Lancia Automobiles S.p.A. (Italian:[ˈlantʃa]) is an Italiancar manufacturer and a subsidiary ofStellantis Europe, which is the European subsidiary ofStellantis. The present legal entity of Lancia was formed in January 2007 when its corporate parent reorganised its businesses, but its history is traced back toLancia & C., a manufacturing concern founded in 1906 inTurin byVincenzo Lancia (1881–1937) and Claudio Fogolin. It became part ofFiat in 1969.
Sales of Lancia-branded vehicles declined from over 300,000 annual units sold in 1990 to less than 100,000 by 2010. After corporate parent Fiat acquired a stake inChrysler in 2009, the Lancia brand portfolio was modified to includerebadged Chrysler products, for sale in most European markets. In the United Kingdom and Ireland however, Lancias were rebadged as Chryslers. As sales continued to drop the Lancia-badged Chryslers were no longer offered after 2015. Since then, the company's only product has been theLancia Ypsilon, and sales outside of Italy ended in 2017. Despite Lancia's much smaller brand presence, the Ypsilon continues to be popular in Italy and managed to be the country's second best-selling car in 2019.[2]
The newly merged Franco-Italian-American company Stellantis stated that it would try to revive Lancia, with the move also suggesting there would be more than one model for the brand,[3] as well as sales outside of Italy for the first time in years.[4][5][6]
Lancia & C. Fabbrica Automobili was founded on 27 November 1906 inTurin byFiat racing drivers,Vincenzo Lancia and his friend, Claudio Fogolin. The first car manufactured by Lancia was the "Tipo 51" or "12 HP" (later called "Alfa"), which remained in production from 1907 to 1908. It had a small four-cylinder engine with a power output of 28 PS (21 kW; 28 hp).[7]
In 1910, Lancia components were exported to the United States where they were assembled and sold asSGVs by the SGV Company.[8] In 1915, Lancia also manufactured its first truck, theJota, that continued as a dedicated series. In 1937, Vincenzo died of a heart attack. His wife, Adele Miglietti Lancia, and his son,Gianni Lancia, took over control of the company. They persuadedVittorio Jano to join as an engineer. Jano had already made a name for himself by designing variousAlfa Romeo models, including some of its most successful race cars ever such as the6C,P2 andP3.
The former Lancia Borgo San Paolo Plant in Turin, where Lancia automobiles were first produced
Lancia is renowned in the automotive world for introducing cars with numerous innovations. These include theTheta of 1913, which was the first European production car to feature a complete electrical system as standard equipment.[9] Lancia's first car adopting amonocoque chassis, theLambda produced from 1922 to 1931, featured 'Sliding Pillar' independent front suspension that incorporated the spring and hydraulic damper into a single unit (a feature that would be employed in subsequent Lancias, up to theAppia that was replaced in 1963). In 1948, the first 5-speedgearbox was fitted to a production car (Series 3 Ardea). Lancia premiered the first[10] full-productionV6 engine, in the 1950Aurelia, after earlier industry-leading experiments withV8 andV12 engine configurations. It was also the first manufacturer to produce aV4 engine.[11] Other innovations involved the use ofindependent suspension in production cars (in an era wherelive axles were common practice for both the front and rear axles of a car), and rear transaxles, which were first fitted to theAurelia andFlaminia range. This drive for innovation, constant quest for excellence, fixation of quality, complex construction processes and antiquated production machinery meant that all cars essentially had to be hand-made. With little commonality between the various models, the cost of production continued to rise, while flat demand eventually affected Lancia's viability.[citation needed]
Gianni Lancia, a graduate engineer, was president of Lancia from 1947 to 1955. In 1956, the Pesenti family took control, withCarlo Pesenti in charge of the company.[12]
Entrance of the former Lancia Borgo San Paolo Plant in Turin, repurposed as a civic center
Fiat launched a take-over bid in October 1969. It was accepted by Lancia as the company was losing significant sums of money, with losses in 1969 being£20 million.[13] This was not the end of the distinctive Lancia marque, and new models in the 1970s such as theStratos,Gamma andBeta proved thatFiat wished to preserve the image of the brand it had acquired.Autobianchi, bought by Fiat Group just a year before, was put under the control of Lancia.[14]
The cars on display at the 100th Anniversary Celebration of Lancia inTurin.
