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INTRODUCTION
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Delta is a
historical name that represents one of the pinnacles of
Lancia's motoring history, but also a mathematical symbol
that stands for change, progress. Delta is a universal
measure of difference, a striving toward excellence by
exceeding a previous limit. Our entire strategy is
underpinned by a quest for an evolved form of the Delta.
So in this sense, the Lancia Delta is the first car to
represent the new Lancia philosophy. An original and unique
positioning, a blend of two values that are intrinsic to the
brand: elegance of style and a bold, innovative temperament
that are also the inspiration of every marketing and
communication campaign.
Today we welcome the first all-new car from Lancia's second
centenary, the Delta, with its unparalleled design, true to
the brand's innovative vocation. Due to its product features
and international development work to support the launch
planned for mid-2008, the Delta represents a turning point
in Lancia’s history and contributes significantly to the
development of a strategic plan.
The first developmental shift or 'delta' is the car's
ability to reconcile the traditional elegance of a Lancia
with original architectural features that wed the mettle of
a sports car with the on-board well-being of a saloon for
the first time, while also offering extraordinary roominess
for the category (a wheelbase of no less than 2.7 metres
adds to the car's imposing dimensions: It is 4.5 metres
long, 1.8 metres wide and 1.5 metres high). And so the
Lancia Delta returns to take its place at the top of the
mid-sized saloon segment, taking the great Lancia car
tradition forward into the future: the Aprilia, Appia,
Fulvia, Beta, Prisma and Dedra up to the Lybra.
The new Delta, designed by the Lancia Style Centre features
an imposing grille, an emblem of the brand, and a beefy and
imposing grille. The front end is made more dynamic by a
generous lower air intake that speaks volumes about the
temperament of the Lancia Delta’s engine. Innovative
headlights have been chosen to emphasise the sporty,
high-tech appearance of the model, that are enhanced by a
row of LEDs on the lower profile. The same dynamism is
evident at the side, where the main theme is a high waist
line and trapezoid-shaped rear pillar providing a natural
support for the light-drenched Granluce roof (a
nautically-inspired flying bridge). The generous glazed roof
– with its pillars diverging in distinctive manner toward
the rear – ends in a spoiler that blends perfectly into the
original wraparound rear window that features an up-to-date
design without any surround structure. Lastly, cutting-edge
technology is evident at the rear where tall, LED
tail-lights accentuate the elegance of the Lancia Delta.
The car’s slender lines are complemented by chrome mouldings
that blend ideally into the window seals and emphasise the
flying bridge configuration – and the colour contrast of the
lower part of the opaque grey side member that reflects the
two-tone colour scheme of the Granluce roof. The two-tone
livery so typical of great Lancia cars of the past now makes
a comeback on the latest models through a laborious painting
process (it takes 6 hours longer than the conventional
process): once it was a crafted feature within the reach of
a few but now Lancia offers it throughout its range.
The Lancia Delta is immediately outstanding for its
up-to-date finely wrought design that is in keeping with the
unmistakable Lancia style of recent years. Yet it saves the
very best of itself for its guests: as soon as you get on
board, you are immediately enveloped by an air of onboard
wellbeing courtesy of an interior that is exceptional for
its sophistication and comfort with fine colours and
top-quality materials. Particular features include a roof
made out of special sound-absorbent material (termed a Noise
Absorbing Roof) that guarantees very low driving noise
levels while great brightness is guaranteed by oceans of
glass at the sides and, where fitted, an enormous sun-roof
that takes up 80% of the total area.
Everything is made even more exclusive by top-quality
material,- from leather to Alcantara – used for the interior
trim and the presence of an imposing dashboard made out of
Benova®, an innovative and distinguished product made of
polyurethane that conveys the same tactile and visual
sensations as real leather. As an option, it is also
possible to choose superb quality upholstery in Poltrona
Frau® grosgrain leather, a touch of exclusivity that
combines Lancia class with one of the most famous Italian
designer labels in the world: the final result is a
life-enhancing environment with a very hand-crafted look.
The lounge-like feel of the passenger compartment is
enhanced by a sliding rear seat with reclining backrest (it
can be tilted to 25°) that allows the already spacious boot
(380 litres, 465 with the sliding rear seats) to be
increased or it can be pushed back and tilted for total
relaxation, like a business class seat on an
intercontinental flight. Not to mention the fact that the
Lancia Delta’s rear passenger room is the best in the
segment and it is the only hatchback saloon to offer the
possibility of adjusting the rear seat backrest and sliding
the seat.
The extraordinarily stylish interiors are complemented by
instruments with a pronounced hi-tech look: one example is a
good-looking central console that seems to float like some
fantastic high-tech plate on the underlying surface - and
the white lighting of the console that emphasises the
original 3-D look keys.
