Photo: Stellantis
"The Walking Dead" has no official car brand that we are aware of, but it could as well be Lancia. Until very recently, it was only considered alive because of a single vehicle, the Ypsilon. With Stellantis, the brand gained another chance to prove it is worth saving, and now one of the main responsible people for that has been named. It will be Jean-Pierre Ploué, Stellantis CDO (Chief Design Officer).
According to the company, he will be personally in charge of Lancia Design at the Torino Centro Stile. He said that the company would be “restored to its central historical position in Europe, leveraging on its huge potential.” Ploué just did not mention how he will help Stellantis do that.
Lancia stood for victory in competitions – especially rallies – and for technological innovation. The 1922 Lancia Lambda was the first car to present a unibody design, a V4 production engine, and the “sliding pillar,” an independent front suspension when the standard was live axles. Lancia also introduced the first production V6 (1950 Aurelia). That’s a record that is the core of its “central historical position.”
Luca Napolitano, the brand’s CEO, welcomed Ploué’s collaboration. However, he also did not clarify if they have already conceived a plan to ensure Lancia will not be another badge with a lot of heritage and no future.
Considering how Stellantis is concentrating on electric vehicles, Lancia could become an EV-only brand, for example. It could therefore use the eCMP for compact cars such as the Ypsilon and the eVPM for C and D-segment automobiles. Lancia already bet on larger and more luxurious versions of Fiat vehicles. That was the case with the third-generation Lancia Delta, a pretty forgettable car.
Carlos Tavares already demonstrated he could make money-losing brands turn a profit with Opel. Lancia would have to present something no other Stellantis brand can offer. We hope Ploué and Napolitano have a fantastic plan to deliver that. Just like watching a racer that is no longer competitive, it is sad to see Lancia depend on a Fiat 500 modification not to kick the bucket.
Lancia stood for victory in competitions – especially rallies – and for technological innovation. The 1922 Lancia Lambda was the first car to present a unibody design, a V4 production engine, and the “sliding pillar,” an independent front suspension when the standard was live axles. Lancia also introduced the first production V6 (1950 Aurelia). That’s a record that is the core of its “central historical position.”
Luca Napolitano, the brand’s CEO, welcomed Ploué’s collaboration. However, he also did not clarify if they have already conceived a plan to ensure Lancia will not be another badge with a lot of heritage and no future.
Considering how Stellantis is concentrating on electric vehicles, Lancia could become an EV-only brand, for example. It could therefore use the eCMP for compact cars such as the Ypsilon and the eVPM for C and D-segment automobiles. Lancia already bet on larger and more luxurious versions of Fiat vehicles. That was the case with the third-generation Lancia Delta, a pretty forgettable car.
Carlos Tavares already demonstrated he could make money-losing brands turn a profit with Opel. Lancia would have to present something no other Stellantis brand can offer. We hope Ploué and Napolitano have a fantastic plan to deliver that. Just like watching a racer that is no longer competitive, it is sad to see Lancia depend on a Fiat 500 modification not to kick the bucket.
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