Lancia is one of several Stellantis brands struggling to stay afloat. For years, it was confined to a single market: Italy. However, with last yearās launch of the new Ypsilon, the brand also expanded its presence beyond the country shaped like a boot. Following a long hiatus, Lancia returned to France, Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, signaling a potential revival. In Italy, 160 showrooms were modernized last year.
You might expect sales to rise, given the fresh product and improved availability. However, that couldnāt be further from the truth. According to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA), Lancia's relaunch is off to a rough start. Deliveries dropped a staggering 72.7 percent, falling to just 2,208 units in the first two months of the year compared to the same period in 2024.
For clarity, the ACEA industry body bundles Lancia sales with those of Chrysler, although the American brand isnāt officially sold in Europe. We canāt imagine too many people buying Pacifica minivans and 300C sedans from the few dealers importing American cars to Europe. Itās worth noting that Chrysler killed the 300C in 2023, leaving the Pacifica/Voyager as its sole model.
We also looked at Dataforceās sales figures, cited by Automotive News Europe, and theyāre almost identical. Lancia sold 2,195 cars in January and February, down from the 8,086 units registered in the first two months of 2024. It corresponds to a huge drop in demand of 72.85 percent.
Why isnāt the relaunch going as Lancia had hoped? There could be several reasons. For starters, the new Ypsilon is significantly more expensive than its predecessor. The hybrid model starts at ā¬23,900 at home in Italy, rising to ā¬29,900 for the fully electric version. Before going away, the previous-generation car had a starting price well below the ā¬20,000 mark.
Competition within the Stellantis group shouldnāt be overlooked. The Ypsilon shares its underpinnings with the Peugeot 208 and Opel Corsa, both of which benefit from a much stronger brand recognition than the nearly dormant Lancia. With the discontinuation of the cheaper previous-gen model, the Ypsilon now competes at a similar price point, making it harder to grab a piece of the sales pie.
