Lancia at Geneva International Motor Show

The Musa as ambassador of Italian hospitality

Two examples of the Musa SKY are also under the spotlight at the Geneva Motor Show, underlining the strong bond between Lancia and the Cinema, in terms of both sponsorship and of product novelties.

Both cars feature a Sony DVD/MP3 player built into the facia, and two 6.5” LCD 16/9 monitors in the front head-restraints. The use of the SKY name refers to an agreement between the brand and the famous satellite digital platform, exclusive for the Italian market, which proposes international television stations and over 160 telematic, audio and pay-by-view channels and interactive services, including the best films. And cinema is one of the three areas – the other two are fashion and design – through which Lancia exploits and communicates the values expressed by its cars: Italian styling, quality of life on board, original, innovative solutions, elegance and character. In 2006 the brand sponsored the most important cinema events in Italy, from the 63^rd Venice Film Festival to the ‘Casa del Cinema di Roma’, the Turin Film Festival and the recent Future Film Festival in Bologna. And this deep bond between Lancia and the so-called Seventh Art will continue in 2007 in Italy and abroad.

The two cars are equipped with the 1.3 Multijet engine which comes in 90 bhp and 70 bhp versions, and both are lavishly accoutred with a satellite navigator, GranLuce sunroof and TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System), a device designed to limit consumption (of fuel and tyres) and enhance safety (greater control and stability).

The two versions on display in Geneva underline the great versatility of this successful model. The Lancia Musa was born from the concept of ‘Italian hospitality’, where one is a guest and not a mere passenger, invited to share the pleasures of life on board a car that is unique in its segment. It is certainly a luxury product, but one that is never ostentatious because it is designed around the desires of people who like to enjoy life but will not renounce what is really practical. The Lancia Musa brings the secrets of Italian hospitality to the car world: it is a car that welcomes its guests with good taste, warmth and generosity.

The Lancia Musa is good taste in its refined, harmonious lines, the elegantly matching warm colours, the precious details and luxurious materials. It is the right size to use around town or for long distances: 3.99 metres long, 1.70 metres wide and 1.66 metres high, and is the new benchmark for this particular compact car segment.

The Lancia Musa is warmth in the sensations it offers its guests: the luminosity of the ‘GranLuce’ transparent sunroof and the airy interior, the pleasant surfaces and the enveloping comfort of the anatomical seats and automatic climate system make any journey enjoyable. The interior space is easy to ‘dominate’ thanks to the raised driving position, the ergonomic controls and the modular seats, which can be adjusted to 32 different positions (including an unusual ‘chaise-longue’ position).

And finally, the Lancia Musa is generosity for the technology it offers: engines with excellent performance, for relaxed, stress-free driving. Three Multijet turbodiesels: the 100 bhp 1.9, which is round and elastic, ideal in any situation, and the two 1.3 litre units delivering 70 bhp and 90 bhp, perfect to drive around town, combined with the DFN (‘Dolce Far Niente’) robotised sequential gearbox, and available with a particulate filter to protect the environment. People who travel less can also choose between the brilliant 1.4 Fire unit delivering 95 bhp and a 1.4 unit delivering 77 bhp.

The Lancia Thesis Sport

The stand also hosts a Lancia Thesis Sport, the latest evolution of the flagship which combines sportiness and elegance with unique, exclusive styling. The version on show features very refined two-tone bodywork (light grey and dark grey) that enhances the car’s beautiful lines, and 18” spoked alloy wheels that highlight the sporty look of this particular version.

This same impression is conveyed in the interior by the new Frau^® red leather upholstery with coordinated finishing elements. The original Thesis Sport is in perfect harmony with the spirit of the Lancia flagship, a luxury saloon that relies on elegance and cutting-edge technology to capture elite motorists. This is a particular segment made up of a small number of models on which the most important carmakers concentrate the best automotive technology available today. The Thesis Sport is powered by the new 2.4 Multijet 20V engine which, combined with a self-adaptive sequential five-speed automatic transmission, delivers a maximum of 185 bhp at 400 rpm and torque of 330 Nm at 1750 rpm. With this power pack, the car reaches a top speed of 222 km/h and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.7 seconds. The example on display on the Lancia stand obviously embodies all the strengths of the Thesis model: from the extensive standard safety equipment (ABS with EBD, ESP complete with ASR, 8 airbags) to the spacious, protective luxurious passenger compartment, the navigator with a colour screen, the Bose^® Hi-Fi system, and the automatic multi-zone climate system. It is also fitted with an anti-lift volumetric anti-theft system with alarm, and with parking sensors.

The Lancia Phedra 2007 special series

The best example of the ‘Italian art of living’ is the Lancia Phedra, the prestigious people-mover, with a muted interior environment that is a pleasure to look at, to touch and to travel in; great care has gone into every detail, and to create a feeling of conviviality for several passengers. The car is outfitted with a long list of safety, comfort and telematic devices that put it at the peak of its class, a fact underlined by its 5-star Euro NCAP rating.

The car on show in Geneva is the 7-seater version of the 2007 Special Series, with twin tone beige and dark brown seats, and an exclusive array of equipment that makes the car a virtual multimedia centre; the ideal car for the professional person but also one that makes a journey with friends or family more enjoyable. For example, 2 screens are incorporated into the rear of the front seat squabs on which passengers can watch DVDs or terrestrial digital television. On the outside the Lancia Phedra 2007 special series reveals a distinctive triple opening sunroof, and the elegant brown bodywork is set off perfectly in the interior by the rich two-tone beige and brown leather upholstery.

The example on show is equipped with the powerful 2.0 Multijet engine which delivers a maximum power output of 136 bhp at 4000 rpm and torque of 320 Nm at 2000 rpm. Combined with a mechanical 6-speed gearbox, this engine takes the Lancia Phedra to a top speed of 190 km/h, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 11.4 seconds.

The car on display on the Lancia stand obviously features all the strong points of a model which guarantees class and comfort in every version. For example, the Phedra provides the living space of a limousine in the body of a people-mover. The front seats turn 180° (standard), allowing passengers to converse or work face to face; luxury materials like Alcantara or leather – underlined by a discreet mahogany insert – cover the entire waistline of the cabin and envelop the occupants, giving a sensation of warmth, protection and welcome. The Lancia Phedra is the right car for a dynamic public that wishes to enjoy this age of curiosity, and the desire to travel, to visit interesting destinations and to share this experience with other people. But without forgoing an exclusive lifestyle and the habit of being surrounded with stylish objects which represent the best the market can offer in every category.

Plenty of comfort and stylistic refinement, but also class-beating performance, thanks above all to the engines that guarantee entertaining driving at all times, combined with fuel economy: a 2.0 JTD 16v Euro 4 (with DPF) delivering 136 bhp, and a 2.0 JTD 16v that delivers 120 bhp.