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And more: All parts used for driving – console, steering
wheel, climate control and infotainment features display the
same colour treatment and material use, with a high-tech
metallic effect that is evident over the entire dashboard.
The chrome detailing on the controls and the stylish
steering wheel (reminiscent of the historical four-spoke
version) are an expression of unmistakeable Lancia class.
The Lancia Delta passenger compartment is therefore a
superlative example of Italian refinement and exclusivity
and for all the world like a real lounge that can welcome
passengers into an environment that is unique in terms of
class and comfort while also extremely high-tech. The Lancia
Delta is able to offer the most advanced devices and systems
in the in-car entertainment field due to its cooperation
with the very best partners in each sector. for example, you
can experience the musical lift of a Blaukpunt radio or, as
an option, a Bose® hi fi with CD and MP3 player
incorporating steering wheel controls. Or you can access the
countless functions of the Blue&Me® device, a system
developed in conjunction with Microsoft that offers
handsfree operation with a Bluetooth® interface and advanced
voice recognition, USB port, MP3 player and SMS interpreter
(also available in a NAV version). The Lancia Delta will
also host the debut of ‘Instant Nav’, a brand-new satellite
navigation system. This innovative device, developed with
Magneti Marelli, ensures top-level multimedia performance,
great ease of use and the effective integration of numerous
functions in a single system: USB interface, voice commands,
management of maps on an SD card and a high-resolution
screen.
The Lancia Delta also expresses its keynote values of
elegance and temperament through its engines and mechanical
parts. Firstly, the temperament of its petrol and diesel
power units that offer outstanding technological innovation
and performance. All the Lancia engines are turbocharged and
paired with 6-speed gearboxes (manual, robotised or
automatic). Three engines will be available immediately at
the launch. 120 bhp and 150 bhp 1.4 Turbo Jet (both
petrol-driven) and a 120 bhp 1.6 turbodiesel MultiJet (Euro
5) that will also be combined with an advanced robotised
gearbox. These will be joined later by two brand new
products: a 165 bhp 2.0 Multijet and a 190 bhp Twin Turbo
Multijet.
The range will then be complemented by another innovative
power unit: a 200 bhp 1.8 Di Turbojet (a direct injection
petrol engine paired with an up-to-date 6-speed automatic
gearbox). These power units, all Euro 5, confirm the Lancia
brand as a benchmark in terms of technology and innovation
throughout the entire automotive scenario.
Elegance of form and materials but also elegance in the way
the car interacts with the outside world. As far as the
environment is concerned, the Lancia Delta diesel engines
are already in line with the limits due to be introduced by
the future Euro 5 regulation, a characteristic that
certainly marks an extra 'delta' shift over the competition.
Lastly, the engine performances are complemented by tried
and tested mechanical parts that are optimised for comfort
and handling through the use of technical features unique to
the category. Beginning with the Absolute Handling System,
an advanced stability control system that adds many major
features over able those offered by devices available to
date, namely LTF (Linearization Torque Feedback) that
considerably improves your sense of mastering the car on
bends, particularly at top speed; and TTC (Torque Transfer
Control), an innovative function that improves traction on
bends by significantly reducing understeer and ensures a
more dynamic drive by electrically simulating the presence
of a self-locking differential.
It should be emphasised that the innovative Absolute
Handling System always cuts in unobtrusively due to its
pairing with DST (Drive Steering Torque). The active
electronic steering carries out corrections automatically
and also controls oversteer over surfaces with low grip.
As another mark of its advance engineering, the Lancia Delta
is fitted with an electronic variable damping suspension
system (Reactive Suspension System) that considerably
improves driving comfort while filtering out more vibrations
over uneven road surfaces. It also further emphasises
driving satisfaction by improving handling under all
conditions (the system automatically adjusts ride according
to the type of road and the driving stresses). The Delta's
array of equipment is complemented by a semi-automatic
parking system that controls steering, leaving the driver
the task of operating the brake and throttle to complete the
manoeuvre - and a ‘Driving Advisor’ system that acts on the
steering wheel to warn the driver he is about to stray over
the edge of the lane. The aim of all these devices, in
short, is to simplify and improve the driving experience.
All together they may be encapsulated by the description
'VIP Driving'.
Because it is destined for demanding customers who love to
stand out in a crowd, the Lancia Delta offers more than 1000
personalised combinations created by cross-matching 3
specifications, 4 different seat trims, 3 interior colour
schemes, 4 types of alloy wheels, 12 body shades and 12
two-tone body options. This broad and diverse range confirms
the unique nature of the new model Returning to the theme of
‘delta’ as the symbol of progress, Fiat Group Automobiles
Financial Services is also ringing the changes by offering
finance options that differ from conventional packages
because they include exclusive services guaranteed by the
Fiat Group Automobiles ‘Parts&Services’ department. |
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