Lancia Motor Club

The latest issue of Auto Italia has just dropped through my door.  There is a good level of Lancia content including a Classic Coupes group test with a Fulvia coupe (the S3 car previously owned by James Parry), John Simisters review of the new Delta, and a small piece on the Prisma.

What an improvement in the magazine (apart from the Lancias) its actually starting to look professionally done. I subscribe and am infuriated by their Alfa bias. >:(

I agree.  I usually feel rather disappointed each month when the magazine arrives and there is virtually no Lancia content.  It is infuriating that they seem to be biased towards Alfa.  Maybe this will start to change when Lancia does finally return to these shores!

Don't hold your breath >:(

Brian
8227 8)

Absolutely no damned interest in my car, despite it being about the best in the country now (not difficult, so no boasting intended  :-\).  That's no different from a couple of the other classic car magazines where I've also sent pictures for the 'readers cars' sections, but I rather imagined Auto Italia might actually be interested, since my car is Italian.  Maybe the Delta's 30th birthday next year and the launch of the new Delta will stimulate them, but I am not holding my breath.

Back in 1999 when I brought my Ypsilon elefantino Rosso in as a personal import I asked AutoItalia if they were interested,  at the time the only Rosso here was Richard Thorne's demonstrator, they weren't interested unless I could take her to a photo shoot somewhere and at a time to suit them.
As far as I can recall they have never done a write up on the elefantino Rosso.

A least "Fay" did appear in a Fulvia group shoot in Oxfordshire with a 1.3 Coupe, a Fanalone, Colin Marrs Sport, good day ;D  but at the pub later guess who wound up paying for the beers :'(

Brian
8227 8)

Yep, AI is a good read this month ....

Just wondered the new Delta has a sliding rear door .... I haven't heard mention of that anywhere else except for the pic in AI ... is that both rear doors ?

The Fulvia is lovely (it was the article I read first!) and I caught the Prisma bit too ...

... and I agree with you Chris , your car should be there ... but then they could do the whole delta family tree !

They surely mean sliding rear seat, the doors definitely open conventionally!  The seat slides back and forth, I understand in two parts based in the one third / two thirds split.

... have a look at the photo in AI then ... :) .... it's a sliding door ....

This may be the answer : from lanciapress (4 / 6 / 2008):

The Lancia Delta can be outfitted with some special devices in accordance with the principles of the Autonomy programme. Fiat launched this initiative in 1995 to build individual and collective transport means and services for those with reduced motor capacity, keeping pace with new product developments, and to promote access of the differently able to the world of motoring.

During the days devoted to the press presentation of the new model, a specially-equipped car will be exhibited as a significant example of the numerous available possibilities. Prepared by Kivi – one of the various bodybuilders that works with Fiat Group Automobiles in the sector of special equipment for assisted mobility – this Lancia Delta is equipped with an electronic ring accelerator located under the steering wheel and a long-armed brake lever complete with brake lock and horn. Customers can also enjoy an electric roller door system. The rear left-hand door is sliding, so that a wheelchair can be easily loaded behind the driver’s seat by means of a winch.

Right from the launch stage, Lancia Delta customers are therefore able to obtain the car that best meets their requirements and needs. All these devices are easy to install and fit perfectly into the passenger compartment without impairing car user-friendliness, passenger room, comfort and safety. They can also be fitted alongside standard controls to enable the car to be driven by people without motor difficulties as well, and can be easily removed with the advantage that the car can be resold as a specially-equipped car or a normal car. Lastly, many financial allowances are available for differently able customers.

Two things:

Yes, the sliding doors are indeed a special-order option. The car pictured with them was at the launch to illustrate the Autonomy programme, but the caption-writer didn't quite grasp that the sliding doors aren't standard. I had no idea AI was going to use that picture.

