Lancia Lifts the Wraps off All-New Ypsilon Ahead of the Geneva Salon

Marking the 25th anniversary since the introduction of the Ypsilon (first as the Y10 in 1985, then as the Y in 1996, and finally as the Ypsilon from 2003 and onwards), Lancia is presenting the fourth generation of its luxed-up supermini in a world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in March.
The much delayed successor to the outgoing Ypsilon, which has been in production since 2003, has been designed from the ground up, and for the first time in the model"s history, is offered in a five-door body style.
Even though the Ypsilon shares its platform and mechanical hardware with Fiat"s small cars, the Lancia model won"t be mistaken for anything else thanks to the bespoke styling, which incorporates a number of design cues from the larger Delta. Exterior highlights include the hidden rear door handles that give the impression of a three-door model and a new interpretation of Lancia"s grille, designed to match Chrysler"s version as seen on the 200 and 300 models.

As with all past incarnations of the Ypsilon, the newcomer promises to offer a high-quality interior and some 600 customization possibilities created by mixing and matching the 17 body colors (four of which are two-tone), 3 interior trim levels (Silver, Gold and Platinum), 6 different upholstery trims and 3 types of alloy wheels plus an extensive range of other options.
The Italian firm"s premium city car measures 3,840mm in length, 1,670mm in width, 1,510mm in height, and rides on a 2,390mm-long wheelbase. Lancia claims the new Ypsilon "can accommodate up to five people, has one of the most spacious boots in its segment, in relation to dimensions, and is one of the best in class in terms of passenger room".
At launch, there will be four engines on offer, depending on the market: a 1.2-liter petrol unit with 69HP; a 0.9-liter turbocharged two-cylinder petrol with 85HP; a 1.3-liter MultiJet II turbo diesel delivering 95HP and a dual-fuel petrol-LPG 1.2-liter unit producing 69HP.
All petrol and diesel engines are equipped with a Start&Stop system while some models also get low rolling resistance tires developed by Goodyear.
The new Ypsilon which will go on sale from June across key European markets and from September under the Chrysler badge in Great Britain and Ireland. And no, the Fiat Group did not say if it has any plans to bring the Chrysler...Ypsilon over to the States.

All-New Lancia Ypsilon to Wear Chrysler"s Badge in the UK and Ireland

It"s no secret that after many years of delays and setbacks, the Fiat Group will finally present the Lancia Ypsilon"s replacement at the Geneva Salon in about two week from now. What isn"t known is that the new Ypsilon, which will be offered for the first time ever in a five-door body style, will be sold in Great Britain and Ireland under the Chrysler badge.
Back in 2008, Fiat canned its plans to reintroduce the Lancia brand to the UK and other right-hand drive markets citing the global economic crisis as the main reason. But after the Italian firm forged an alliance with the Chrysler Group in 2010, the group"s CEO Sergio Marchionne took the decision to merge the Lancia and Chrysler brands, and create a single full-line brand with different names from market to market.

Lancia"s 2012 supermini is the first example of the company"s new strategy as it will be available in Europe"s right hand markets as the Chrysler Ypsilon, however, it won"t be the only product exchange between the two companies, but more on that later in the weekend. Even though we don"t have any information on the matter yet, it is possible that the Chrysler Ypsilon be offered in other markets as well in the near future.
From what we learned, the new five-door 2012 Ypsilon will get hidden rear-door handles (?la Alfa Giulietta), numerous options to personalize the interior, various high-tech features and a choice of fuel-efficient engines including a 95HP 1.3-liter diesel and a 85-horsepower 0.9-liter TwinAir turbocharged two-cylinder gasoline unit. European sales of the new Ypsilon will start in June.

Lancia"s 2011 New Year Greeting Card Teases 2012 Ypsilon, Announces Two More New Models

In a surprise move, Lancia literally outlined its forthcoming 2012 Ypsilon supermini through an animated New Year"s greeting card posted on a special minisite. And if that"s not enough news for you, the chalk-like drawings were accompanied by a teaser message that reads, "A new horizon, three new Lancia models".

The Italian firm did not elaborate on what these models are, however, we beleive that aside from the five-door Ypsilon, which is scheduled to arrive in European dealerships next summer, the other two vehicles will be based on Chrysler models. In particular, the new 300 full size sedan as the Thema flagship, and either the 200 mid-size sedan or the Town and Country, the latter as a replacement for the Phedra MPV.

It has been reported that in order to keep costs down, the Lancia models will be rebadged versions of their Chrysler counterparts with some minor styling tweaks, such as the front grille, exterior and interior trim, and bumper designs. Expect more news on the matter in early 2011.

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Report: Lancia"s Chrysler 300-Based Thema and Ypsilon Replacement with 5-doors on their Way

Rumors about a possible successor for the Lancia Thesis, based on the Chrysler’s 300C, have been making the internet rounds for quite some time now, without coming to fruition. Nevertheless, Automotive News is reporting that Fiat is determined to go ahead and reveal the car. Inside sources told the news site that the car will most likely be called Thema, a nameplate that was used for Lancia"s flagship sedan in the mid-"80s to mid-"90s. The new sedan model is said to debut at the 2011 Geneva Auto Show, alongside the next generation of the Ypsilon supermini.

The exterior design of the Thema will feature some minor tweaks, such as a unique front grille and Euro-spec bumpers. Fiat expects the vast majority of clients (about 80 percent) to opt for a new 230 hp 3.0-liter V6 diesel engine from Italy"s VM Motori but it will also offer Chrysler-sourced petrol engines.

Both the 2012 Chrysler 300 and its Lancia counterpart will be built at Chrysler’s Brampton plant in Ontario, Canada. The launch date for the Thema has been set for late 2011 with Fiat expecting to shift somewhere around 15,000 units annually.

With the new Ypsilon, Lancia has even more ambitious plans expecting to sell some 130,000 units a year. For the first time, the sub-compact model will also be offered in a five-door body style, which should help attract more buyers. There’s no information as of yet about the Ypsilon"s styling or mechanical hardware.

The current generation of the Italian supermini that was launched in 2002 is based on the older Punto"s underpinnings. It will remain in production until the end of 2011, even after its successor will go on sale in June of the same year.

By Csaba Daradics

*The opening photo is a Carscoop Photoshop based on the current Chrysler 300

Source: Autonews