Press Release
The Lancia Thesis 2006
The next car on the catwalk in Geneva is the new Thesis 2006 that combines sportiness and elegance to produce unique, exclusive styling. On the outside, the car’s refined metallic grey paintwork sets off the lines of the Lancia flagship beautifully. And the design of the 18” ray effect alloys is very eye-catching, highlighting the sporty impression of this particular version.
The same impression is repeated on the inside, which is furnished with new Frau® red leather upholstery with coordinated details. The original Thesis 2006 is on exactly the same wavelength as the Lancia flagship, a luxury saloon that captures the attention of elite motorists with its elegance and cutting-edge technology. This is a particular segment of the market with a small number of models where the most important carmakers concentrate the best automotive technology on the market today. For this reason the Thesis 2006 is equipped with the new 2.4 Multijet 20-valve engine which, combined with a self-adaptive sequential 5-speed automatic transmission, delivers 185 bhp at 4000 rpm and peak torque of 330 Nm at 1500 rpm. What is more, with this power pack the car reaches a top speed of 225 km/h and accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 10.2 seconds. Of course the car exhibited on the Lancia stand is equipped with all the strong points that the Thesis offers, from the lavish array of standard safety equipment (ABS with EBD, ESP complete with ASR, 8 airbags) to the luxurious, large, protective passenger compartment, which features the sophisticated Connect Nav+ infotelematic system, a Bose Hi-Fi system, multi-zone automatic climate control and Comfort front seats (ventilated, heated and adaptive, with built-in squab and cushion massage), which are the state of the art in terms of comfort and ergonomics. The car is also equipped with an anti-lift volumetric antitheft system with alarm, a television and parking sensors.
Lancia Ypsilon MOMO Design
The line-up at the Geneva Show would not be complete without the Lancia Ypsilon MOMO Design, the new version of the model that manages to be both assertive and fashionable. It was developed jointly by Lancia and Momo Design, two brands that share a commitment to innovation in design, the use of cutting edge materials and attention to detail.
For the first time on a mass production car, this model features opaque metallic black paint for the tailgate, roof and pillars, matched with non-metallic Black, Pergolesi Ivory, Bramante Orange and Alberti Red. An additional touch of elegance comes from the metalluro finish of certain elements: from the door handles to the tailgate trim, the model logo and the grille frame. The interior is upholstered with Glamour fabric on the seats, with black side strips and orange, red or magnesium on the seat cushion to match the external paintwork.
The lavish equipment includes manual climate control with a pollen filter, Dualdrive power steering, 15” alloy wheels with a sporty design, radio with CD player and the option of an MP3 player, ABS with EBD, 4 airbags and foglights. But there are other important features, such as height and reach adjustment of the steering wheel, a rear seat that folds down and tilts, a height adjustable driver’s seat, trip computer, twin colour-coded wing mirrors, electric front windows, 195/55 tyres, the Follow me home device, and the steering wheel and gear lever knob covered with perforated leather with silver overstitching.
Anyone who enjoys driving will find that the Ypsilon MOMO Design is a compact that behaves brilliantly on any route. The merit goes to the engines: the 70 bhp 1.3 Multijet, the 60 bhp 1.2 8v and the 80 bhp 1.2 16v, which deliver excellent performance and low fuel consumption.
And finally, Lancia has chosen the Armando Testa advertising agency to convey the appeal of the new MOMO Design version to the public, with an advertising campaign that focuses on the concept of ‘exciting’. It uses the language of video clips, combining irony, freshness and rhythm, for a campaign that highlights the new Lancia model as a trendy item. The television commercial begins with strongly rhythmical electronic music, ‘Fortress Europe’, a signature tune of the Asian Dub Foundation group, and a rapid succession of portraits of young people who are gazing in amazement at ‘something’ that isn’t quite visible yet. The shot changes and we see a young man at night in the city, making his entrance into a crowded, fashionable Peep Show. As he advances, he meets people of all types, changes some notes into coins for the entertainment on offer, and finally reaches a vast room where a number of people are queuing to go into the cubicles, presumably to see the strip show. The young man goes into a cubicle, puts his coin in the slot, and when the electric shutter opens, in front of him is a seductive Lancia Ypsilon MOMO Design surrounded by a fascinated audience. The commercial ends with the claim: ‘The new Lancia Ypsilon MOMO Design. Exciting.’