Continuing to wear my AI contributor's hat, I shall endeavour to get Chris Owen's Delta in the magazine. As suggested, a very good time would be next year to coincide with the 30th anniversary and the arrival of the new Delta in the UK. I'd even like to write the story as I remember the Delta when new, having written a test for Motor magazine on the Delta GT in 1984.

Make that three things: I wouldn't say AI has a deliberate Alfa bias. It certainly isn't intended, and Phil Ward's own inclinations are, if anything, towards interesting old Fiats. If there's more coverage of Alfas than of anything else, it's probably because there are more Alfa stories to report. Anyway, the next AI will contain an engine story from me on the Aurelia V6.

John

John - you are a gentleman and a scholar  ;D as i think I've said before on these pages.  It would be good to meet you - this will make you feel old (sorry  :-\) but I remember your name from my adolescence reading Motor and Car (I recall you wrote for both at various times?).  I was a Motor regular, and really sad when it got swallowed up by Autocar - in my view always its inferior rival in terms of the quality of writing.  I'm sure there is a good Delta anniversary feature waiting to be written.  I also noticed that someone has a decent 1500 for sale in this month's VL (82 model, up in Scotland I think) so clearly there is at least one survivor of these in the country.  Be interesting to see if we can get examples of all the variants for a group feature.

Good ... I glad I wasn't seeing things !

If you ever want a group feature mine is up for that :)

Right, so a pristine 1300 and a late Integrale so far. I can see it working very nicely if we add an HF Turbo, preferably a carburettor one in Martini stripes, and the oldest Delta of any sort that we can find to show where the story started. That would give the broadest spread of impressions. Any volunteers? We'd need to do it next May or June to publish in time for the July Delta UK launch.

Yes, both Motor and Car, and various others at different times. All very enjoyable except when Motor was consumed by Autocar in Sept 1988, which was a sad time. I wrote Motor's last word, which ended a sentence whose second clause read 'Simister has the last word'. It was in an inside back cover running report on a spectacularly troublesome Volvo 480.

John

Think we would want an early 1500, and a 1600GT of some description, to complete that initial trio.  But sounds a runner, and I'm up for it.  John, my car will definitely be at the NEC, on the LMC stand, if you want to see it beforehand.  Time to get the wheels done, I think...!

Don't forget that I can search the database for any particular model (including year and location) belonging to a member and they can then be approached to see if they want to take part.  The earliest Deltas on the database are 1 1980,  1  1981 and 2 1982.  The usual problem with magazines asking for particular models of cars is that it is very last minute and there is very little time available to organise anything.

Diana

Diana, I imagine that will be useful, though I imagine in the first instance a call for volunteers and suggestions in VL might be useful - I imagine it should best come from Auto Italia / John Simister, but I'm happy to pick up and organise on John's behalf if that would be helpful.  I'm pleased to know we still have some really early Deltas knocking about - I would love to see one (in fact if I had space I'd love to own one...).  If the 1980 one is in good nick that might make a good story - the oldest Delta left in the country.

Don't forget that there is an S4 (road regsitered) in the UK, belonging to a CLS member I believe.

Just been looking through the Nigel Trow Delta book and there are some fantastic images of the Delta prototype (briefly called Epsilon).  Can we access and include these?

I also think it'd be important to include a Prisma and the Series 2 Deltas.

Lee

I suppose it depends on the lines we draw - I'd suggest that the 30th anniversary is the S1 Delta - so I'd guess the S2 is for another time.  Is the Prisma a different car, or close enough to the S1 to merit inclusion - and would it be worthy of a separate article anyway?  As for the S4, I think that would probably be stretching the family tree beyond even the Integrale...!  Moreover, I imagine AI would almost certainly consider the S4 to be worthy of its own feature.  It sounds like there is a family of articles here...

It's fair to say that the Delta name introduced a line of Lancia cars that included the S2 Delta, Prisma, S4 Rally and Stradale, HF 4WD and integrale.

