With the motto, “the next 100 years of history start now”, brand CEO Oliver François outlined plans he believes will carry Lancia forward towards a 300,000 units a year target by 2010. François was speaking at the Fiat Investor Presentation which was held at Lingotto in Turin on Thursday.

Lancia has a very distinct DNA, unrivalled heritage and the unique ability to distil luxury across segments, reckons François, with few other carmakers being able to serve up a century-long history. In the period until 2010, Lancia will turn its focus on a dealer identity implementation programme, offering a premium service and an exclusive sales process. Its promotion will centre on its coherence with brand ‘premiumness’ and concentrate on the media which is closest to its target audience. Design, the interior atmosphere, life on board, customisation and heritage will be the key issues in developing its new products. François states in the presentation that awareness of Lancia’s products in Western Europe is well below the average, but it does have an excellent premium image amongst those buyers who are aware of the brand, which pleasingly translates into a greater intention to buy.

Key points of the strategy to take Lancia forward towards 2010 will include a new integrated network development between Lancia and Alfa Romeo; raising personal product awareness in its target markets from 10 to 20 percent; shifting the mix between the Italian and international markets from 80/20 to 60/40; and rolling out its products into new markets: Turkey, Russia and Scandinavia next year, the UK and Japan in 2008, with other major right-hand-drive markets set to follow in 2009. Lancia will also add 110 new points of sales, 8 strategic sites and 330 exclusive sales staff.

The next three years will see Lancia introduce three all-new models, as well as three facelifts and ‘Model Year’ upgrades. The first new arrival will be the Ypsilon Momo Sport. Due to be unveiled at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, this is a sporty version of the facelifted Ypsilon which was introduced to the showrooms in September.
 

This model will build on the stunning looks and aggressive styling cues of the Ypsilon Zagato Sport concept car which was displayed to widespread press and public acclaim during the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. Also due out next year is a ‘Model Year’ upgrade for the large Phedra MPV, which will incorporate a new diesel engine.

However, Lancia’s rebirth will get seriously underway in 2008 with the market introduction of the Delta HPE, a model that aims to straddle the important ‘medium’ C- and D-segments of the European market. With 5.5 million annual sales being made across Western Europe in these two market segments, Lancia are targeting 1 percent of all registrations for the Delta HPE. Also during 2008, the Musa will get a substantial facelift to differentiate it from its sister, the Fiat Idea. 

Finally, 2009 will see the all-new, next-generation Ypsilon arriving, in both 3- and 5-door formats. With the B-segment accounting for 3.7 million sales a year across Western Europe, Lancia is aiming for a 3% market share with the new model. The final model to be added to the brand’s growing portfolio will also arrive in 2009, and is the eagerly awaited ‘speciality’ vehicle, which aims to provide increased brand image for the burgeoning revival.  Bringing to full production the well-received ‘Fulvietta’ concept car or a Bertone proposal for a folding hardtop coupé-cabriolet model based on the Grande Punto platform have been under consideration ever since Lancia confirmed early last year that a new niche model was in the pipeline. During the presentation on Thursday, François would only reveal that “five potential alternatives for H and I segments with a 20,000 units per year target” were being investigated, but a folding hardtop two-seater, similarly styled to the Fulvietta, is thought to currently be the favoured option.