The second Fiat Auto brand press conference to take place in Geneva yesterday was hosted by Lancia's new Chief Executive Officer Olivier Francois. The former head of Citroën Italia, Francois was only appointed to the top job at Lancia last autumn after a senior management shuffle which saw the incumbent, Antonio Baravalle, switching back to Alfa Romeo.

The 76th Geneva International Motor Show falls as Lancia being celebrations of their 100th anniversary, the famous, historic brand still alive and well and entering a new era, guided by Fiat Auto. With an all-new 'Delta' model scheduled to arrive next year, a welcome revival in the fortunes of Fiat's 'luxury' division seems on the cards.

To celebrate their centenary, Lancia are presenting four significant cars from their 100-year history in Geneva, on a stand that is spacious, but simple and stylish. The line-up starts with a Beta Torpedo 15 HP from 1909, which clearly reminds visitors in no uncertain terms just how historically important this brand actually is, that it was building ground-breaking cars when many of today's biggest carmakers were just a distant dream. An Aurelia GT B24 Spider, one of Pinin Farina's more stylish designs, which was often described by the great man as the prototype Italian convertible, demonstrates Lancia's involvement at the forefront of this segment, which so perfectly sums up the style and exclusivity that the brand is so famous for.

The Fulvia Coupé is another timeless design, a fact demonstrated when three years ago Lancia updated the theme with a concept car that received widespread acclaim. Here in Geneva a 1.2-litre Series 1 in a pale blue colour scheme is on show. Finally a muscular Delta HF integrale Evo, glorious in full 'Martini Racing' factory colours, remembers the fact that Lancia crushed all before it in the FIA World Rally Championship from the mid-1980s through to the early 1990s.
 

These historical legends, as true legends they are, are complimented on the stand by several new limited editions of the Ypsilon and Musa, and a new 'Model Year' of the Thesis. Francois dwelled on the Ypsilon Moda Milano showcar in his speech, as a perfect example of a product that embodies the fashionable style and exclusive nature that Lancia has always generated during its 100-year history, and that these principles that are alive and well today.

Francois revealed that they will build on their association with Moda Milano, the two companies, he believes, sharing a common philosophy. He added that the well recieved bi-colore paint schemes further reflected this historical-to-modern individual link, and they would continue to pay an important role in Lancia's future direction. The brand's centenary logo, which will be available on its models from next month, was shown, mounted on the B-pillar of the Ypsilon, Musa and Thesis, the latter being shown with a new engine and revised interiors.