So it depends upon the objective of the article, a retrospective on the impact of the Delta upon the fortunes of Lancia would perhaps include all of these cars, whereas a look back on the anniversary car would be well served by a specific article about first-year events and the splash in the press, contemporary verdicts (CoTY 1980) on a nice original S1 Delta.

Perhaps it could even be interestng to take a wider look at the JV with Saab (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_600):

(http://peacetek.net/saab-rarities/saab-lancia/saab-lancia-600-1.jpg)

Problem being if you start introducing integrale & the exotics in the story, the less collectable and not so well variants will get pushed into the background, to my mind I'd prefer to see a write that only covers up to the non 4WD, but of course including Prisma.

I think the Clubs write up of the S4 produced a couple of years or so, ago, covers S4 in sufficient detail.

Brian
8227 8)

I think I'd agree with Brian - there is lots of stuff written about the Rally winning legends but nothing that I have seen (in 4 years of ownership) about where the story started from ... a comparison would be nice (seeing Chris's car and mine on the Giro together WAS amazing) but the the story should be about the Delta at 30 ... (the integrale will be celebrated in a few years time @30 I'm sure!) ...

Food for thought here. Thanks to you all. The S4 is a separate being as far as this story is concerned, and the Prisma is a footnote derivative. I'd like to include an S2, though, as the car we in the UK never got. Brian, have no fear that an Integrale or HF 4WD would overshadow calmer Deltas.

I was pleased that Chris Rees gave the win in his group test to the Fulvia, although mine has just the one front leaf spring... Slightly puzzled by his comments on gearing, too. I reckon the tacho was over-reading.

John

I don't know whether as a result of this discussion, or independently, but I've now had a request from the editor of Auto Italia to contribute a 'Readers Car' piece.  Hopefully in writing that i won't mess up the plans on here for the anniversary feature.  I guess the anniversary feature will include driving impressions and a photo shoot which will be very different to what I can put in the 'readers car' feature, so I imagine we're OK.

Excellent news ... 'congrats'

Evening all..

Looking for a Delta 1500 ??  Well, the one from Edinburgh has now joined the Beta and Gamma collection in Tiddleywink, so would be great to get it featured and out there in AI. Drove it down from Edinburgh to Wiltshire on Wednesday with no problems. Although it is a March 82 registered vehicle, I am pretty dammed certain, looking at the spec that it is a 1980 built vehicle. Certainly all the little details of the spec are spot on for a launch car.( solid metal exterior door handles, carpeted tailgate trim panel, full carpeting under the rear seats, fully carpeted rear parcel shelf supports, carpet / fabric rear parcel shelf)  Not perfect condition, but pretty good all round. So, after 8 years of looking for a 1500, I can say that i am chuffed to have found a decent working one!

Andy

I thought you might go for it!  I look forward to seeing it.

Andy ! BIG congrats ... that means (cos it's taxed) you'll be able to trundle over to Tormarton (26th) so we can all have a look. Have you named it yet ?

Just received the latest copy (issue 148).  Not much Lancia content this month.  The Landmark Engine is the Aurelia V6.  There is more information on the Prisma integrale (last months obscure Italian car) featured as the Readers Car.

tatton park is in the back of it............i'm famous yet again hehe ;D

I have it on good authority that Auto Italia will soon feature an article with the Lancia Gamma Coupe (mine  :D) and a Fiat 130 Coupe. The photo session was last Friday 12/09/2008 at Chobham and I am told the article will appear "sometime this year". Here's some of the photos I took last Friday:

(http://www.gammaconsortium.com/Photos/aips/ai1.JPG)

(http://www.gammaconsortium.com/Photos/aips/ai3.JPG)

(http://www.gammaconsortium.com/Photos/aips/ai4.JPG)

(http://www.gammaconsortium.com/Photos/aips/ai7.JPG)

(http://www.gammaconsortium.com/Photos/aips/ai8.JPG)

(http://www.gammaconsortium.com/Photos/aips/ai13.JPG)

Looks lovely Theo, at first I thought the cars were on mud :o is that the old Army testing ground?

