The other day I was sitting at a beachside bar where they had Fashion TV playing on flatscreens around the place and I couldn't help notice that while some of the stuff looked great, the rest looked horrible. Looks like the same trend has applied itself to automotive design, as Italian fashion house Versace has forged a new relationship with another automaker. But while the Versace edition Lamborghini Murcielago looks cooler than air conditioning in Alaska, somehow this new Lancia Ypsilon doesn't quite cut it. That's probably more Lancia's fault than Versace's, but the overall package, thorough though it is, leaves much to be desired. Created with Versace's second brand Versus, the special edition Ypsilon is sprayed bronze, much like the customers likely to buy it. The Versus logo is applied all over the interior and exterior of the car, which features matching bronze chromework and rims. The Lancia Ypsilon Versus edition will be unveiled in concept form next week in Paris, and will be produced in a limited run of 500 examples starting in March next year. This isn't the first designer edition Ypsilon, following the previous Momo edition, but Lancia's going to need something better than a new paint job to extract itself from the bronze age. For our part, we'd sooner go for the Diesel edition Fiat 500.
We're a peace-lovin' bunch here at Autoblog, but truth be told, we love it when the British and the Italians fight. Conflict between these two automaking nations has produced such rivalries as Ferrari vs. McLaren, Aston Martin vs. Maserati and Alfa Romeo vs. Jaguar. Lately the duel has been downsized considerably, but got ever more ferocious when the Fiat Group decided that it wouldn't let the MINI have the retro-hatch niche all to itself anymore. And so we got the Fiat 500, followed by the recently-released Alfa Mi.To. But lest you think the Italians would sit back and watch their newest style-mobiles eat away at the MINI, they are, in fact, preparing yet another one: the new Lancia Ypsilon.
The upcoming Ypsilon will follow the new Delta – unveiled in Geneva just a few weeks ago – in Lancia's ambitious rejuvenation campaign. It is tipped to be based on the same mechanicals as the Alfa Mi.To – that is, a modified Fiat Grande Punto platform with a range of gasoline and diesel fours – but with distinct styling, including the iconic Lancia grille flanked by slanted LED headlights and two-tone paint schemes. You can bet that Frank Stephenson – the man responsible for designing the MINI, the 500 and, as head of Alfa's centro stile, the new Mi.To – will have plenty of input in the upcoming Lancia's design, as well. The new Ypsilon is anticipated to make its debut next year at one of the major shows (Geneva '09 would be a good bet) and go in sale in Europe shortly thereafter.
Reports are emanating from Holland on Lancia's upcoming product-led rejuvenation, and for the niche Italian automaker, the future looks bright. At the Geneva Auto Show next month, Lancia is expected to unveil the production version of the new Delta, previewed by the Delta HPE show car (pictured above) from the 2006 Paris auto salon. Expected to begin production this summer, the Delta will be built on a stretched Fiat Bravo platform with unique bodywork and a more luxurious interior swathed in leather and Alcantara trim. Lancia executives are said to be considering hardtop-convertible and crossover variants, but that's only the start of Lancia's product-led rejuvenation.
A replacement for the miniscule Ypsilon hatchback is expected to be unveiled next year, while a replacement for the Musa minivan is anticipated to follow, unfortunately based on the outdated platform of the Fiat Idea MPV. The flagship Thesis sedan, which never seemed to have won the hearts of more conservative buyers, is tipped to be cancelled altogether. But fret not, for Lancia is said to have an even better trick up its sleeve for a new flagship of a different sort. If the reports from AutoVisie are to be believed, Lancia is working on an exotic sportscar of its own based closely on the knee-bucklingly sumptuous Alfa 8C Competizione and expected to revive the Aurelia nameplate. Lancia's sister company Alfa Romeo has already sold out its limited run of 500 coupes, and should have no problem finding lucky owners for the upcoming edition of 500 roadsters, either. That leaves the highly acclaimed chassis, developed by Ferrari and built by Maserati, up for grabs in the Fiat Group parts bin, and Lancia is reportedly the one doing the grabbing.
