Thema v Kappa

[Lindsay]

To start off a controversial one....why are there so many Thema fans but the Kappa is ignored? I have had 2 Kappas - 3.0 auto saloon and 20vt Coupe, and without doubt they are better cars than the Thema was (although my 3.0 LX Thema was probably as good). Is it purely down to the styling?

[smokeme]

I think it's down to the age of the car, since the Thema has been around longer it's been easier for people to group together. As for which is better i honestly can't say since i've never seen a Kappa in real life (my Thema was the first Thema i ever saw :p )

The styling is similar from what i've seen in pics, the Thema ofter looks to be a larger car but it lacks the rigidity of the Kappa. I would also think the Kappa fans would hang around more with the Coupe owners since it does have the same engine while Thema owners are either alone or with the integrale.

[Peter]

Would it be rude to enquire just how the Membership Secretary (hon) of the
Thema and Dedra Consortium has the nerve to appear on this forum,
extolling the virtues of the Kappa?
However, its an interesting question, and deserves consideration. My opinion,
for what its worth, is that 'old' Lancia owners tend to look back rather than
forward. Thats old Lancias, not old owners, although I happen to fit into
both categories. I started on Betas in the mid 80's, and stepped sideways
into Themas when an onslaught of children brought on a need for more
space for them, and more horsepower for me. I'm still more than happy
with the 3 I've got, and hope I shall continue to enjoy them for years to come.
If I were to buy another Lancia, it would be a Fulvia, but only because I
couldn't afford an Aurelia. In short, another Lancia in addition to the ones
I've got, and not as a replacement. The Evoforum talks about Themas,
Stratos, 037s and S4s every now and again, but never about Lybras,
Kappas or Thesis. However, if I should come across a Kappa S.W. LX
v6 in excellent condition and any colour but silver, I could be tempted -
for my wife, of course!
Cheers Lindsay
Peter

[Angle Grinder]

Hmmmm...an interesting debate indeed. Well comparing saloon with saloon, I'd have to say that for all the Kappa's virtues it is the Thema that still wins my allegiances because its the better all rounder. If I was only doing long miles of High Speed motorway cruising, then I'd opt for the Kappa, but if I'm to have a bit of country road fun it has to be a Thema. That said, their is no doubt that the Kappa is built to standards which far exceed the Thema and I've witnessed this whilst recently dismantling examples of each.

My experiences of Kappa saloon driving have been positive, but I did notice that more people seemed to give the Thema a second look so I guess that styling of the Thema, whilst also understated, is just that bit more aesthetically balanced and distinctive.

The Kappa Coupe is another story altogether. The interior styling is great, the seats are supremely comfortable, the ride is a perfect balance of suppleness and flat cornering, the engines are strong/smooth & make great noises and the car inspires great confidence in its abilities. I've had opportunities to drive several of its most obvious competitors and they simply cannot match the Kappa. The Ford Probe has lack lustre styling, a crude engine and such a rough ride that it can't be driven without first emptying your bladder. The Mazda MX6 has a horrendously plastic interior and such over assisted steering that it would be hard to tell when grip was being lost and a sneeze might send the car into a grass verge. The Mercedes CLK feels unwieldy on anything less than a Motorway.

I even think that the styling has come of age and if people can think the Merc CLK is attratctive then surely the Kappa Coupe has to be acceptable too. The Kappa Coupe is certainly top of my shopping list, but a current cash crisis will see me driving, and very happily too, my 1991 16v Thema, which is just run in now that its done 166,000 miles!!!.

[Lindsay]

Hi Peter. The membership sec of the TDC is of course not in any way demeaning the Thema, as he has had 11 of them! I still think the styling of the Thema is better than the Kappa in terms of the saloons. I think the Kappa SW is nicer than the Thema SW and the Coupe of course has no comparison to be made.

Actually, I am interested in the reasons there seems to be such a comparative lack of interest in the Kappa. Looking on these forums (fora!), people talking about Themas far outweigh any of the other models. Perhaps it is the styling - I have grown to like the Kappa saloon, but only because I had one. From some angles it looks quite bloated, but others it is subtle and purposeful. As Mr Angle Grinder says, the build is in a different league, although this doesn't mean it is faultless sadly. My Kappa Coupe is going through a phase where the electric windows are being a right pain in the arse. But as far as general quality is concerned, it has done 92k miles and it still rides superbly, pulls like a train (but then so do Themas at huge mileages), and has not a rattle. The spares situation is not so good in the UK though. The Consortium really does a great job (Dave Abbett does) in sourcing spares. The Kappa needs OE parts, mostly at Lancia new prices.

As a sign off for anyone reading. Think carefully if you are looking for a car that has Xenon headlamps. A standard lamp for the Kappa retails at £163. The Xenon one is close to £500. A Thesis headlamp is £700!!! Food for thought next time a stone goes through yours.......

cheers
Lindsay

[Peter]

Lindsay - its the people too. I bet a lot more Thema owners know what
a Kappa is, than Kappa owners know what a Thema is.
Are you going to be in England any time this year?
Regards
Peter

[Lindsay]

Hi Peter. That would surprise me actually. You think Kappas are bought by non Lancia people? Not that a huge amount of people bought them anyway!

Yep, bound to be in England at least 2 or 3 times during the year, probably more than that. Consortium spanner days and AGM as well as other odd visits. You want to give me that £5k you owe me? lol.

cheers
Lindsay

[smokeme]

Believe it or not i didn't know what a Thema was until i bought mine, i did know what a Kappa was though since there are a few on the road since Themas are VERY rare around here, i've only seen two others and one of those is mine (i have two, one is for parts not to mention the 164 Q4)

For some reason i find the Thema to be more luxurious then the Kappa although they are the same more or less, just the looks since the Thema looks huge :p