Brian
8227 8)

Yes it is. Apparently they used to test tanks and other military vehicles there. The cobblestones must have been for testing tank suspension and comfort?  ???

I thought I recognise the old armoured fighting vehicle test ground, can't remember why the paving, when I worked for Vauxhall Motors, at our test track at Lidlington there was a stretch of Belgian Pave which used to rattle the fillings in your teeth ;D I always wondered how authentic it was; in the last five years I've been visiting a little village in Belgium for Armistice day, and the Pave at Lidlington was pretty authentic!

Brian
8227 8)

this may explain why my teeth are falling out, (or is that just the "time of life")

Issue 150 of AI has Mick Covill's (alfasudtwinengine) group 4 Beta being tested alongside his Alfasud Bimotore.  Chris has also found fame as his Delta 1.3LX is one of the readers cars!

In the news section, a snippet reporting that the new Delta has achieved a Euro NCAP five star rating.

I shall be intrigued to see myself in print... :-\

:) - That was a weird one seeing you Chris - and Hey! I've sat in that car !!!! Good article though ... congrats.

I'm getting somewhat narked.  AI launch date on their website is October 3rd (last Friday).  Subscribers duly get copies by this date - I only find out I'm actually in because said subscribers are good enough to tell me on here.  As you might imagine, I'm keen to see a copy, and AI haven't sent me one, so I have to go and buy one - which I've tried to do every day since Saturday.  Copies are still not in central Birmingham WHSmith, even on the 9th - tomorrow, I'm told by the staff there.  I won't hold my breath.

On a different tack, I'm clearly getting old, as I'm finding youth fashions comical.  Two lads walking in front of me this lunchtime heading into Matthew Boulton College were equipped with the fashionable trouser 'stylee' - viz. waistband at lower buttock level and crotch at about knee level, but what was even more comical was the 'wearing a very full nappy' gait that they were adopting.  It was all I could do not to laugh.  Did we really look as ludicrous in the early 80s with drainpipe jeans and pixie boots? :-\

... looking on the good side, we were too young for the 70's ! :)

Hi Chris,
You were hoping weren't you :o you supply your prize possession for an article in AutoItalia free & gratis, and you expected a free copy of the magazine it appeared in  ::) How could you be so naive? surely you know AutoItalia never give away magazines or pays ordinary enthusiast for the loan of their cars.

On the full day shoot they did with us on Fulvias about 4-5 years ago, we even finished up paying for our own beer.

Brian
8227
 8)

I should be so lucky.  There are pictures of me in flares when nobbut a lad that are frankly actionable should they ever get into the public domain.   :o

Two levels of angst really.  Firstly, that having provided them with a page of copy worthy of publication, it would be nice to at least get a copy of the magazine, or at least a PDF proof of the page.  However, I accept that their margins are probably very tight with a modest circulation, and that they are probably very busy - so I can understand this.  The second level is the mounting annoyance of trying to buy the magazine for best part of a week, working on the publication dates on the website.  Again, I gues AI is a small set up, and I've no doubt its hard work getting each issue put to bed - but it seems inordinate that it takes an extra week for copies to appear on the shelves after subscribers have got copies.  A couple of days possibly, but I am getting fed up.  Still, in the end, its just vanity... :-\

.. can you sign my copy please ? ;)

Finally got a copy  :D.  Its a good issue - lots in to read, and the Alfa 147 buyers guide will be very useful in the next couple of months...  But I did warn them I had a face for radio... :o

Just received the latest issue (December).  Featurd this month is a test drive of the Stratos prototype.  Chris Hrabalek gives his opinion on the design of the new Delta.  After reading it, it is obvious that he is blind, calling the car 'ugly'.  >:(
Also mentioned is news that the Lybra is to be produced once again, but now in China, and with non-Italian engines.

