Lancia is back, and it's going rallying. Again.

Lancia is back, and it's going rallying. Again. 

Lancia hasn't been considered a contender in the competitive motorsports space for a while now. Now, years later, it's blessed us with two exciting announcements.

The first announcement relates to Lancia's road-going activities and is known as the Ypsilon HF, which is Lancia's first hot hatch in a while. Considering Lancia does fall under the Stellantis group, this product is already somewhat familiar. The Ypsilon HF comes with a front-mounted electric motor that produces 174kW, and yes, it is an EV. This particular hot hatch has a common modular platform, which is shared with the Abarth 600e and the Alfa Romeo Junior. So it is fair to say that there won't be too many teething issues upon its launch in 2025. 

The Ypsilon HF does 0-100km/h in 5.8 seconds, which isn’t amazingly impressive but does offer exciting driving potential. The HF is the performance version of the standard Ypsilon, which comes in two models, the Delta and the Gamma, and offers a wider track and more aggressive styling on top of its under-the-bonnet performance. Lancia has also added improved handling, such as lowering the ride height and stiffening up the suspension for a more engaging experience.

Now this particular car does come as a rally car, which thankfully comes with a 3-cylinder ICE motor to make all of our favourite noises. It looks incredibly hot, too, with its iconic Lancia rally livery and roof scoop, and owing to Group Rally4 regulations, the car is shaped similarly to the standard car. 

The Rally HF comes with a 1.2-litre inline-three cylinder that produces a not-so-crazy 154 kW and is bolted to a 5-speed gearbox. The addition of a limited-slip differential ensures more consistent power delivery to the front wheels.

This new rally car is likely the beginning of Lancia's rally return, and it will race in the FIA Group Rally4 championship in the R4 class. For those who have previously enjoyed Lancia's Italian rowdiness, this is an exciting announcement that we hope will lead to a rejuvinated, lovable performance brand.

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