Lancia's NEW management team

[Simon]

Leo,

Sorry, I disagree with you. Yes GM has kept the Vauxhall badge in Britain, but the cars are direct copies of Opals, since the early 80's with the first Astra model to replace the chevette, although the kadette name continued on the continent with the new shape.

At least Lancia have had there own body shells and engines built on identical floor plans, although the cars where similar in the like of the Tempera, Dedra and 155, and Delta, brava/o and 145/146.

If GM were to control Fiat and keep Lancia going, what would it be. The Ghia badge on a Ford, better trim and spec but still a Mondeo or Focus.

No, either allow it to continue as it is, better funding and marketing to produce some decent cars like the concept Fulvia, re-enter rallying to boost the image or Kill the name.

Simon
England

[ryan]

i can't see how anyone would favour a GM takeover.............
GM is a miserable company.

with any luck, the Fiat Group will continue its upward climb, aided by this incredible set of new managers that have been appointed this past months: Martin Leech at Maserati, Luca as Fiat head, Jean Todt at Ferrari, etc. Fiat Group has some of the best brands in the World, they can succeed. They already make the most cars out of any major car company that I would like. GM on the other hand makes about two I'd own... and those are from their European companies (SAAB, etc.).

[DAVID BOUTTELL]

What like saab is a carbon copy of a Opal or Vauxhall?

[Leo Capaldi]

I don't know who owns Lotus these days but GM saved them from extinction. GM saved Vauxhall by giving them the Opel Rekord - the UK designed (albeit Vauxhall-GM by then) Cavalier was rear-wheel-drive and therefore high production cost.
The reality is that unless people buy new cars the manufacturer will go out of business. You (Simon) have demonstrated support of the Lancia marque by being a first owner and still using a Lancia as everyday car. I have also bought "straight from the factory" and still drive a Lancia every day but sadly most people who call themselves Lancisti have chosen to not buy new - that does not work. Being a second owner does not fund the factory.

In my humble opinion the SAAB buyer is not the same character as a Lancia buyer but is certainly very close (ie understated) so if GM is good for them then...
Obviously I would love to think that Lancia could exist as an independant company but those days ended long ago and the general trend in the automotive industry is towards the "Big Five" manufacturers and if nothing else Lancia-GM is a better option than Lancia-Ford or Lancia-Nissan or Lancia-BMW (not sure about Lancia-Damiler-Chrysler!).

I can honestly say that if the Lancia Ypsilon was available in rhd form I would buy one tomorrow.

(as an aside there is a new Thesis driving around Glasgow - there is hope!)

Best regards, Leo

[stijn]

one can just hope that things will ipmrove now that luca di montezemolo is leading the company. he has already proven to be a true car-oholic and revivied a great brand, maserati that is!

as for the person who said that lancia will be outranged by alfa because thay envisage the same market segment.
I think alfa indeed challenges BMW, mercedes and perhaps volvo. but IMO lancia could be a top of the line luxury brand. lancia should once again become individualist cars, that are designed with all of the best and special engineering features (bring on the V4's and boxer engines).
Lancia is a car that should compete jaguar and, dare i say it, even maserati with its top products. and who cares that maserati is also a product of the fiat group. kannibalism didn't kill silicon valley did it? it just created even better products.

imagine this lancia line up. a sporty GT with the style of the former flaminia. a true sportscar (new stratos), a luxury cruiser (thesis...?) and a sporty little car to welcome all newcomers to the brand (fulvia). and hey, why i'm going at it, why not mix a true spider as well??
forget about MPV, SUV and mid class cars.
leave that to alfa

[alan cooper]

why worry about left hand drive? it's no problem and for a city car like the ypsilon has some advantages (straight out onto the pavement when you park to get a newspaer for instance !!)

[Leo Capaldi]

Hello Alan,
My everyday car is lhd - 8V integrale. I like to have a decent dip beam so the cars like your Delta Nuova that cannot be fitted with UK headlamps are non-starters. I live in a rural area and so dip beam is important to me.

Leo

[Leo Capaldi]

Hello Stijn,
I don't think that Maserati enthusiasts are to keen on "Masers" being built by Ferrari - which is effectively what has happened. The alliance between the two marques is to Maserati's detriment as they are virtually mass-market Ferraris now.

Your dream Lancia range existed just a couple of years ago - Kappa Coupe at the top and the Ypsilon as the entry level (including the 16V Elefantino Rosso) but very few Lancisiti bought any of them. The Kappa Coupe was raved about in all aspects, looks, performance and Lancia tradition - what went wrong??? If there had been a spider available it would have hit the same apathy. The only thing that will save Lancia is cash - talk and and admiration will not. If you want a Lancia spider tomorrow, buy a new Lancia today.

I'm going to stop looking at this forum it is too depressing.

Goodbye, Leo

[Tony]

Greetings from the States. So how are Fiats doing in terms of reliability and rust resistance these days? How's the quality control??? Car companies - how to make a profit: Sell cars in America, not Brazil!!! Try a country that has both population *and* money - not either or. When FIAT can build cars that mindless suburban Americans can drive without knowing where the hood release lever is (kind of like Honda), then they can re-enter the U.S. market. Oh, wait, you need a marketing catch, too. - Make it seem sophisticated. Americans think that everything European is sophisticated. Have some TV commercials with roman ruins, art, wine, grapes, etc., and a voiceover with a suave accent. There you go. Hey, we haven't had any mass-market Italian cars here in years - look how well the Germans are doing in the States. . . FIAT *can* be profitable again. Make better cars and sell them in the U.S. Problem solved. Hey, maybe GM platforms are not such a bad idea - just throw some Italian bodywork on it . . . but maybe use steel from somwehere else... Heck, even Hyundai and Kia can sell cars here, and the average American would probably be warmer to an Italian car than a Korean! c'mon FIAT!!!!!

haha - just trying to lighten up this depressing forum. Don't worry so much, fellas!

Cheers,

Tony

[Tony]

Seriously, though, I enjoy reading everyone's posts. Don't take my b.s. seriously...