26.08.2003  LANCIA PHEDRA PROMENADE AIMS TO CAPTURE THE EXCLUSIVE ATMOSPHERE OF SEVENTIES MONTE CARLO

The result is a special production car that is identifiable for its original dark brown 'Testa di moro' body colour. This is an explicit reference to the mahogany trim on the motorboats that could be spotted in tourist spots around the Mediterranean and glamorous Monte Carlo in particular. 

The interior has also been revised for the occasion. New features include the stylish and exclusive Ivory coloured leather and Wenge wood inserts that complement the exterior shade to make sophisticated reference to the world of the Seventies and its motorboats.

The car is about much more than mere style. The original outer skin is combined with a powerful, spirited engine that is also extremely satisfying to drive: the 204 bhp 3.0 V6 24v engine comes complete with a sophisticated self-adaptive, sequential automatic gearbox, both available also on standard production cars. The result is outstanding performance (top speed more than 200 km/h), the noiselessness of a 6-cylinder engine, smooth running, urgent pick-up ensured by generous torque, maximum comfort and driving satisfaction. 

The brand new automatic transmission also offers three operating modes and will also be available on 2.0 jtd engines from July. The device also comes with an electronically managed self-adaptive programme that allows the gearbox to adjust to the driver's style, road profile and vehicle load. All this translates into smooth, slick gear shifts, performance, low fuel consumption and convenience courtesy of the engine brake. A conventional automatic transmission shifts up a gear when you accelerate even when the car is travelling downhill while the self-adaptive device reads the accelerator position and maintains the speed unchanged if the pedal is still raised. When the road is slippery, you can switch to Snow mode where higher gears are chosen to maximise grip. 

The third function is sequential: the customer shifts through the four gears himself by operating a selector lever that acts like a joystick (up to change up, down to change down). 

The stylish, original Lancia Phedra Promenade also inherits an extraordinary safety package from the original standard production model. The Phedra recently won the coveted five star rating in the European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP), setting it at the top of its segment for safety. This independent consortium works with the backing of the European Union and the F.I.A. (Federazione Internazionale dell'Automobile). It has been testing vehicle safety since 1997 and allocates a number of stars (1 to 5) on the basis of the results obtained. 

These five stars are an important acknowledgement that rewards Lancia's great commitment to all aspects of driver and passenger protection above all else. Safety has long been an integral part of the process that leads to the definition of the body and all other components on Lancia cars: including the facia, seats and restraint systems. In the case of the Lancia Phedra, this quest has brought excellent results and now these are borne out by the Euro NCAP ruling. The designers considered all possible accident types to achieve the result: front impact, side impact, roll-over, shunting and fire. The designers also considered the different speeds at which crashes can take place, the different types of obstacle and the safeguarding of occupants with a very wide range of physical features. An in-depth examination of all these parameters led to a set of technical solutions that make the Lancia Phedra one of the safest cars on the market. 

This total protection begins with all the devices specifically devoted to passive safety that now come as standard: two multistage front airbags, two front sidebags and two window bags protect side passengers on all three rows of seats. The Phedra is also equipped with a passenger presence sensor on the seat (to control airbag activation in case of need) plus buzzers and indicators that indicate whether the front seat-belts are unfastened. And also: three-point seat-belts with pretensioners and load limiters (except on the middle seats in the second row) plus height-adjustable, tilting head-restraints (front). Not to mention a door lock system and Isofix attachments for carrying even the smallest passengers in absolute safety. And if the car crashes, the doors naturally release automatically and the fuel flow is cut off. 
The Lancia MPV ensures such consistent, predictable on-road behaviour that the driver can get away with making mistakes and emerge from sticky situations with aplomb. On the active safety front the Lancia Phedra offers a braking system with outstanding performance while also benefiting from the most sophisticated electronic devices for controlling the car's dynamic behaviour: from braking to traction. 

All versions are fitted as standard with ABS plus EBD (Electronic Brake force Distribution) that regulates braking action on the rear axle to prevent the wheels locking and ensure full control of the vehicle under all conditions. Brake Assistance, another standard feature, helps during emergency braking. On vehicles with ESP, on the other hand, the function is carried out electronically by the ABS control unit and is referred to as HBA (Hydraulic Brake Assistance). 

To ensure greater mastery of the vehicle, all Lancia Phedra cars come with an ESP (Electronic Stability Program). The system cuts in under extreme conditions when car stability is at risk and also helps the driver control the car on bends. The new model is also fitted as standard with ASR (Anti Slip Regulation) to limit drive wheel slip in low grip conditions. This highly sophisticated automatic traction control device works at all speeds to adjust torque according to the grip coefficient. The MSR (Motor Schleppmoment Regelung) cuts in when the gear is shifted down abruptly in low grip conditions. This device restores torque to the engine to prevent the wheel skidding as a result of lock. 

Many sophisticated devices ensure the dynamic safety of the Phedra. It is governed by a newly-developed and sophisticated smart system that is governed by an electronic control unit. This receives signals from various sensors throughout the car and the control unit then uses these signals to determine which devices should be operated. 

The Lancia Phedra comes with a particularly effective braking system that ensures prompt, gradual deceleration and also shorter stopping distances. What is more, if the driver suddenly puts his or her foot down hard on the brake pedal, an automatic emergency system cuts in to turn on the hazard lights as an early warning to cars behind. 

The Lancia Phedra also offers as standard a host of features for superlative customer comfort: map navigation system, dual zone automatic climate control system, interiors in Alcantara® (leather is an option), Cruise Control, headlight wash/wipe and also rain, parking and dusk sensors. Options include gas discharge headlights (standard on versions with the 3.0 V6 power unit and automatic transmission), electric sliding side doors, tyre deflation sensors and triple sunroof.