I bought AI today, a rare treat, but I had a few spare hours to fill while the Renault mechanics fiddled with my van.  The Stratos feature is great, beautiful photography and a good read.  Chris has obviously got strong opinions on the new Delta. Personally, I think Centro Stile Lancia hasn't done a bad job, considering the constraints currently being placed upon designers who have to design a 5 door, 5 seater hatch, taking into account the basic shape and components given to them by FIAT, not to mention pedestrian and crash regs.

I thought of you Stu when I saw the Lybra news.  I'm sure it'll end up with a Peugeot, VW or Toyota derived diesel unit and will become the car of choice for taxi drivers.  I wonder what it'll end up being called?  Any suggestions?

Yep, after having looked at the Delta at the NEC and given the constraints on design I reckon it's a good looking car. Don't agree with that review in A.I at all.

Strongly disagree with the idea that the new so called 'delta' is good looking, its as much a clone with a different nose as anything (in its market range) on sale at the moment! Come on, show a little bit of balls and shake the market up again, be original for ***** sake!

What happened in the last 20 years, has everyone lost sight of truly great car design and innovation, is everything controlled by the accountant, and sales figures? Alas yes, such a sad fact?

Sorry saturday night rant over!

FF

You have a good point. And lets be honest the days of auto design freedom are now gone. Sad. Maybe Lancia studio should concentrate on a fresh subject. How about British railways. The drab 08.45 plodder out of Paddington could take on a whole new meaning if it had a Lancia badge glued to its front end. Extra speed? Naturally, with the limited edition 'S' Aurelia performance pack. This combined with unheard levels of safety thanks to sliding pillers controlling the 'lean' through bends. At the same time passengers would enjoy alcantara trim and an Italian buffet, that would at last provide travellers with a decent cup of coffee.

Whilst I am pretty ambivalent about the new Delta, I don't know why people get wound up about Hrabalek for. Pretty much funded by his family, of no importance in the motoring world and recently a sort of "rent a quote" for anyone who will (probably) pay him. He has always struck me as not much more than a self publicist. The only thing he has done is a rather predictable modern interpretation of the Stratos.

Regarding design I think it is very difficult to produce something truly different if you are aiming for the mass-market. The regulations and laws of physics drive the design almost to a point of singularity. Headlamp position, bumper height and position, bonnet slope etc are all pretty much defined by the safety regulations now in place. Rake of front and rear windows are pretty much defined by the aerodynamic shape required to get 40+ mpg etc, which is why the manufacturers now pay so much attention to the automotive "jewellery" - light design, wheel design, radiator, and interior etc. Just to say " go and be original for *****sake" ignores these restrictions, and is unnecessarily (and uninformed) critical of the engineers and designers who work in this area. It also totally ignores the financial and commercial realities of having to create a product that satisfies the masses - "originality" is usually a killer in the mass market (witness the FIAT Multipla). If you want "original" design you have to buy a car from an era when "original" design was allowed, or at the top end where "originality" is financially viable to the manufacturers.

Within the rail industry (which I work in) both Pininfarina and Matra are very active (as have Zagato in the past). I have worked with both the afore mentioned companies in my time. Pininfarina provide industrial design services (most of the TAV trains, Pendolino and ETR, are PF aesthetic designs of some description), but Matra provide complete systems - they have immense control system competence. The VAL automatic trains in French airports are entirely Matra. The engines and power packs for nearly all modern DMU's are produced by MTU - which used to called Maybach. They are produced in the same factory - there has always been a close relationship between the rail and automotive sectors. But if you think the controls are tight on car design, they are twice that on trains (and buses etc) because they are public transport which gives the politicians license to really interfere "for the good of the public"! I'm afraid original design is now more aimed at material selection and production techniques.

I am quite aware and informed regarding the laws of physics and of the modern day legislation restricting the form and function of car design!

