Lancia to revive the Delta as an EV
Lancia CEO says upcoming Delta EV will be “exciting”
In recent years, Lancia has become a shadow of its former self. The company previously sold rally-winning models, like the Delta Integrale and the Stratos, but today, the automaker only has one model on sale – the Ypsilon. It's a small hatchback that is sold exclusively in Italy. There is some good news, though. It seems Lancia will be going back to its roots by reviving the Delta. Best of all, the production model could arrive sometime in 2026.
It's not a rumor either. Luca Napolitano, the CEO of Lancia, confirmed the news himself in an interview with Italy's Corriere Della Sera. There's more; the new will be brought back to life as an electric vehicle.
“Everyone wants the Delta and it cannot be missing from our plans. It will return and it will be a true Delta: an exciting car, a manifesto of progress and technology. And of course, it will be electric,” Napolitano told Corriere Della Sera.
For now, details about the new Delta are still scarce. The upcoming EV may ride on an existing platform available from the Stellantis portfolio. What we do know is that a new Ypsilon model will have to debut first. That car is scheduled to debut in 2024, and it will be the last Lancia model to come with an internal combustion engine (ICE). By 2026, the automaker will drop ICEs and only sell pure electric vehicles. Since the Delta will be electric, it could arrive as early as 2026.
Napolitano did promise the new Delta will be an “exciting” model. That said, we can expect the upcoming model to be sort of like a spiritual successor to the legendary rally-winning Delta Integrale HF Evo. Hopefully, the CEO sticks to his word.
With the Lancia Delta returning as an EV, do you think other automakers should revive their rally-famous nameplates to make their brands more exciting?
