Do you remember Lancia? What about its final convertible? Two years before the merger of Fiat and Chrysler into Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the Chrysler 200 Convertible gave rise to the underperforming Lancia Flavia.
Displayed as convertible and sedan concepts at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, only the convertible variant entered production. Exclusively left-hand-drive, production took place at the Sterling Heights assembly plant in Michigan, precluding sales in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Discontinued in 2014, the Flavia witnessed modest sales of just over 1,100 units in Europe. Under the stewardship of Stellantis, Lancia now prioritizes electric vehicles over conventional offerings, dampening hopes for Flavia’s resurgence on contemporary platforms.
Nonetheless, the pixel artist Ascariss Design rekindles excitement with a rendered Lancia featuring a soft top and rear-wheel drive based on the Abarth 124 Spider. Sadly, Fiat Chrysler ceased the 124 series in 2019, with Europe discontinuing sales in December that year and the US following suit after the 2020 model year.
From 2016 to 2021, European sales of the Fiat 124 Spider and Abarth 124 Spider totaled 23,978 units, with minimal traction in Canada and the United States compared to the Mazda MX-5 Miata, its underpinning model.
Despite these reminiscences, the envisioned return of the Flavia in 2024 faces skepticism, compounded by Lancia’s lukewarm reception across Europe, except in Italy, where it trails the Dacia Sandero and Fiat Panda.
