The fourth-generation Lancia Ypsilon has been photographed completely undisguised during a promotional shoot in Italy.
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A number of social media accounts posted images of the car. The ones seen here were collated by Masera on Facebook.
Like the current Ypsilon, the new model has a practical five-door hatchback body, but with rear door handles hidden in the C-pillar trim to make it look more like a three-door.
As we've seen in various leaks, teasers, and mishaps, the Ypsilon will feature a T-shaped light bar up front, round tail-lights, gloss black wheel arch protectors, and a mixture of soft curves and sharp creases.
Lancia's flag and lance logo has been relegated to the black C-pillar trim, with the company primarily advertising itself through prominent wordmarks at both ends.
On the inside there's a large digital instrumentation display ahead of the driver, a wide central touchscreen for the infotainment system, and a circular table-like protrusion on the centre tunnel.
Under the skin, the new Ypsilon is based on the Stellantis Common Modular Platform (CMP) that's used in a wide variety of light cars, including the Opel Corsa, Peugeot 208, and DS 3.
The new-to-Lancia architecture will likely see the new model grow about 200mm in length and cross the four-metre barrier.
It will also allow Lancia to offer its first ever pure electric drivetrain. Both the Corsa-e and e-208 have a 100kW/260Nm electric motor driving the front wheels, and a 50kWh battery good for a WLTP driving range estimate of 330km.
While Lancia lives on in the minds of many car enthusiasts for its rally-winning Delta hatchback, the company has concentrated on more affordable and less inspirational fare in recent times.
The mainstay of the range has been the third-generation Ypsilon. Based on the Fiat 500, the current Ypsilon was launched in 2011 and has received two facelifts since then.
Despite its age, the current Ypsilon has continued to sell well in Italy, where it has regularly notched up 100,000 sales per year.
In 2011 Lancia bulked its range with a number of rebadged Chrysler models, including the Voyager people mover and 300 sedan as the Thema. These cars only lasted a few years due to slow sales, reducing the brand back to one model line.
The upcoming Ypsilon is said to be the first model in the brand's latest relaunch, and will be followed by an electric-only Delta successor and another as-yet unnamed model. By 2028 the marque aims to offer only electric cars, and will expand to European markets outside of Italy via direct sales.
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