The celebrations for the brand's 100th anniversary took place inTurin between 4 and 10 September 2006.TheMuseo Nazionale dell'Automobile held an exhibition dedicated to the brand, which retraced its entire history, with models ranging from the early 1900s to the late 1980s. The event was well attended by the public and enthusiasts: hundreds of Lancia cars were displayed in Turin's historic locations, such asPiazza San Carlo, and rallies and parades were held through the streets of Turin featuring cars belonging to Lancia Club members and their owners. In total, 360 cars from collections in 18 countries, includingJapan,South Africa,United States andNew Zealand, took part in the event.[15]Furthermore, the Lancia Clubs held rallies and automotive cultural initiatives to celebrate the brand in their respective and other locations throughout 2006, in Italy and abroad.[16][17]
Starting from 1 February 2007, Fiat's automotive operations were reorganised.[18]Fiat Auto becameFiat Group Automobiles S.p.A.,Fiat S.p.A.'s branch handling mainstream automotive production. Simultaneously the current company,Lancia Automobiles S.p.A., was created from the pre-existing brand, and controlled 100% by FCA.[18]In 2011, Lancia moved in another direction and added new models manufactured byChrysler and sold under the Lancia badge in many European markets, such as the300 (namedThema),200 Convertible (as Flavia) andVoyager. Conversely, Lancia-built models began to be sold in right-hand drive markets under the Chrysler badge.
After 2015, all models produced by Chrysler were discontinued in the European market. Since then, the Lancia brand has remained alive, only by continuing to manufacture and sell the Ypsilon - which received another slight facelift in 2020 - exclusively in the Italian market.
The 110th anniversary celebrations of the Lancia brand took place on 27 November 2016 with conferences, exhibitions and parades organised by Lancia and the Lancia Clubs inTurin[20], while the celebration inMilan took place within the Milano Autoclassica event with an exhibition of 15 of the most significant Lancia cars and the introduction of a special Lancia Classiche programme offering a new certification and restoration services for historic Lancia cars.[21]
Despite doubts about the brand's future following the completion of theStellantis merger in 2021, Lancia was made part of a joint group with sister companiesAlfa Romeo andDS Automobiles, to develop new premium models for the 2024 model year.[22][23][24] As part of Stellantis' recovery plan for Lancia, Luca Napolitano was appointed the car maker's CEO,[25] andJean-Pierre Ploué its chief designer.[26]
Three new electric models were announced in June 2021: a new subcompact car - which became thefourth generation of Ypsilon; a compact crossover (codenamed L74)[27][28] - confirmed later in April 2023 as a five-door fastback CUV named Gamma, scheduled for a 2026 release;[29][30][31] and a compact hatchback, likely to be a new Delta.[32][33][6]
Lancia Pu+Ra HPE (2023)
On November 28, 2022, Luca Napolitano laid the cornerstone of Lancia's "renaissance" by revealing a new logo and introducing the newPu+Ra (Pure + Radical) Design language - through a sculpture called Pu+Ra Zero.[34][35] Inspired by historic models such as the Aurelia, Flaminia, Delta and the 1970Stratos Zero concept car, future electric models will be adorned by both organic lines and geometric shapes at the same time. The iconiccalice grille was reinterpreted as a new Y-shaped LED light signature, with the new wordmark above them, instead of the shield.[36] At the rear, round taillights pays homage directly to theStratos sports car. All these design shapes were later applied into a fully-functional concept car: theLancia Pu+Ra HPE Concept presented on 15 April 2023 in Milan.[37][38]
On 12 December 2023, a prototype of thefourth generation of Ypsilon was found at the deep of acanal in theMontbeliard region, France, close to a Stellantis' plant inSochaux; unveiling its final design few months before the official unveil. The model had been presumed stolen during development testing rides before the sinking.[39][40]
On 14 February 2024, Lancia launched thefourth generation of Ypsilon, initially offered as a limited production edition called theYpsilon Edizione Limitata Cassina. This edition was co-developed between Lancia and Italian high-end furniture manufacturerCassina S.p.A. Production of the model was capped at 1,906 units to commemorate Lancia's founding year of 1906.[41]
TheYpsilon dominated the Italian market in the early months of 2024, and concluded the first quarter with 12,923 sales, up 16.4% compared to the same period in 2023.[42]
