Lancia will sell more cars this year than in 2005 despite fielding a smaller model range, believes CEO Oliver Francois. It helped to achieve to this ambitious  target by the on-going pan-European reorganisation of the brand as well as squeezing more demand out of the existing model line-up.

This result is set to come despite the discontinuation of the mid-size Lybra model range last year, and expected flat year-on-year sales of the large Thesis executive luxury saloon in 2006. Italian first quarter sales for the Lancia brand fell by 1.2 pct to 30,756, but the discontinued Lybra model accounted for almost 10 pct of sales during the period January to March 2005.

"We are aiming for a record in sales in the full year, net of the Lybra, which is not produced any more. We ought to do better on the models we are producing now,' Forbes quoted Francois as saying this week. Lancia is targeting a 4.5 pct share of their key domestic market for the 2005 full-year, slightly up from the 4.39 pct they have achieved during the first quarter.

However, the Lancia Ypsilon and Musa both raised their sales over the first quarter of 2005, and Francois is targeting maximising their sales potential further. Aside from an overhaul the European dealer network, distribution and after sales overhaul that is already underway, this aim has included targeted advertising campaigns and new niche models such as the Ypsilon MomoDesign, and Centenary editions of all three models. The Musa, a high-specification 'mini MPV' based on Fiat's Idea, outsells its Fiat sister model in Italy despite its higher price bracket, while the large Phedra MPV model also outsells the Fiat equivalent, the Ulysse, commented Francois.
 

As part of a growing Europe-wide reorganisation, started by then CEO Luca De Meo and continued by his successor Antonio Baravalle, Lancia are busy setting up their own dedicated sales teams in France, Belgium and Spain. "Now the strategy is very clear, to have our own resources and organisation. In May, we will have reorganised in France and Belgium,' Forbes quote Francois, who replaced Baravalle last autumn, as saying.

Earlier this week Automotive News reported that Lancia planned to build a new 20,000 units-per-year 'coupé-cabriolet' model based on the new Fiat Grande Punto platform, which would fulfil Fiat Aiuto CEO Sergio Marchionne's stated desire for a niche 'speciality' model for the Lancia brand to arrive in 2007.

Speculation about this 'speciality' model has often surrounded a possible limited-production version of the Fulvia showcar first shown at the Frankfurt IAA in 2003, but Automotive News now believe it could instead focus on a Grande Punto CC model, which they reckon Marchionne has dismissed as not being a viable option for the Fiat brand. AN further believes that design and engineering concern Bertone, could be lined up to carry out the entire project on a self-funded basis.

Either way plans for a Lancia-badged 'speciality' niche model seems to be firmly on track: "We have indicated there will be a speciality model. There are various options. The rest is speculation," Forbes quoted a Fiat official as saying this week.