My frustration is aimed at the rule of the accountant and does not detract from the fact that without true 'originality' the whole market "in my view" has become stagnant and boring.

Its also seems a sense of humour is somewhat lacking in some quarters!

FF

There's actually a significant point in this - what constitutes innovation in car design, and can it be commercially viable?  Innovation appears to be anything which is not like everything else - so innovation such as the new Fiat 500, which is different from much else on the market, but engineering wise is pretty much straight out of the existing parts bin, is commercially very successful.  Engineering innovation is much more likely to be incremental - common rail diesel engines for example, and perhaps the most radical step recently, hybrid technology (but how much of that is a real step forward in reducing emissions, or is it just fashion?).  VW tried to be radical in terms of platform layout by trying to go rear engined with the Up, but had to give up because they couldn't make it work effectively (I think the issues were both about packaging and cooling).

The elephant in the room here is still that some think the Delta ought to have been an Integrale successor, or alternatively should have used styling cues from former models such as the Integrale.  I don't know whether that would have represented any greater innovation in styling than the actual design presented (which is pretty radical in a love it or hate it sense), but it was never on, either in engineering or styling terms to try and hark back to the Integrale.  I'm slightly disappointed that the early signals about the Delta using styling cues from the Beta HPE or the first (non-Integrale) Delta came to nought, but I'm not disappointed with the look or the package offered by the new Delta.  The only thing that really irks me is Fiat/Lancia's utter inability to work to a schedule and get the Delta in the UK when planned - we've now had two promised dates and both have been missed, meaning that in my eyes, the company has almost no credibility left as a serious and organised operation.  In that light, do I really want to buy an Alfa from these people?  Or would I be better going with a manufacturer who has some shred of credibility left, and which hasn't repeatedly made promises I've relied on, only to back out because things got a bit difficult?

No lack of humour, just sticking up for the engineering and design profession  ;)

Issue 153 arrived today.  There is an article on the Type 4 project (Thema, Fiat Croma, Alfa 164, Saab 9000).  Although I wasn't too impressed in the article itself (I felt it didn't go as deep as it could have done) there are some good shots of Andrew Nicklin's Thema.

In the news section, there is picture by Aurelio Argentieri (of Argentieri Design) of what he thinks a new Lancia coupe should look like, even suggesting it should carry the Aurelia name.  The car itself reminds me of a cross between the current Audi TT and the Nissan Z.  From the design, if Lancia were to build a car in this vein, it would definitely be a success!

To be honest Stuart, I though it was a TT with a Lancia grille ...

From the front I would agree, but the rear end (in the picture below the news text) reminds me of the Nissan Z

From the Auto Italia website, Phil Ward responds:

"design consultant, Chris Hrabalek, expressed his scathing opinion on the new Lancia Delta in the last issue. His comments are bound to upset the Lancisiti who have been praying for the marque’s return to the UK. I’ve owned several Lancias myself – a Delta GTie from new, a couple of HPEs and a Beta Coupe – and I thoroughly enjoyed them all. I also applaud the relaunch of the brand but having seen the new car on the Italian roads it didn't light any fires in me. I think it's an average looking car at best, but that's not good enough and here's why. The danger is, that because the new Delta has not received overwhelming approval beyond the loyal Lancisti, is it really the right car to regain the confidence of the car buying public? I think not. A relaunch car should have Wow! written in large letters all over it. Now, is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that there are designers out there who can create better looking Lancias than Lancia itself? Take the Fulvia Coupe concept, Hrabalek's fine Fenomenon Stratos and now the splendid Aurelia proposal in issue 153. Lancia’s in-house design team are actually capable of producing acceptable cars, the Ypsilon for example, so why can’t they get their act together and create something that the brand and the Lancisiti really deserve? As we went to press it was annouced that because of the current world economic crisis, Lancia would not be returning to right-hand drive markets until after 2009. Is this blessing in disguise? Let's hope that the Lancia design team make good use of the breathing space. What do you think? You can contact me here. Here's to an exciting 2009, albeit without a new Lancia in the UK.."

