International Lancia Forums

hey randy, i'm living in LA now. lots of old Italian cars around here, I've been impressed.
I even have seen a few old Beta Zagatos.

Anyway, I guess it depends where you go. When I travel around Santa Monica, etc. I've
seen quite a few Coupe's. Havn't seen a Quattroporte on the road yet, however. But
these are apparently "sold out", so the sales figures can't be bad.

I think you might be surprised how much the younger crowd knows. A lot of those people
who are into Japanese cars also look deep enough into things to find the Lancia Delta,
Stratos, etc.. if anything because those cars are also very popular in Japan, and were
big in WRC.

"the Thesis looks far too similar to the bloated top-of-the-line Hyundai (XG 300, or something like that) to lure many buyers away from BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Lexus, Infiniti and Acura."

??????????

can't agree on that score in the metal the thesis looks nothing like that sort of chintzy rubbish, it has an air of class and is very distinctive surrounded by rather sterile designs

The other day, one of my customers told me that he had ordered a Fulvia 4.

I asked what the dealer had said "I don't know if they are going to make them" was the response.

However my customer added that he understands that the Thesis is to finish and that Lancia is to make 20,000 Fulvias.

If this is true, whilst I love the Thesis, HURRAH!!

Paul

I agree with Alan, though one thing to remember is that the Thesis is very colour and wheel-sensitive. Anything with dark colours (especially burgundy or Lancia Blue) looks really good. Anything light like silver doesn't work so well IMHO. As for wheels, the chunky, simple, designs are best.

But I think you guys should just wait a bit. The product lineup will improve, but it will take time. Fiat currently has no money, and I mean none, which means there is also no money for all-new Lancia models. The Fulvia might - might - still happen, but absolutely nothing is decided as yet. Be thankful there are people like Marchionne there who are aware of the value of Lancia and want to keep it alive.

even if i may appear as an heretic to the audience i do agree with you !
Let think about Lexus build quality and thourough engineering + Lancia design, the perfect equation that may remind us of the golden age of lancia.

Since this topic is about the Thesis, I have to conclude that you have never driven one. Fact is that the Thesis has a better build quality and better finishing than any Lexus. A French car magazine even placed the Thesis right at the top on their list of best built cars, with the Mercedes E class as second. Personally and only for once I agree with the French. Then again, I may be prejudiced since I am the lucky owner of a Thesis V6.

Philip wrote:

> Please look at this:
>
> http://195.128.235.88/staff/ChB/AJ657-QA-13.jpg
>
> I have the full article if
> anyone is interrested and reads French.
>

I am and I do. Can you send it to my email above? Thanks!

as a matter of fact i do really appreciate the thesis and french being my mother tongue, i read the article in "l'auto journal" mentionning the high quality of the car components and its good reliability.
I find the Thesis very classy and unusual in its styling, not an easy thing to achieve!

Lancia had in the past a reputation of a company with no compromise directed by engineers, may be too much for its own sake.A company that brought at a regular rate innovative ideas to the market(V6 aluminium engine, selfsupporting bodyshell, transaxle transmission etc..;
The Thesis is a nice step in the right direction but is it innovative enough ?
Had it been launched with an hybrid engine like the one mounted in the forthcoming lexus rx 400(3 litre v6, combined with an electric motor to erogate 300 bhp and very low CO2 emissions) and probaly the new honda Legend, it might have gained more interest from potential customers.

To answer your question, i havent driven one yet but i'm trying to convince my father who's an audi addict to acquire one.(jtd 175 bhp auto)
ps; the thesis 5 speed automatic transmission is a japanese built Aisin Warner.

Sincerely yours.

You need to see Thesis in flesh to appretiate it's lines, how on earth can you compare Thesis to Hyundai..........

It doesn't really matter what we think of the Thesis it is what the market thinks of it and since the Lancia Thema the big Lancia cars have been looked upon in less and less light.

I am a owner on a Lancia so I want them to succeed but it is the market that will dictate if Lancia does survive and to this date they have not been to kind on the Thesis , either that or Lancia are aiming the car at the wrong market.

Sales figures don't lie!!!

Thema and to a lesser extent the Kappa sold in large numbers throughout Europe , the same can't be said for the Thesis.