, the generously sized hatch is today an even more important feature providing two substantial improvements over the previous model. First, the luggage compartment is 70 litres larger while the loading deck has been lowered by 4 centimetres, making it easier to stow bags and suitcases. And again at the rear, the New Musa boasts new technological LED lights that, compared to traditional bulb-lit units, are more luminous and therefore safer, apart from aesthetic considerations.

Lastly, in addition to being enhanced by brand-new alloy wheels, the extremely elegant, clean-lined side surfaces have a new chromed moulding in which the outstanding feature is the Lancia logo mounted as if it were a real gemstone. The rounded lines and non-angular shape emphasise the cabin's friendly, protective nature, a ‘shrine’ promising safety and maximum comfort despite its compact size: it is only just over 4 metres long, 1.70 metres wide, 1.66 metres in height and with a wheelbase of 2.51 metres. So even though it is now longer, the New Musa is still a compact car outside, but with all the space of a flagship model inside.

In line with that unmistakable Lancia style seen in recent years, the New Musa offers drivers and passengers an environment marked by a combination of emotion and functionality, thanks to the modular seats that can be adjusted to suit many different positions. These sensations are also heightened by special attention to detail, the use of top-quality materials and creation of refined colour combinations between bodywork tints and interiors.

Then, like a tailor-made suit, customers can choose their very own personalised New Musa. In fact there are more than 80 combinations created by permutating 5 different interior trims (Argento, Oro and Platino, the last two are available in two different colour tones, warm and cold) with 14 different body colours (10 of which are completely new) and 4 new 'two-tone' liveries: this is the widest choice offered in its segment and testifies to the importance Lancia places on colour as a hallmark of Italian styling.

And last but not least, colours used for the interiors are the result of studies to match tones with materials: so customers will find technical materials, prestigious leathers and refined Alcantara®, while chromed and satin-finished features embellish interior lines and shapes. So Lancia again emphasises its tradition for craftsmanship as far as interiors are concerned, also thanks to new and original combinations of materials and colours, evidence of the brand's efforts to revisit one of its symbolic values in a modern key.

Cutting-edge technology for maximum comfort and driving pleasure

Travelling in a New Musa is always an exciting and pleasurable experience, due also to the luminosity created by its 'GranLuce' transparent roof, the airiness of the environment, pleasantness of surfaces and the wrap-around comfort of the ergonomic seats. Furthermore, the two-zone climate control and Bose Sound System® (typical Lancia features) make for an especially pleasant interior, a space that is easy to dominate thanks to the raised driving position and ergonomic controls. Without forgetting that the New Musa 1.4 16v and 1.3 Multijet 16v models can be fitted with a DFN robotised gearbox for optimum comfort and driving pleasure.

In addition, the New Musa can be equipped with 'Blue&Me'®, the system that enables drivers to telephone and listen to music in a simple, safe manner while they are at the wheel, thanks to a 'voice-recognition system' and Bluetooth® technology (this feature includes a USB port located on the tunnel to which any type of digital device can be connected). Lastly, to ensure increased well-being on board, the New Musa adopts the best available soundproofing materials, for instance, the new soundproofed roof lining that reduces noise by about 2 db, a noticeable improvement that customers will appreciate.

The engine range available ensures just the right balance between performance, fuel consumption and respect for the environment: 100 bhp 1.9 Multijet, 70 bhp 1.3 Multijet and 90 bhp 1.3 Multijet turbodiesel units (the latter is available with a particulate trap), in addition to two petrol versions, a 77 bhp 1.4 and 95 bhp 1.4 units, with either mechanical or DFN robotised sequential gearboxes (depending on the engine).