Lancia returns with the Ypsilon

Lancia is chic, Lancia is rally, Lancia is the rise and fall of Italian automotive culture. Founded in 1906, there are many memories associated with the brand, both beautiful and stressful, but somehow a Delta could always be forgiven, even if it broke down every now and then. In 2017, Lancia disappeared from the German market, to be precise from all markets except the domestic one, where the Ypsilon fought against decline for a long time as a small, successful resistance fighter.

This summer will be the starting signal for a new beginning, with the same Ypsilon. It is embedded in the large world of the multi-brand company Stellantis, which is why a technical similarity to the Opel Corsa or Fiat 600e follows industrial logic. After the dynamic presentation, we will be able to report whether the Italian drives noticeably differently than the youthful-oriented Rüsselsheimer. First, Lancia provides photos and key data. This may also be because the return to the German market is not planned until mid-2025 with a hand-picked 25 sales partners.

For premium customers

The new Ypsilon attracts attention with a fresh design language, with reminiscences of the esteemed Lancia Stratos shining at the back. The aim is to appeal to customers who like premium brands, are between 40 and 45 years old and have an urban lifestyle. It's 4 meters long, 1.76 meters wide and 1.44 meters high. It's not that small anymore, and it weighs almost 1,600 kilograms.

The high weight is mainly due to the battery, as a battery-electric version is initially planned. Based on its siblings, it has 156 hp and 54 kWh stored in the power storage system, which should allow for a range of 400 kilometers according to the standard. Because the demand for electric cars is currently quite subdued and difficult to estimate, the pragmatic Italians are pushing forward a mild hybrid combustion engine variant, about which nothing more is known yet.

Inside, at least the first edition is intended to establish a connection to fine furniture; the special model, which is not coincidentally limited to 1,906 pieces, is created in cooperation with the luxury furniture manufacturer Cassina. The Ypsilon is built in Zaragoza, Spain. Price? We suspect it will be very close to the 40,000 euro mark.