Got the latest issue (154) through my door today.  Lancia content includes an article about the Aurelia, featuring a B24 Spider and a B25 Rosa D'Oro. 

In the news, it is reported that two Lancias sold at the Bonhams Olympia sale in December; an Aurelia B20 sold for £33K, and a Flaminia 3C GT sold for £13K.  More surprising on the news front is a report that according to Wikipedia, the Thesis is due to cease production in the next few weeks.  I find this surprising as I thought production had ceased already!

Some less good news is the loss of the 'Father of the Stratos' has died.  Pierugo Gobbato, who was 90, was a general director at Lancia from 1967, and worked with Bertone to create the Stratos.

Away from the Lancia front, there is a fascinating interview with Giorgetto Giugiaro.  The article was well worth the read.

The Thesis seems to me to be nailed on to become collectable.  Almost any car which is as distinctive, well equipped and low volume is almost certain to be so, especially if its a Lancia.  I guess those with the money and the space will be buying and storing now.  Lets hope the brand survives the global recession even if some of the models don't.  I would eventually like to have the opportunity to buy a new RHD Lancia...

... Oh for a B24 spider .... I think it is my favourite car ! Good issue though.

This months AI has a supurb picture of a Giallo integrale on the cover.  It is part of a three car test comparing it with an Alfa GTV Cup and A Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo.  In the letters, Mark Blackburn and Karl Harris have made their feelings clear about Chris Hrabalek's comments about the new Delta.  As Steve (Sparehead3) has said in another post....well said!

In the team cars section, Simon Park has written about the return of his Fulvia to the road.  The Fulvia part of his report was only short, as most of it was taken up by his Abarth Scorpione Corsa Prototipo being unable to make the Silver Flag and Val Caminica hillclimbs in Italy as it broke down.  This has prompted him to sell the Abarth and keep the Fulvia!

A new series of feature has started about Italian cars in films.  Starting with the 1930's and 40's, there are some good references to Lambdas, Aprilia, Artena and an Omicron bus used in films.  Unfortunately there are no pictures of the cars from the films.  From what I read in the article, it should be a good series.

Lancia content in the latest issue (156) is rather limited.  The buyers guide features the integrale, while in the news there is a rather nice picture of a snow covered Flaminia advertising the 2009 Via Flaminia.  Another item of interest is news that Borrani have re-issued bi-metal wheels, which are available for the Aurelia.  It is claimed that they will soon be available for the Flaminia. More information can be found at www.borrani.co.uk.

In the classifieds, there is an advert for an integrale 'Edition Club Lancia' priced at £40,000.  Surely this must be some form of record for an integrale!

The readers car in issue 158 is an Appia S3 belonging to Andy Harris.  This months Club Italia section features the Stratos Enthusiasts Club.  Being interviewed for this month is Ercole Spada.  Spada is a designer who worked on the Fulvia Zagato cabrio, Dedra and the second series Delta.

Yes, I know Andy as he's been to the Bristol Meetings and he showed pictures of that car as a potential purchase : glad he did buy it and wish he'd come bring it along to show us at the end of the month (but he's not on the Forum so I can't drop an email)

Try contacting him through Don Cross, as Don is his father-in-law! His contact details are in VL!

Good idea !

Just to re-awaken this 2009 thread  on the Auto Italia magazine, bar a few gripes there are mostly positive views of the magazine.


P

I will (or rather my car) be making an appearance in the near future. Last year a photographer and a features writer were in Ireland doing a few articles for various magazines. One being a feature on my B20. Photographed at Mondello, with static and 'on the move' shots.
I was contacted in the past few weeks to say that the magazine wanted to re-shoot the photos, as the format did not suit. These will be done in the next few days (again at Mondello).

Good stuff Kevin.........looking forward to it


P