Lancias in Fifth Gear cool car list

[stuwilson128]

Three Lancias are included in the list of 100 Cool Cars in the features area of the Fifth Gear website.  The cars featured are the Stratos, Fulvia, and (to my surprise) the current Ypsilon.
http://fifthgear.five.tv/jsp/5gmain.jsp?lnk=620

[REDLANCIA]

The Montecarlo appears in the 50 Greatest flops!!! The cheek of it!

[fay66]

Not surprised at all after the Hatchet job the idiot Clarkson & his hobbos at top gear did to Lancia's back in 1994-1995, when Lancia pulled out of the RHD market, wooden Magnets etc just to prove how bad Lancia's rusted, & some peurile stunt to do with Monte Carlo Brakes, all carried out on excellent cars loaned by members in good faith, for a program we were led to believe was to be a tribute to Lancia, the man? (infantile show off more like) has no integrity whatsoever, eventually a grudging apology of sorts was obtained from the BBC. 

Brian Hilton
8227

[Scarpia]

Whilst I can understand people not liking it, and I don't wish to defend Clarkson or the rest  they don't really make any pretence that its serious investigative journalism.I know its not cool to watch Top Gear if your a lancia fan but to be honest it makes me laugh (sometimes).
I also watched the lancia episode at the time (think I video'd it as well) and I wasn't too offended. As I remember they were positive about the fulvia, integrale, stratos etc, and started with a positive feature of lancias competition history and then berated lancia for losing its way and producing drab cars in recent years with a confusing image.In my book they were not so far from the mark, (which is why it smarted I guess). I couldn't really get too upset about them playing with a wooden magnet with the Beta, they have to make entertainment (however painful it was for the owner in question).There's no point in us being too defensive about what didn't work and we need to be able to admit that if lancia (fiat) had been on top of their game they wouldn't have such poor selling cars and pulled out of the UK.It's no good us keeping the best kept secret and feeling that the rest of the world doesn't understand. Unfortunately, the world is full of Clarksons and we need to convince them too.
I'll batten down the hatches now....

[inthedark]

I actually enjoy Top Gear and I don't care who knows it.
so what if they don't like our cars WE DO and that's what counts
also if they raved on about how wonderful they were we would probably
not be able to afford them.
regards
'the colonel'

[ncundy]

I also think it is good fun, I remember the Lancia episode - every episode pokes fun at something or someone, why should Lancia be an exception  ?? JC also went on record in one episode that his greatest ever Q car was the Thema 8.32, the daddy of a very under-rated range I think he said. At the end of the day it is entertainment pure and simple - don't like it switch off, but don't take it too seriously. I bet Lancia try to get one of their new range on the show, purely because of the viewing figures - and I bet he has a dig, but I would be confident (if it is an Ypsilon) that he concludes by saying it is a great car - and it may also appear on the cool wall. Anyway - it has to be better than Fifth Gear any day of the week

[rogerelias]

I also think that Clarkson also said that one of his favourite cars , was the Fulvia, I am sure that he drove one on Top Gear.  You have Arthur Mead to thank, for battling it out with the BBC, to get an apology.

[Neil]

I have a copy of that edition of Top Gear on tape, the Lancia section I have converted to a QuickTime movie not sure about copyright of an old BBC programme, best keep for personal viewing!

[inthedark]

I do remember when the late Richard Whitely admitted to having a Fulvia JC said
it was one of the prettiest cars ever produced.

[Harvey]

Great to see the Ypsilon mentioned, but why does the Ypsilon only ever get mentioned as being "popular with women drivers"? I feel a terrible need to justify my machismo by saying I also have a Dedra Turbo and I don't eat quiche.

[fay66]

Unfortunately for your image Harvey that's the way Lancia pitched the advertising, all the brochures I have of your style Ypsilon is aimed at the chic ladies, whereas with the previous Y it wasn't biased so much that way.
But what I will say is that whoever drives one, in my book, is a very discerning owner.

Brian
8227