Lancia’s sole model at present is a subcompact hatch known as the Ypsilon. However, in more prosperous times, the historic Italian marque was churning out iconic rides like the Stratos, Delta HF, and of course the Aurelia.
The Aurelia was a high-end nameplate built during the 1950s. It was available in multiple body styles, including a coupe, a version of which was featured in a recent episode of “Jay Leno’s Garage.”
The coupe is a 1954 Aurelia owned by Tex Otto. He’s extensively modified the car, but rather than go with a period look and feel, he’s gone with his own concoction, resulting in what’s commonly known as an “outlaw.” The term which grew in popularity following the multiple Porsche 356 Outlaws built by Rod Emory and his crew at Emory Motorsports in North Hollywood.
But Lancias are rare, especially on this side of the Atlantic, meaning many brand purists will have a hard time accepting that Otto chopped up the body of an Aurelia coupe to create his outlaw. However, the body on Otto’s car was apparently in such bad shape that, according to him, it probably wouldn’t have ended up being restored.
Lancia today is part of Stellantis, and the multinational automaker plans to restore the brand with three new models to be launched between 2024 and 2028. And like most of Stellantis’ brands, Lancia’s future lies in electric mobility. By 2028, Lancia will exclusively offer electric vehicles.
Don’t expect Stellantis to bring Lancia to the U.S. Lancia for now is focused on the European market, where it aims to compete in the premium sector.