In May 2024, Lancia announced the revival of its HF division, unveiling an all-new Ypsilon HF version launched in May 2025, along with aRally4 version of the same model, marking the brand's long-awaited return torally championships. As of July 2024, theYpsilon had sold 24,709 units, with a 3% increase in volumes and a market share of 2.8%.[43] The first newLancia Ypsilon was delivered on July 18, 2024,[44] and by August, it had sold 1.362 units in the Italian market. Monthly sales later declined to 812 units by November 2024.[45][46] In 2024, Lancia's overall sales stood at much lower figures, in a difficult market context, than in 2023, with 32,000 registrations.[47][48][49]In 2025, theLancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF marked the brand's return toItalian Rally Championship with the awarding of a single-make trophy, the Lancia Rally Trophy, which will allow the winners to participate in theEuropean Rally Championship in 2026.The Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF also allows Lancia to win the Italian two-wheel drive manufacturers' title in 2025, regaining a title for the brand had been missing since 1993.[50] It also achieved one victory in the European Rally Championship in the ERC4 and Junior classes thanks to Driver Craig Rahill and Co-driver Conor Smith in the 2025 Barum Czech Rally Zlín. Furthermore, the growing success with the public and sales has allowed the development of theLancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale for theGroup Rally2, which will compete in the2026 WRC2 Championship. This marks the brand's return to theWorld Rally Championship after decades.[51][52][53] The return to Rally competitions[54], the return of Lancia dealers to the European market[55], which took place from 2024, despite a difficult market context, and the future expansion of the range with new models planned, such as the Lancia Gamma[56] in 2026 and Lancia Delta, have brought benefits to sales and the relaunch of the brand.In October 2025, Lancia sales in the Italian market totaled 937 units, compared to 805 in October 2024, an increase of 16.40%. In November 2025, Lancia sold 911 cars on the Italian market, an increase of +12.19% compared to the same month in 2024 with 812 cars.[57]While in December 2025, Lancia sold 537 cars on the Italian market with a decrease of -15.57% compared to the same month in 2024 with 636 cars.[58]However, the overall trend shows a sharp contraction in annual figures, indicating a significant decline in sales performance for the brand. Factors contributing to this decline include a lack of model range and a limited presence in key markets.However, it must be considered that the sales results are excellent compared to the fact that Lancia has practically only been on the market with one car model, the Lancia Ypsilon, since 2014. Furthermore, the brand has supported itself exclusively on the Italian market for the last 10 years. On 9 January 2026, at theBrussels Motor Show, theLancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale was presented before its debut in the2026 WRC2 Championship together with versions of the electric and hybrid Ypsilon HF.[59]
In January 2026, Lancia sold 1,027 cars on the Italian market, an increase of 15.39% compared to the same month in 2025.[60]
The 120th Anniversary Celebration of the Lancia brand will take place on 2026. The celebration will also see the debut of the new Lancia Gamma[61][62][63], which will finally expand the brand's range. Furthermore, the preview of a newLancia D26[64] based on theMaserati MCPura is planned, an operation similar to what was done withAlfa Romeo with the relaunch of the newAlfa Romeo 33 Stradale (2023). Limited series production is scheduled for 2027 to mark the centenary of theMille Miglia.[65]
The Ypsilon is a premium 5-doorsupermini car produced since 2024. It is based on theCMP/e-CMP platform. It is a replacement for theFiat 500 based model launched in 2011. Since 2017, it was only available in Italy, but in late 2024 it once again went on sale in select European markets as well. In theUnited Kingdom andIreland it was previously sold as theChrysler Ypsilon.[80]
For a long time, the Ypsilon has been the only Lancia car in production and only for sale in Italy, where it continued to be popular – it was the second best-selling car in Italy in 2019.[2] The new, Peugeot-based Ypsilon is not selling as well, being more expensive and mostly a redesign of models sold by Stellantis under other brands. Cumulative Italian sales for the first three months in 2025 were 2,926 units, down over 70 percent year-on-year.[81]
TheLancia Aurelia introduced the front engine rear transmission configuration later used by Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Porsche, GM, Volvo and Maserati, as well as the V6 engine, which is now common. It hadinboard rear brakes, an important way of reducing un-sprung weight.
