2003 Lancia Ypsilon Photos, engines & full specs

The Italian automaker Lancia introduced the second generation of the Ypsilon in 2003 and built it on the same platform as the Fiat Punto, a mundane vehicle made for the masses.

While most supermini hatchbacks looked similar, the Ypsilon dared to be different. Even if it shared its underpinnings with the Punto, it was a different car, not just a badge-engineered vehicle. Its design was fresh, the materials used for the interior were more upscale, and it was promoted as a fancy little car built to be driven mostly in crowded cities. Thanks to its size, it was easier to park than most premium vehicles. Fiat and Lancia knew these advantages from the car’s first generation, which was introduced in 1995. So, when it launched the second generation of this nameplate, it used the lessons learned from the car’s predecessor. It quickly became the best-selling Lancia, with over 60,000 units a year. This unexpected success forced the automaker to relocate the production facility.

With a design inspired by the 1939 Lancia Ardea, the 2003 Ypsilon featured a crest-like grille in the middle of the front fascia. Its organic-shaped headlights were swept back on the front fenders, while below the bumper, customers could get a set of round fog lamps to flank the additional lower air intake. To lower repair costs of the bumper, the automaker adorned it with a wide rubber stripe.

From its profile, the three-door hatchback had a different aspect than the Punto. First of all, it had a shorter wheelbase since Lancia didn’t want the Ypsilon to have five doors. It was mainly built for those seated in the front seats. The design team penned the vehicle with a tall greenhouse compared to the rest of the car. Unlike its Fiat sibling, it also sported sculptured lines on the sides that ran from the front fenders along the door panels towards the rear quarter panels. Finally, the Ypsilon featured slim, oblique taillights at the back that flanked the tailgate, and the rear bumper also sported a horizontal rubber stripe for the same reason as the one from the front.

Inside, the automaker created a unique cabin fitted with a center-mounted instrument cluster atop the dashboard that sported large dials for the speedometer and tachometer and a third small gauge between them for the fuel level. In addition, a small screen at the bottom of the instrument panel displayed the odometer. Unlike most other vehicles from this segment, the Ypsilon had leather seats and an infotainment system that could be accessed via a dedicated app. The high-mounted seats and the pedals designed specifically to allow driving with high heels were also a particular feature of the car. In the back, there was hardly room for two children, but it served very well as an in-car luggage shelf.

Under the hood, the second generation of the Ypsilon came with a choice of gasoline and diesel engines ranging between 60 PS (59 hp) and 80 PS (78 hp). They were all paired with a five-speed manual as standard, while an automated (single-clutch) gearbox was available.