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2006 Lancia Delta HPE Concept

Wallflower Brand Needs Attention

International autoshows are always fun from the perspective of an automobile journalist, especially if that journalist is also an automotive enthusiast. I, for instance, have never driven, let alone seen a modern Peugeot or Alfa Romeo in person, and by modern I mean something newer than 1994. The last Peugeot I saw was a 405 M16 and the last Alfa was the 164, which shared its underpinnings with the Saab 9000. These cars were the last of their type in North America, a final effort at luring in U.S. and Canadian buyers in the early 90s, when they were still being imported. So you can appreciate that its not just the fancy Porsches, such as

This is one stylish shooting brake... I mean wagon... er, crossover. (Photo: Lancia)

the GT3-RS, the small-volume exotic cars like Koenigseggs or Paganis that do it for me; its the elegant, unique and intriguingly different vehicles, such as the Citroen C6. Is it a work of art, or is it a car? Could it be both?

Geneva, Paris, Frankfurt, London and Tokyo all offer great glimpses into different Automotive worlds. However, for this years Paris show, one of the more famous, but

Is it just me, or does it look something like a Nissan Murano from behind? (Photo: Lancia)

somewhat dormant brands has resurfaced with an all-new concept car. Okay, well, its not exactly a debutant at Paris (it was first shown at a Venetian Film Festival), but it will be shown publicly at the event. The brand is Lancia, luxury arm of Italian giant Fiat. The nameplate has certainly been taking a beating over the past decade; what used to be a brand associated with winning rallies and races, has all but shrunk into a low-volume producer of gussied up Fiat products. Lancia

Lancia wants to pull forward its historical performance and luxury image to compete with Audi and BMW. (Photo: Lancia)

only sells vehicles in certain areas of mainland Europe, but that reach is soon expected to expand.

This is the Delta HPE Concept, the latest version of a car that Lancia will make a comeback with. Delta Integrale should be a familiar name to anyone who watched the WRC during the late 80s and early parts of the 90s, when Lancia absolutely dominated. On the road, the Integrale was something to fear. It was the early equivalent to the Subaru Impreza WRX STI or Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution; compact, turbocharged, all-wheel drive,

Lancias classic T-shield grille gives the new concept a stylish front end. (Photo: Lancia)

and devastatingly quick, not to mention it ate BMW M3s and Porsche 911s alive, and gave Audi something serious to think about. But, since those days the Delta nameplate has been left somewhat dormant, having carried on without a high-performance version since.

Though Lancia says that the Delta Concept is part sedan and part shooting brake, its more of a wagon thanks to its five-door layout, or a compact crossover, depending on the angle from which you look at it. But however it will be classified, the Delta concept is typical Lancia in that its effortlessly classy, and inspired by the marques glory days. Key to modern Lancia design

The Delta HPE features daring rear end design elements. (Photo: Lancia)

is the grille, which bears the brand identity like a coat of arms. The Deltas incorporates a T-shaped shield, a design that dates back to the Aurelia of 1950s, yet, on a car thats so cutting edge and modern, whats remarkable is how it doesnt look out of place against angular xenon headlamps and flush bumpers. Although the Delta Concept is a tall form hatchback, its profile, especially from the front quarter, doesnt convey what is normally a rather utilitarian image.
The other end of the car is daring and original to say the least. The flying bridge panoramic roof gently drops into a trio of waterfalls, from the spoiler down the rear sculpted rear quarter fenders. Lancia has been tossing this particular shape

Jewel-like taillight lenses add to its upscale appearance. (Photo: Lancia)

around for quite some time, but then again so have a couple of other carmakers. While Lancia has used it on several production vehicles, and on many of their concept cars, Rover featured a similar shape on the TCV Concept. Of course, theres a bit of innovation on this Delta HPE Concept, as the rear tailgate is frameless, similar in nature to that of the new Volvo C30. And now that were comparing, some might find the rear taillights similar in shape to Nissans popular Murano.

Where previous Deltas were compact hatchbacks, this concept is a little bigger. Lancia, in keeping with its historical image, is seriously attempting to compete against the likes of the Audi A4 and BMW 3-Series, something it couldnt do with the Fiat-based Lybra lineup. The new car rides on a 106.2-inch wheelbase, but features

While Lancia talks about luxury appointments, it will only release renderings of the interior at this point. (Photo: Lancia)

an interior layout that puts great emphasis on volume and airiness. Highlighted are adjustable rear seats that both slide and recline, giving the car levels of legroom comparable to a limousine. Such a claim might take some convincing, but it could very well be possible. Meanwhile, cargo volume hasnt suffered, as the car can still hold approximately 14.1 cubic feet behind the rear seats.

Performance might have been the Integrales calling card, but the Delta HPE seems to be more interested in cosseting its occupants in absolute luxury. The interior is simple and attractive, but most importantly its been finished with the best materials that the design team could get their hands on. Leather, alcantara, wood, metal and velour are all used, and together they make it look more like an upscale Italian lounge than a cars cabin. The Delta also features a unique

Yes, another rendering of the same angle, less developed. (Photo: Lancia)

sound-deadening roof, which allows light in but keeps sound out, making for a truly quiet interior.

If sound is whats desired, the Delta should please with its new Blue&Me mobile audio system with Bose speakers. Developed in collaboration with Microsoft, Blue&Me enables MP3s to be played from Bluetooth wireless devices, such as cell phones, or, through a actual USB connection rather than an input jack.

Much of the technology that is being showcased in the Delta HPE Concept is real and ready for production. In that respect, its probably worth noting that the Delta has also been designed to accommodate a wide variety of engines in its bay. Lancia says that, in theory, the Delta could be motivated by either turbocharged gasoline or turbocharged diesel engines that range in output from 120 horsepower to over 200. These engines would drive the front wheels (or, maybe all four wheels?) through either a traditional six-speed manual gearbox,

Ditto... (Photo: Lancia)

or a robotized (clutchless) version which mimics the shifting capabilities of an automatic. And while little has been revealed about the cars underpinnings - said to be based off the next Fiat Bravo, the replacement to the Golf-sized Fiat Stilo - Lancia wants the world to know that it hasnt neglected the dynamics. The concept features electronically controlled dampers which are capable of delivering first-rate body control without compromising ride quality.

There has been a great deal of internal conflict within Fiat about what is to become of Lancia. Its product lineup is genetically related to Alfa Romeo, which despite being part of the Fiat family, is nevertheless a serious competitor. Yet with Alfa taking stride as the performance brand, I think that theres room for Lancia to resurfaces as Italys luxury marque. I certainly would like to see the return of Lancia into the mainstream, and even better, the mainstream of North America. After lurking in the shadows for quite some time, it deserves a bit of attention.

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