TheLancia Stratos was a successful rally car during the 1970s, and helped the company to improve its sporting credentials.
The second generationLancia Themaexecutive car (2011 – 2014) was a re-branded second generationChrysler 300 unveiled in 2011 to replace theThesis. It reused the name of the Italian made 1984–94Thema saloon. It used to be available in various European markets, but for the United Kingdom and Ireland it was only sold as theChrysler 300C. It was discontinued in 2015.
TheLancia Voyager was alarge MPV unveiled in 2011, which was based on theChrysler Town & Country. It was marketed in various European markets, but for the United Kingdom and Ireland it was only sold as theChrysler Grand Voyager. It was discontinued in 2015.
Lancia has shown severalconcept cars to the public including the Flaminia Loratmo (1958),Stratos Zero (1970), theMegagamma byItaldesign Giugiaro andSibilo byBertone in 1978, Hit (1988) byPininfarina, the Bertone-designedKayak (1995), theDialogos (1998) and Nea in 2000.[83] The company showed the Granturismo Stilnovo andFulvia[84] concepts in 2003. Lancia has shown the PU+RA HPE concept in 2023 as part of brand renaissance strategy.
In January 2014, in an interview withLa Repubblica, FiatCEOSergio Marchionne foreshadowed that Lancia would become an Italy–only brand, and focus only on the Ypsilon supermini range.[85] However, in 2024, the brand began to be exported to other markets again.
In August 2024, Stellantis & You, a subsidiary of theStellantis group dedicated to automobile distribution in Europe, has opened the very first Lancia point of sale located inLa Défense, nearParis.[86]
While some models had been imported on a small scale during the 1950s to the 1960s, Lancias were sold in theUnited States from 1975. Sales were comparatively slow, and the range was withdrawn at the same time as Fiat in 1982.
In 2009, following Fiat's acquisition of a stake in United States–basedChrysler and part of Chrysler's restructuring plans, it was stated that Fiat plans for the Chrysler brand and Lancia to co–develop products, with some vehicles being shared. Olivier Francois, Lancia's CEO, took over as CEO of theChrysler division in October 2009. Fiat also announced that, depending on the market, some Chrysler cars would be sold as Lancias and vice versa.
Francois' plans to re-establish the Chrysler brand as an upscale brand were somewhat muddied by the discontinuance of thePlymouth brand.[87] At the 2010Detroit Auto Show, a Chrysler-badgedLancia Delta was on display,[88] but this did not result in sales in the United States, with proposals to instead modify an Alfa Romeo for sale by 2013.[89]
Lancia's reputation was significantly undermined in 1980, when defective Lancia Beta models, suffering from significant suspension sub-frame corrosion problems, were purchased back from owners by the company in a highly publicised campaign. These cars were later crushed.[90] The brand never recovered from the damage inflicted during the Beta recall and, combined with a range of related factors (including poor residual values, which made their range uncompetitive), decided to withdraw from the United Kingdom (and otherright-hand drive markets) in February 1994.[91] The last model to be sold in the United Kingdom was the Delta, boosted by its rallying reputation, withdrawn from sale in 1995, although a small number of left-hand drive Lancia models have since reached the UK as personal imports.
