Lancia Motor Club

Interesting article posted on http://www.leftlanenews.com/lancia-chrysler-to-share-products.html
I hear it's in Autocar this week.

See also another thread on this topic:

http://www.lancia.myzen.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=2351.0

But yes, it is in Autocar, and there is scepticism expressed from both the magazine about whether Fiat can turn Chrysler around when Mercedes failed, and some scepticism also from one letter writer about the wisdom of platform sharing between Chrysler and Alfa.

Have a look here for photos of the new Chrysler Delta at the Detroit Motorshow.
http://jalopnik.com/5445216/delta-forced-first-lancia-rebadged-as-chrysler
Some truly awful photos of the front end,and some pretty disparaging comments from the reporter.
Is it my imagination or is that grille bigger than the one on the Lancia?


Brian
8227 8)

How any US motoring reporter can start slagging European cars off as mediocre beggars belief.  Chutzpah of the highest order.  The grill, if anything looks smaller, though I guarantee it'll be the same size.  Looks better than anything else Chrysler are selling at the moment...

I did email and put that point to him ;D a more sympathetic and positive view can be seen here.http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2010/01/surprise-lancia-shows-up-in-detroit-wearing-chrysler-badge/1

Brian
8227 8)

The grille is definitely the same size as on the Lancia.  I think the fact that the grille slats run horizontally on the Chrysler give the illusion that the grille is a different size.  I personally think that the Delta does not look as good with the Chrysler grille.  I also think that the Chrysler badge on the rear of the car does not look right.  It seems too big and a bit out of place to me......perhaps I am just too used to the more discreet Lancia badging on my my car!

I thought the "Delta Forced" headline was genius.

In my opinion, the Americans are making some nice looking, distinctive cars at the moment (Avenger, Charger, 300C, and some of the Cadillacs). That's not to say that the interiors are any good, no, they're universally appallingly cheap and tacky. Nor are they that good to drive, at least not the ones I've driven; BUT, not that many European cars are that good to drive.

Believe it or not, the best handling car I've driven in the past 5 years was an MG ZR! Certainly a lot better than any of the latest Fiat/Alfa offerings of late. The Rover chassis engineers certainly knew their stuff!!