Lancia Cars | Used Cars, Motorbikes, Vans & Other Vehicles

From its early pioneering years of the 1900s � featuring the Alpha, and the Beta, in 1909, and the Gamma, in 1910 � through the 1940s, which cemented the image of Italy as a centre of stylish car production, to the present day, the name Lancia has been synonymous with engineering excellence, and innovation.

History of Lancia
Cars were first manufactured under the Lancia name as long ago as 1906, when Vincenzo Lancia � the son of a wealthy soup manufacturer � turned his attentions from Fiat, for whom he had worked previously, to his own factory. The tradition continued, under the leadership of Gianni Lancia, in the 1950s, which saw the production of the Aurelia, the Granturismo, and the Flaminia. The release of the Flavia � originally with a 1.5litre, and later with a 1.7 litre, engine � in 1961, caused a sensation across the motoring world. Further success followed in the 1970s, via the Beta, the Gamma, and the legendary Lancia Stratos, featuring a mid-mounted, DOHC, or "Double Over Head Camshaft", V6 engine, developing 190bhp, and a five time winner of the Monte Carlo Rally. The Lancia brand, and identity, endured, through the 1980s and 1990s, right up to the present day, in the form of the Lancia Thesis, Lancia Ypsilon, and Lancia Musa.

Lancia Models
The Lancia Thesis has signalled something of a revival of the fortunes of Lancia in Europe, where it suffered significant damage to its image through major quality problems � and rusting, in particular � during the 1990s. The Lancia Thesis is a large, 4-door, luxury saloon car, available in a choice of 2.5 litre, and 3.0 litre, V6, petrol engines, developing 168bhp and 215bhp respectively. The shape, and styling, of the Lancia Thesis has not been welcomed universally, but the car does, nevertheless, have an extremely comfortable interior, complete with air conditioning, and offers a smooth, quiet ride. Its handling and traction are good, on the whole � the Thesis does not experience much in the way of understeer, even with its traction control switched off � and are complemented by inertial, or "skyhook", dampers, which reduce vibration, and noise.

The Lancia Ypsilon � a "supermini" designed as a sister model to the Fiat Grande Punto � is available in a number of specifications, which offer a choice of engine, trim and other "extras". The Lancia Ypsilon Argento, for example, features a 1.2 litre, V8 engine, developing 60 bhp, and is equipped with power steering, ABS brakes, and optional, 15 inch alloy wheels. A slightly more powerful version, the 1.4 litre, 95bhp, Ypsilon Oro, has a top speed of 108 mph, and accelerates from 0 to 60mph in just under 11 seconds. The Oro, like the Argento, is equipped with ABS, and climate control, as standard. There is also a choice of a manual gearbox, or a robitised DFN, or "Dolce Far Niente", version.

The Lancia Musa, too, an MPV, or "Multi Purpose Vehicle", also features the DFN gearbox, and is available in a choice of five different engines, including a 1.3 litre, 90 bhp, and a 1.9 litre, 100bhp, "Multijet" version. The Musa is considered to be spacious, and roomy, with a comfortable interior, and control, and safety in its handling. The passenger cabin is designed to maximise comfort, and safety, despite its compact size, and the latest version features a luggage compartment that is some 70 litres larger, and slightly lower, than previously, so that bags and suitcases, for example, can be loaded, and unloaded, easily. The front, and rear � which now features LED lights � of the new Musa have been redesigned, and the latest version also features new alloy wheels.

Buying a Used Lancia
As with any used car, a full service history should be a prerequisite when considering a second hand Lancia, of any model, of any age. All DOHC Lancia engines, for example, should have had regular replacement cam belts, at least every 30,000 miles, and preferably more often that that. In addition, servicing should have been carried out on all petrol turbo engines in accordance with Lancia recommendations, and bear in mind that the average life of a Lancia turbocharger is around 5 years. If you are considering a car older than this, check if the turbocharger has already been replaced, and if not, be prepared to negotiate on its price. Similarly, be aware that the gearbox, and gearbox linkage, in some of the early carburettor Lancia models is not renowned for its performance and longevity; later, fuel injected models are generally better in this respect, but it is still not uncommon for shifting through lower gears to be stiff, until the engine warms up. Corrosion may also be a problem in older Lancia models, and common areas of concern are the front pillars, around the windscreen, the leading edges of the front doors, and the inner, and outer, wheel arches, particularly around the front wheels. This does not mean, of course, that problems may not occur in the rear of the car, too, so a cursory check of all of the bodywork � including under the boot carpet � is advisable.