The Italian brand Lancia will be central during the 26th edition of InterClassics Maastricht. The highlights from the brand's more than 100-rich history will be presented in collaboration with the Lancia Club Netherlands and Belgium and various museums. Enthusiasts can indulge themselves at InterClassics Maastricht 2019. That will be held from 10 to 13 January 2019 in MECC Maastricht.
Annual Review InterClassics Maastricht 2019
Traditionally, the theme of the fair is visualized every year by a now recognizable retro image in retro style. The choice of the annual image for the 26th edition of InterClassics Maastricht was made by the loyal supporters of InterClassics. She has cast their vote via social media for one of the two proposed annual images. In both cases an illustration of a characteristic Lancia is shown. The first is a rare D23 racing sports car from 1953. For lovers of more recent classics, a Delta HF Integrale 8V from the nineties was used as a source of inspiration for the second image.
Part of 25 Lancia masterpieces
A majority of 53% chose the annual image with the illustration of the D23. Both this D23, the only remaining original copy of this illustrious Lancia racing sport, and the Delta HF Integral 8V can be seen as two of the approximately 25 masterpieces on the theme square. The Lancia D23 is made available by the Louwman Museum.
History of a beautiful brand
Vincenzo Lancia started his career as an accountant with car pioneer Ceirano, which was taken over by Fiat in 1899. There Lancia was appointed as test driver and also Grand Prix driver, alongside Felice Nazzaro. Despite his racing success, Lancia decided to set up its own car factory in 1906 at the age of 25 together with partner Claudio Fogolin. Ultimately, Lancia grew into a brand that stood out over the years mainly through its striking technical innovations. The Lambda and Aprilia models are milestones in that regard. The Lambda, for example, was the first car with a self-supporting body.
Post-war problems
After the Second World War, Vincenzo's son Gianni continued the remarkable development tradition. The Aurelia became the first series-produced car with a V6 engine, and formed the basis for the beautiful GT and Spider models. A money-wasting Formula-1 project is also part of post-war development history. With the launch of the quirky constructed models Flaminia, Flavia and Fulvia, Lancia again made a name for itself in a quirky way. They also served as the basis for models of renowned Italian design houses. Still, the financial position of Lancia did not get better.
Fiat takeover and the approaching end
Fiat took over Lancia in 1969. Even then, Lancia retained the relative freedom to develop special cars that were successful in rallying, such as the Stratos and Delta HF Integrale. From 2009, the consequences of the Chrysler takeover by Fiat became visible. Various Lancia models were derived from Chrysler models, and that was certainly not always appreciated by the Lancia adepts in Europe. The developments foreshadowed the current situation. During the past few years, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles chose to phase out the Lancia brand and go full-on in the higher segment. Alfa Romeo to bet. At the moment, Lancia only offers the Ypsilon, which is reserved for the home market of Italy. Fortunately, Lancia has a wonderful model history, to which the organization of InterClassics Maastricht will pay a beautiful tribute.