Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Euro, FIAT
Lancia to cancel top-of-the-line Thesis this year?
Click above to view the Lancia Thesis in high resolution
You'd be forgiven for not knowing much about the Lancia Thesis. Or perhaps mistaking it for something like a SsangYong. The range-topping luxosedan from Fiat's quirky cousin was never sold in North America, and even in the European market has remained something of an anomaly. We had a chance to ride in one on the way to the airport after driving the Alfa MiTo in Italy and were generally impressed, but with its homely, oddball styling and less-reputed badge, it never really stood a chance against class-leaders like the Mercedes E-Class, BMW 5 Series or Audi A6. Now, after less than seven years on the market, Fiat is reportedly set to pull the plug.
As it is, the Thesis is only made on demand, which has been relatively ( and understandably) low. Until the introduction of the Maserati Quattroporte in 2004, the Thesis was the largest and most luxurious sedan in the Fiat Group portfolio, but with dismal sales amidst difficult economic times, the Italian auto giant can no longer justify its continued production. Despite having no replacement in the pipeline, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne reportedly announced the model's discontinuation for this past year, but production is now tipped to drag out until the Spring. The Lancia Thesis may have its small cadre of fans, but by and large it's not likely to be especially missed as it rolls towards the sunset. To commemorate its passing, we've assembled the gallery below.
Gallery: Lancia Thesis
[Source: Autoblog.it]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
firstplace 6:39PM (1/04/2009)
I cant imagine why.... looks to kill...
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xspeedy 6:53PM (1/04/2009)
Should have been killed before it was even thought of. In these tough economic times, ugly cars don't sell.
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Torrent 7:05PM (1/04/2009)
I'm sure they're not canceling it because it's fugly.
Sarcasm, off...
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happy_penguin 7:06PM (1/04/2009)
It looks stuck in two centuries. There's a way to do retro and that ain't it.
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Jakesnake1294 7:07PM (1/04/2009)
Hold on! I was just about to buy one!
maybe not.
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Ray 7:35PM (1/04/2009)
25 years from now you're all going to want one of those and you know it!
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Kaveh 7:49PM (1/04/2009)
what happened to Lancia, they use to make cool little cars in the 80's when they did rally. This car is just bad.
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42 8:06PM (1/04/2009)
Huh. Never seen one before, but I like it. At least it doesn't look like everything else.
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Jason 8:06PM (1/04/2009)
Thesis? Will there be a special edition called Jane Schaffer?
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Soccer Mom 8:29PM (1/04/2009)
And we are laughing at Chinese cars... Go figure.
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bc2ab9c9 8:36PM (1/04/2009)
WTF !
What happened to cars like the Lancia Delta Integrale and Stratos ?
Did a blind person design this car ?
Barf.
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Geeky1 9:24PM (1/04/2009)
"Click above to view the Lancia Thesis in high resolution"
Nah, thanks anyhow AB. The small pics were more than enough. YIKES!
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dallasward007 9:58PM (1/04/2009)
It's a real shame that Lancia has fallen so low. It was barely more than a decade ago that Lancia was making world class rally cars.
Prior to their take over by Fiat, Ferrari was not the make of the highest quality cars in Italy. Lancia was the Italian equivalent of Jaguar, Rolls Royce, or Bentley. They not only built cars for the top Italian govenment positions, but for the Vatican as well.
Sadly, gone are the days of the Fulvia, Flaminia, and Aurelia. Not to mention the Delta Integrale, Stratos, or Montecarlo 037.
It's a sad state of affairs for the centuryold company that invented the V6.
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anti-believer 10:24PM (1/04/2009)
Heavens forbid this to be cancelled!
Lancia must've "loss their mind".
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Jazz290 10:43PM (1/04/2009)
Sorry, I was busy drooling over the Genesis...
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ed 10:59PM (1/04/2009)
Love the tail lights. Everything else however...
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Other Man 11:06PM (1/04/2009)
What engines did it offer?
Either way I don't really care...
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MachinaDC5 12:51AM (1/05/2009)
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wait. What?
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fuser197 1:25AM (1/05/2009)
It doesn't look half bad from the back.
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ABfanboy 4:21AM (1/05/2009)
Looks like a Mitsuoka. Now kill it already please...
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