After 1995, there were continuous rumours suggesting Lancia's return to the United Kingdom. In November 2005,What Car? reported rumours over the alleged return, to rival "affordable" premium makes, such asSaab andVolvo.[92] In September 2006,What Car? reported that Lancia were returning to the United Kingdom.[93] The relaunch date was set for August 2008. In April 2008,Car reported that Lancia had postponed the relaunch.[94] In June 2009,Autocar reported that the relaunch of Lancia was now “very unlikely”.[95]
These rumours were credible since Lancia models, by that time, shared common parts withFiat andAlfa Romeo models that were imported, sold and maintained by an existing dealership network. The cost to reestablish the brand would therefore be minimal. In December 2008, however, Fiat cancelled relaunch plans, due to financial concerns coinciding with the2008 financial crisis, and therecession.[96]
In 2011, Lancia Ypsilon and Delta models were eventually reintroduced to the United Kingdom, but were sold under the Chrysler marque. In January 2014, the slow-selling Delta model was dropped from this line-up. In March 2015, Fiat Group announced that the Chrysler brand would be discontinued in the United Kingdom in 2017, citing a desire to focus largely on the Jeep brand instead.[97]
A small number of Lancia models were previously sold in Japan, such asFulvia,Stratos andDelta. More recently, some models have been sold under the Chrysler brand, such as theYpsilon.
After Vincenzo Lancia's sonGianni became director of the firm, it started to take part more frequently in motorsport, eventually deciding to build a Grand Prix car.Vittorio Jano was the new designer for Lancia and hisLancia D50 was entered into the1954 Spanish Grand Prix, whereAlberto Ascari took the pole position and drove the fastest lap. In the1955 Monaco Grand Prix Ascari crashed into the harbour after missing a chicane. One week later Ascari was killed in an accident driving a Ferrari sports car at Monza. With Ascari's death and Lancia's financial problems the company withdrew from Grand Prix racing.[98] Altogether Lancia took two victories and ten podiums in Formula One.[99]
In 1982 the team moved up toGroup 6 with theLC1 Spyder, followed by theGroup CLC2 coupé which featured aFerrari powerplant in 1983. The LC2 was a match for the standard-settingPorsche 956 in terms of raw speed, securing 13 pole positions over its lifetime; however, its results were hampered by poor reliability andfuel economy, and it only managed to win threeEuropean andWorld Endurance Championship races. The team's inability to compete against the dominantPorsche 956 and962 sports cars led it to drop out of sportscar racing at the end of 1986 in order to concentrate on rallying, although private teams continued to enter LC2s with declining results until the early 1990s.
Lancia produced a wide range of vans, trucks, buses and military vehicles from the beginning, forming Lancia Veicoli Industriali in 1912. Lancia slowly withdrew from the commercial sectors during the late 1960s and production of commercial vehicles ended in the early 1970s, shortly after Fiat's takeover of the company, with some models ofLancia Veicoli Speciali transferred toIveco.
From 1907 to 1910 Lancia cars didn't bear a true badge, but rather a brass plaque identifying the manufacturer (Lancia & C.) and chassis code; although some models did have a brass Lancia script on the grille.[102]
1911
The original Lancia logo was designed by CountCarlo Biscaretti di Ruffia.In 1910 Vincenzo Lancia asked Biscaretti di Ruffia to design a badge for the company: the Count submitted sixwatercolour proposal sketches. Vincenzo Lancia chose a round one, composed by a bluelance and flag bearing a Lancia script ("Lancia" means "lance" in Italian) in gold, over a four-spoke steering wheel, with a handthrottle detail on the right spoke.[102] The first car to bear the Lancia logo was theGamma 20 HP in 1911.[102]
1929
In 1929 the logo acquired its final layout: the previous round badge was superimposed on a blue shield in the shape of aReuleaux triangle (as found in one of Biscaretti di Ruffia's six original proposals).[102] Though first applied on the 1929Dikappa, this badge was only used consistently starting with the 1936Aprilia.[102]
1957
Beginning with the 1957Flaminia, Lancia cars switched from the traditional vertical split grille to a horizontal, full-width one. The logo was moved inside the grille opening, and changed to a more stylized chromed metal open-work design; shield and steering wheel became chrome frames, the only remaining enameled surface being the blue field of the flag. This new metal logo was used on most models with some exceptions, namelyZagato-bodiedLancia Fulvias andFlavias, theLancia 2000 Berlina (which reprised the traditional upright grille and the round enameled badge) and theStratos HF (whose ornaments lacked the triangular shield).
