If there's one European brand that has been in an identity crisis for many years, that is Lancia – and the Fiat Group's decision to drop a few Chrysler models including the 300 sedan and the Town & Country minivan into the Italian firm's range only made things worse.
One time the proud maker of sporty models with a pinch of luxury like the gorgeous Lancia Fulvia Coupe with its innovative narrow-angle V4 engine and let's not forget, also the holder of 10 world rally championships, Lancia is now struggling to find its place in today's automotive world.
Independent designer David Cardoso is among those not pleased with Lancia's current portfolio and especially the new Thema:
"When Lancia recently brought out the Thema that is based on the American Chrysler 300C, I was let down by Lancia as it disowned its own Italian design language. The Imperiale is an attempt to create a worthy Thesis successor," Cardoso told Carscoop.
The name Cardoso chose to use on his reborn Lancia flagship is somewhat unfortunate as the Chrysler used the Imperial moniker for its own series of luxury models from the 1920s to the 1980s and again in the early 1990s.
Name aside, Cardoso's Imperiale borrows the fastback body styling of previous Lancia cars such as the Gamma Berlina from the late 1970s.
You can take a look at the designs below and share your thoughts in the comments area.
26 Comments:
Lancia Delta + BMW 1 Series (F20) + VW Beetle (back silhouette), me thinks..
Looks nice for a Lancia (true about their current lineup of rebadged Chryslers). Hopefully they can produce a car like this sooner rather than later. Otherwise, this could be easily be the next Hyundai Genesis.
Let's not forget if it wasn't for Chrysler, Lancia and dare I say it Fiat would be eating dirt right now... The identity crisis will be over in a few years... Let's all be patient!
Nah, Fiat is way to strong by itself to eat dirt anytime soon. Too bad they don't care about Alfa and Lancia/
they tried to make a "prestige" looking car... shame they took the already ugly bmw for inspiration.
Lancia was steered in the wrong direction by the FIAT stupid executives. They should have made Subaru STI and Mitsubischi EVO competitors with a proper Delta Integrale successor, and also a new Stratos to compete with Audi R8, etc. Instead they make "luxury" cars that are in fact rebadged FIAT Bravos, and they rebadge a Chrysler 300C as Lancia (never seen something more ridiculous looking). Stupid. They deserve their fate.
Its ironic that people complain about the thesis yet the last thesis was merely a slightly restyled Saab 9000...the only thing that car really had going for it was the model with the Ferrari engine, and its interior was relatively nice for the time......which kept much of the Saabs styling with different materials not sure how thats different from the current one..........
I am sorry to say that this concept car is uglier even than the current BMWs. I like the idea of the fastback body, but the execution is terrible. It's a very noisy design that lacks elegance, character, proportions. Well it seems to me a very poor effort.
@Trucks and Toys-you are absolutely right-FIAT is in so much trouble their not even being operated in Italy-Chrysler is runnin the show in Detroit. Sergio perfers they way Mopar operates and the financial opertunities offered in the U.S.A!!! besides chrysler is the money maker of the combined group. as for Lancia-FIAT killed that brand years ago with the worlds ugliest cars, the mini ypsilon was cute but everything else was yuck. Chrysler is currently hard at work on brand new compact,midsize,fullsize,and crossovers for Alfa,Maserati,Jeep,FIAT,Chrysler,RAM-Dodge because FIAT never had the will or cash to do it alone. Lancia will finally be able to compete by 2014 when they blend with Chrysler.
1st of all "the model with the ferrari engine" (Thema 8.32) is the creator of the Type Four platform, so it is actually the saab that was based on the Lancia.
2nd. the Thesis had its own chassis.
Know your facts pls
Far better than the Chrysler cuckoo in the next. Draws on the genealogy of the Thesis and mixes with the current Delta/Ypsilon DNA. Good work fella.
Er, isn't it Chrysler would be eating dirt without Fiat?!
