The Lancia Club of Japan last weekend held their showpiece event of the year, the Lancia Lunch, which saw more than 230 Lancias model from throughout the era gathering in Tokyo, and star guests attending, including former World Rally Champion Miki Biasion and the celebrated designer Enrico Fumia. The Lancia Lunch took place in front of the stylish waterfront OOISO Prince Hotel near Tokyo. For this year the annual event was to be even more special and important as it fell on the occasion of Lancia's 100th anniversary. The Lancia Club of Japan wanted to celebrate the anniversary in the best possible way and so several special guests were invited from Italy.

The day prior to the event had seen much rain falling in the Tokyo area but as the cars started to roll in the weather had recovered and it stayed clear all day. However the previous day's bad weather meant that many owners of older Lancia models such as the Lambda, Appia and Flaminia, decided to not risk their precious cars getting a soaking and stayed at home. Even so more than 230 Lancias did turn up, a mouth watering feast of Turinese metal that represented every era of the brand's evocative 100 year history. Cars to arrive on the day included the Aurelia, Flaminia, Flavia, Fulvia, Stratos, Monte Carlo, 037 Rally, Delta S4, Delta Integrale, Thema, Z, Kappa, Lybra, Thesis and Ypsilons, old and new. The throngs of Deltas in attendance were all four wheel driver examples as in Japan almost all Delta models are four wheel drive, and in fact the 'Club Italia' Delta is involved in Japan also. A highlight was the 'Chardonnet' competition Stratos which won the 1975 Tour de France and Tour de Corse in the hands of Bernard Darniche, and arrived in Japan just prior to the Lancia Lunch.

More than 500 people arrived at the meeting, and the special guests were to sweep the club members off their feet. Lancia is a much loved brand in Japan and so the appearance of Miki Biasion, the former FIA World Rally Champion at the wheel of the Lancia Delta, Enrico Fumia, the long-time Italian automotive designer and Volta Giuseppe, a famous specialist of Lancia's competition cars, was a real highlight.
 

Biasion was every inch the true champion. He instantly revived fabulous memories of his many immortal rally victories, getting behind the wheel of legendary Lancia rally greats including the Stratos, 037 Rally, Delta S4 and Integrale; and then powering these superb cars round the special 'run' course to the huge pleasure of the Japanese crowd.

As well as these cars, Biasion also got behind the wheel of many Lancias that had arrived at the Hotel for the Lancia Lunch, with their delighted owners riding alongside. Many Lancia fans were thus able to wend their way home confident to say that rally legend Miki Biasion had driven their car! During the presentations Biasion also kindly donated the racing suit he had worn while winning the Safari Rally to the Club.

Meanwhile Enrico Fumia, the stylist of the Lancia Y and Kappa amongst a plethora of Italian machines that bear his signature, needs no introduction. He presented his new scale model tribute to Lancia's 100th anniversary. As usual for Fumia, the design of the Lancia J is somewhat controversial: a combination of pushing forward new ideas and utilising his favoured approaches such as a symmetrical approach to styling. The design in the flesh impressed Japanese enthusiasts who hope it can have an influence on the future. For more information on the Lancia Club of Japan please visit www.lanciaclub.jp

Photos: Akira Harada