1974
In 1974 the badge was redesigned onUmberto Agnelli's request;[102] it went back to a modernised silver, white and blue version of the 1929 design. Flag and lance were unified in a single shape and dispensed with the earlier minute detailing, the Lancia letters became all of the same size, and the steering wheel became also outlined in blue and lost the hand throttle detail. This logo debuted on the 1979Lancia Delta,[102] and made its way on the other models as they adopted the split grille introduced by the Delta. Though lightly revised in 2000 with the addition of a chrome shield surround, the 1974 logo was used through four decades, up to 2006.
2007
A redesigned logo, designed by Robilant Associati, was presented at the 2007Geneva Motor Show—a couple of months after the creation of Lancia Automobiles.[102] While the traditional chrome-framed blue shield has been retained and made three-dimensional, for the first time since 1911 lance and flag are absent; the steering wheel has been stylized into a chromed circle, from which two spikes converge towards the modern Lancia logotype in the centre.
2022
The current logo was unveiled in late 2022, as part of Lancia's newest design language dubbedPu+Ra. The logo retains the colour scheme of the 2007 logo, while also reinstating and streamlining the flag, circle and lance theme of the 1957 logo.[35]
Lancia sponsored theVenice Film Festival for five years, ending in 2012, with theLancia Thema used to transport stars to the festival.[103] Lancia was sponsor of the ninth and eleventh World Summits ofNobel Peace Prize Laureates.
In 2025, the lack of a new model range has not diminished the brand's prestige, some Lancia models have reached considerable prices on the used market for enthusiasts and collectors. In 2025, a Lancia Delta HF Martini was put up for sale for €1,300,000[104], and Lancia Delta HFs are often offered for sale at an average price of over €200,000. The Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evo 2 owned by Italian footballerRoberto Baggio sold for €230,000.[105][106] This special car was created to commemorate the famous Italian footballer's historicBallon d'Or victory in 1993. Italian singerVasco Rossi also put his 1992 Lancia Delta HF Integrale 16v Evoluzione “Martini Speciale” up for sale, and it was purchased for €201,250.[107] While 1989 Lancia Delta HF Integrale 8V Group A, driven byMiki Biasion is sold byRM Sotheby's for €485,000 - €550,000.[108]Among the collectors and admirers of the brand was also the owner ofFiat and Lancia,Gianni Agnelli, who had two custom-made Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evo[109] made for him, one of which was a convertible called the Lancia Delta Integrale Evo Spider.[110] Gianni Agnelli also owned other Lancia cars, custom-built for him, such as the 1985Lancia Thema Station Wagon produced byZagato[111], which will also be auctioned byRM Sotheby's in 2025, along with two of his otherFiat cars, the 1974Fiat 130 Familiare[112] and the 1986Fiat Panda 4×4[113], and the special 1987Lancia Prisma, a sedan version of theLancia Delta. This car had been prepared byAbarth and had been repainted in an elegant blue (Blu Maestrale), to better camouflage it as a production model, from the original red produced by the factory for him. The car was a special version, a one-off with unique features, from the interior to the engine and traction. The interior was upholstered in Connolly leather with burl wood trim and a Nardi sports steering wheel. The engine, mechanics, and traction were derived from the Delta HF integrale "8V"; the engine was a 2.0 Turbo with 200 HP and all-wheel drive.[114]Gianni Agnelli's car collection also boasted aLancia Delta S4 Stradale.[115]
Although World Championship races held in 1952 and 1953 were run to Formula Two regulations, constructors who only participated during this period are included herein to maintain Championship continuity. Constructors whose only participation in the World Championship was in theIndianapolis 500 races between 1950 and 1960 are not listed.
.JPG)
.jpg)
_engine_(26097832230).jpg)
.jpg)