The Thesis never had a Ferrari engine, as far as I know. That was the Thema (8:32)
Looks like there's a reason Cardozo is and "independent" designer. Yikes.
Some nice things about the design, but extending the Lancia black roof/trunk (boot) thing onto the hood (bonnet) is just adding insult to injury.
Oh, for crud's sake, why don't people EVER check facts before spewing garbage on the interwebs?
1. The Saab 9000 was based on the original Type Four platform, which was designed and developed by Lancia - yes, FIAT had Lancia develop a range-topping platform and Saab opted in, as it had already been selling rebadged first-generation Deltas in Sweden (they were named the "Saab 600").
2. The Thesis had a chassis it did NOT share with ANYTHING else and in fact was the "mule" for the development of the Skyhook suspension we all know from Maserati nowadays (especially the Quattroporte).
3. The Thesis had the 5-cylinder 2.0-liter engine of the Fiat Coupe, the 5-cylinder 2.4-liter diesel engine and Alfa Romeo's "Arese" V6. It never received a Ferrari engine.
4. The only '80s Lancia with a Ferrari engine was the original Thema (8.32). In the '70s, it was the Stratos that had a Ferrari engine, even though that engine was actually built by Fiat, with various units being earmarked for the Fiat Dino (whose Coupe guise was actually built by Ferrari), the Dino 206/246 and the Stratos.
Once again, check your facts.
It's indeed an ugly design (almost as ugly as Christian Hrabalek's "offerings" that look like what you'd get if a turd that comes out of someone's ass after five days of constipation had sex with a dog's breakfast), but at least the guy understands that Lancia is not about the faggotry we see nowadays.
2014 1/2 Chrysler Imperiale shown here maybe?
you think the current bmws are ugly what ?
Brilliant... I would by the car if it went commercial!
If it looked like that and was FAST I'd buy it!
Better to intergrate Chrysler than spread resources thinly trying to create Lancias that cannibalize Alfas. FIAT must tread carefully to avoid product overlap. Yes Thema lacks Italian design but it is attractively styled. To see something more ridiculous looking, take a really good look at a Thesis.
I think the read end, and the swoops have potential. The front it fugly, that grille should not exist. And the two-tone paint job conveys "cheap" to me, don't ask me why or how, I just see that black hood against the beige body and it looks half-assed, sort of "reaching" like it's trying to be cool and gaudy.
If it enters production, I fear the rear end is gong to be a bit too much of a pensioner's cup of tea for most people! Sorry Lancia, I really wanted to like it but I can't!
I'll have to pick some nits here. There are some factual errors in this article.
1. The Flavia, regardless of version, was not a sporty car with a pinch of luxury. It was a luxury car with great handling, although its initial 1.5-lt engine was asthmatic (the half-mad professor Fessia did not believe in performance). Then came the 1.8-lt engine, which still was not powerful enough to worry Alfa Romeos. The car really came into its own and got competitive performance when it got a 2-lt engine and the "Flavia" name was dropped; especially the 2000HF (coupe only) version was sublime. I happen to still own one. THAT was a great car, also available with optional air-conditioning, power steering and windows.
2. The Flavia did NOT have a V4 engine. Its engines were all flat-fours (think Jowett Javelin, VW Beetle, Alfa Romeo "Alfasud" and 33, Subaru Impreza). Also, in the late sixties, its 4-speed 'box was replaced by a ZF 5-speeder (not to be outdone by Alfa Romeo, presumably).
3. So, which relatively recent (i.e. '60s and '70s) model in Lancia's range had a V4 engine? It was the Fulvia, a car smaller than the Flavia and a successor to the Appia. The Fulvia coupe, once again, was not exceedingly sporty in performance in 1.3-lt form; but it was brilliant in the way it handled. And its 1600HF & 1600HF Lusso versions rocked.
That was a mistake in the name; it was supposed to say Fulvia and not Flavia - my bad but thanks for pointing it out.
As for the definition of sporty, you always have to take into consideration what other proposals were available in the segment at the time.
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