05 Jun 08 13:26
Video: Lancia Delta
Lancia has revealed pictures and details of its reborn Delta, which goes on sale in mainland Europe later this summer, and arrives in the UK early 2009.
A sporting small family-sized five-door - 4.2m long, 1.8m wide and 1.5m high - to rival the Golf, A3, 1-Series and other upper-end hatches (including the Fiat Group's own upcoming Alfa Romeo 149), the Delta's high tail and roofline is disguised by the sweeping curve of the side windows and black window pillars.
A glass roof, dubbed Granluce, will be offered, along with two-tone paint finishes (a choice of twelve combinations) as on Lancias of the past.
Lancia promises top-quality materials for the interior, including leather and alcantara upholstery and a tactile leather-effect dashboard cover; options will include the very posh Poltrona Frau grosgrain leather as used in upper-end Alfas and Maseratis. The instruments have a high-tech finish, with metallic-look detailing and white illumination to give a 'floating' effect.
Rear-seat passenger space is said to be 'best in the segment' (though they said that about the Fiat Bravo with which the Delta shares much of its underpinnings) and the rear seat slides as well as reclines - 'like a business-class seat on an intercontinental flight'. Boot space is up to 465 litres, depending on the position of the rear seats.
Equipment on offer will include a Bose CD/MP3 audio unit, Bluetooth interface with advanced voice recognition, USB inputs, SMS messaging and sat nav; specification levels (for Italy, at least) will be labelled Argento, Oro and Platino - silver, gold and platinum.
Engines for the range are the 120bhp and 150bhp 1.4 Turbo Jet petrols and 120bhp 1.6 MultiJet diesel (as in the Bravo), with all-new 165bhp 2.0 and 190bhp twin-turbo 1.9 MultiJet diesels following on sale in the autumn. An all-new 1.8-litre direct-injection petrol engine (200bhp, with all-new six-speed automatic gearbox) will join the Delta range early next year. The six-speed automated-manual transmission (Selespeed) will be optional with some models, with a six-speed manual gearbox standard in even entry-level versions.
The suspension and chassis have been specifically developed for the Delta, and are governed a new stability control system called Absolute Handling. This incorporates systems including the Linearisation torque Feedback (LTF) and torque Transfer Control (TTF) electronic aids; LTF 'considerably improves your sense of mastering the car on bands, particularly at top speed,' says Lancia, and TTC 'improves traction on bends by significantly reducing understeer and ensures a more dynamic drive by electrically simulating the presence of a self-locking differential.'
Further aids and enhancements include Drive Steering torque and active electronic steering which 'carries out corrections automatically and controls oversteer over surfaces with low grip', plus variable-rate suspension damping.
Problems parking? There's a semi-automatic parking aid which takes care of steering into a space (the driver need only operate the brakes and throttle), and other new-to-Lancia systems include lane departure warning.
This new model is both more upmarket and more powerful than the original Giorgetto Giugiaro-designed Delta (1979-1994), with one exception - the original range included the rally-bred, four-wheel-drive Delta Integrale. Though Lancia is remaining quiet on the matter, it's a safe bet that a new-generation high-performance Delta, probably even reviving the Integrale name, is under development.
Video: Lancia Delta
