Lancia coming back to the UK as Chrysler

[Harvey]

We're evolving into two threads:
1) A Chrysler-badged car is not for me personally, and
2) All Lancia enthusiasts are welcome in the club, regardless of what they drive.

[toby2449]

i'd agree that any lover of the marque should be able to join the club, but thats not saying that just because someone owns a Chrysler they should be able to join.

I would buy a future Chrysler if it were basically a Lancia with a Chrysler badge, but as i said before i would change the badges/grill to Lancia though. I'd love to have the option to personally import a Lancia, but financing a personal import isn't easy as you can't get a motor loan on one so the lending criteria is tougher . & i've yet to come across any company in Ireland who'll insure a Lancia that was never officially sold her, so its difficult to do the whole personal import in Ireland.

[ian]

it may not be as easy as swaping badges and grills etc. Could also involve a different shaped bonnet, wings and lights?

[toby2449]

i reckon there won't be sheet metal changes, i think it'll be a Vauxhall/Opel difference where the only difference is basically the badge. I can't really see Chrysler LLC or FGA going to the cost of introducing different bonnets, wings etc....

[lee69]

In response to your original questions Chris, yes, yes and yes.

I'm not that anti-Chrysler, of all the mainstream US car brands, Chrysler was arguably the most innovative. Like Lancia, the marque was responsible for a number of automotive firsts. I'd have no problems with running joint events with the Chrysler clubs (although maybe not the PT Cruiser lot, that'd be a step too far, we have taste standards). In fact I'd quite like to see some 60's Chrysler big sedan with a hemi being shown how to go round a track by a Fulvia. At least if we did share some events we might stand some chance of manufacturer support.

There's nothing to stop the owner of a Chrysler-badged Delta or Ypsilon joining the LMC, just as you can join without owning a Lancia. After all, would we not allow in owners of Autobianchi-badged Y10s or A112s or a Saab 600?

Incidentally, the sharing of names between Lancia and Chrysler has already started. The special edition Musa shown at Paris is called "5th Avenue" which was a Chrysler model during the 80s and 90s.

[Martin D]

Lancia are not coming back to the UK, what's happening is that Chrysler are going to be selling some cars that look a bit like Lancias.

Chris, in answer to your original question;
No I wouldn't consider buying a Chrysler.
NO NO NO I wouldn't change the badges over.
Yes of course the club is open to new members whatever they drive.

If I wanted a new Lancia, Stuart is right, I'd go to Europe and buy a real one.
I've always fancied a Chrysler Crossfire (hardtop) and despite telling myself it's really a merc I know it's not, because it says "chrysler" on it. I agree with Harvey, I don't want to be thought of as a Chrysler driver.

Just shuffling a few badges doesn't change the truth, although, if it does I might be able to get some interesting things for the concours next year, I could have the only Lancia Montego, or perhaps a Lancia Escort Ghia? at least that's half Italian already, or is it ??

Martin.

[HPEHF]

Following on from Stuarts point of still buying abroad, could you order your new Lancia in right hand drive with all the correct lights and MPH speedo in Holland, Italy or wherever.

Will it be classed as a rebadge Chryler or a Lancia from members in the Club.

Regards

Simon Davis
8477

[peteracs]

Just to add my 2 penny worth, I have had a Grand Voyager for some years now and can only sing highly of the reliability and technical innovation inside of it. The way the rear seats stow away in the floor is a thing of wonder and is a something that the other people carrier manufacturers could do well to learn from. No more of this taking the seats out if you need a large luggage space.

Peter

[Kevin MacBride]

i'd agree that any lover of the marque should be able to join the club, but thats not saying that just because someone owns a Chrysler they should be able to join.

I would buy a future Chrysler if it were basically a Lancia with a Chrysler badge, but as i said before i would change the badges/grill to Lancia though. I'd love to have the option to personally import a Lancia, but financing a personal import isn't easy as you can't get a motor loan on one so the lending criteria is tougher . & i've yet to come across any company in Ireland who'll insure a Lancia that was never officially sold her, so its difficult to do the whole personal import in Ireland.

Not exactly true, I know of several people who've imported cars (and indeed Lancias) to Ireland , that were not officially sold here. The cost may be prohibitive in the case of a newer car, but not impossible.
As regards a re-badged Chrysler, the way i see it is that Fiat/Alfa/Lancia are all the one as regards a manufacturer, so how they chose to brand the cars defines what the car is. A Crysler to me, will always be a Chrysler.

[fensaddler]

Following on from Stuarts point of still buying abroad, could you order your new Lancia in right hand drive with all the correct lights and MPH speedo in Holland, Italy or wherever.

Will it be classed as a rebadge Chryler or a Lancia from members in the Club.

Regards

Simon Davis
8477

There is a really interesting question here - could you order a RHD Lancia in Holland, rather as you can order a RHD Opel which looks exactly like its Vauxhall cousin?  It will be interesting to see whether this is possible, because then we will have RHD Lancias again, albeit via a grey route.  No good for us company car drivers however, who will have to get the UK spec Chrysler, and would not be able to change badges over.  I'm intrigued in many ways by the Vauxhall/Opel analogy - I too think Fiat won't go to the cost of making sheet metal changes - it'll be badges and trim at most which separates the mainland European Lancias from the UK spec Chryslers.  And the prior example of the Delta/Saab 600 is another interesting thought exercise.  So when is a Lancia a Lancia - is it now that we have come down purely to a badge?  And if so, could I put a Lancia badge on the front of my VW and have it accepted as a Lancia?  And conversely, if I put a Chrysler badge on the front of a Delta, does that make it any less a Delta?  This is getting into the realms of philosophy gentlemen...

[toby2449]

i'd agree that any lover of the marque should be able to join the club, but thats not saying that just because someone owns a Chrysler they should be able to join.

I would buy a future Chrysler if it were basically a Lancia with a Chrysler badge, but as i said before i would change the badges/grill to Lancia though. I'd love to have the option to personally import a Lancia, but financing a personal import isn't easy as you can't get a motor loan on one so the lending criteria is tougher . & i've yet to come across any company in Ireland who'll insure a Lancia that was never officially sold her, so its difficult to do the whole personal import in Ireland.

Not exactly true, I know of several people who've imported cars (and indeed Lancias) to Ireland , that were not officially sold here. The cost may be prohibitive in the case of a newer car, but not impossible.
As regards a re-badged Chrysler, the way i see it is that Fiat/Alfa/Lancia are all the one as regards a manufacturer, so how they chose to brand the cars defines what the car is. A Crysler to me, will always be a Chrysler.

yeah but who are they getting insured with? Every company i've gone to won't insure an import, & certainly not a LHD!

[St Volumex]

We're evolving into two threads:
1) A Chrysler-badged car is not for me personally, and
2) All Lancia enthusiasts are welcome in the club, regardless of what they drive.

There's another one Harvey -

3) Lancisti who'd rather see a Lancia built with a Chrysler badge on it than the death of the Lancia marque FOREVER.

(I'm not too keen on a Chrysler with a Lancia badge on it though.   )

[toby2449]

i think thats a very good point, if this tie up with Chrysler hadn't happened then i'm not sure lancia would have been around for very much longer, so whilst it may not be ideal it'll allow the brand to live on, & it'll possibly be no worse than it is at the moment, ie from now on there'll be lancia badged Chrysler's, where as up until now we've had lancia badged Fiats!

[donw]

Toby

Footman James should insure an LHD Lancia for LMC members. 

If anyone has a problem getting a quote from FJ please let me know who you spoke to and when so I can take it up with my contact.

Don

[toby2449]

ah there is one problem, i live in Ireland