Lancia Gamma
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Lancia Gamma | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Manufacturer | Fiat |
| Production | 1976-1984 |
| Predecessor | Lancia Flavia |
| Successor | Lancia Thema |
| Class | Executive car |
| Body style | 4-door fastback (berlina) 2-door coupé |
| Engine | 2.0 L carburetor flat-4 2.5 L carburetor flat-4 2.5 L I.E. flat-4 |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual 4-speed automatic [1] |
| Wheelbase | 2670 mm - berlina 2555 mm - coupé [2] |
| Length | 4580 mm - berlina 4485 mm - coupé [2] |
| Width | 1730 mm [2] |
| Height | 1410 mm - berlina 1330 mm - coupé [2] |
| Curb weight | 1320 kg - berlina 1290 mm - coupé [1] |
| Fuel capacity | 62 L [2] |
| Related | Lancia Beta [1] |
| Similar | Citroën CX Peugeot 604 Renault 20/30 Rover SD1 |
| Designer | Pininfarina[1] |
The Lancia Gamma was an executive car from Italian Fiat Auto's upscale marque Lancia. Presented in 1976 at the Geneva Motor Show[1] as Lancia's new flagship, it filled the void in Lancia's lineup left by the demise of the Flavia. The Gamma was made until 1984 as a 4-door fastback (called Berlina) and 2-door coupé (presented in 1977), both designed by Pininfarina. There were only 15,272 berlinas and 6,789 coupés built[1], which makes the Gamma a really rare collectible.
The Berlina is unique in that it has a regular boot, not a hatchback as its looks may suggest. The styling and large 4-cylinder engine alone shows Lancia had an influence somewhere from the Citroën CX.[citation needed]
[edit] The name
Gamma is the third letter of the Greek alphabet. Greek letters have been used to denote Lancia models before 1945, and this tradition was revived with the presentation of the FWD Lancia Beta in 1971, the first Lancia to be developed under Fiat supervision. The Gamma can be seen as a continuation, also being FWD and utilizing some suspension elements from the Beta[1], so the choice of the following Greek character (Beta is second) appears as logical. The Gamma sports the γ (lower case gamma) sign on several badges both inside and outside.
[edit] Engines
Lancia Gamma was a FWD car with longitudinally-mounted engines. They were available with either a 5-speed manual transmission or later a 4-speed automatic transmission.[1] There were effectively two series of the Gamma, though Lancia referred to them merely as 'Facelifts' The main change was that the engines went from carburettors to Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection. At the same time a lot of cosmetic work was done; the cars got a new corporate grille, 15" 'sunburst' alloy wheels, and slightly upgraded interior, new instrumentation, new interior lighting, new badging, and new style handbrake and gearlever gaitors. The FL1's (as they were known at Lancia) were ready in 1980 and in fact had been on sale in Italy since late 1979; in the UK they were not released until late 1980, allegedly in order to allow dealers to shift stocks of the first series which had developed a poor reputation.
Lancia developed a unique flat-4 engine for the Gamma (an idea initially was to use a Fiat V6). Engine designer Di Virgilio also drew up an Engine for the Gamma which was a V6 4-cam with either 3 or 4 litre displacement. Sadly it never came to fruition. The Flat four engine finally chosen for the Gamma was in fact a jewel, but lacked the cachet afforded to luxury cars in this sector, which generally came with 6 or 8 cylinders. But the four was ultra smooth at high revs, was in perfect primary (and excellent secondary) balance, and at the time was the biggest four in production. For over 18 years it remained the biggest flat four ever made commercially. Only Porsche and Subaru have ever made a bigger four pot; and the Subaru flat four is virtually a carbon copy of the Gamma. The four had certain engineering advantages, but more than anything it allowed Aldo Brovarone (Pinifarina chief stylist) to design a rakish looking coupe with a low bonnet line and a steeply raked windscreen. When launched at the Geneva show in 1979 there were crowds round the Lancia stand. Pressure cast in alloy with wet liners, the engine was also extremely light and though it only produced 140 bhp,(120 in 2.0 litre form) in line with traditional Lancia thinking it generated a huge amount of torque, most of which was available at just 2000 rpm, making it an effortless lugger and a smooth easy tourer.
Initially available with a displacement of 2.5 L (Gamma 2500), it was later joined by a 2.0 L version (Gamma 2000), which resulted from the Italian tax system (cars with engines larger than 2.0 L are subject to heavier tax burden). Interestingly, the displacement was lowered by decreasing the bore rather than the stroke of the engine. Both displacements were using Weber carburetors, and the 2.5 L also came in a version fitted with fuel injection (Gamma 2500 I.E.)[1][2]
- 2.0 L carburetor 8v SOHC flat-4 - 1999 cc, 115 PS (85 kW)[2]
- 2.5 L carburetor 8v SOHC flat-4 - 2484 cc, 140 PS (103 kW)[2]
- 2.5 L I.E. 8v SOHC flat-4 - 2484 cc, 140 PS (103 kW)[2]
Ironically, it was the engine that caused the Gamma to have a poor name. It overheated far too easily, wore its cams, and leaked oil. The wishbone bushes wore out early, and, because the power steering was driven from the cam-belts, the car was prone to snapping the belts when steering was on full lock - with disastrous results. By the time the FL1 was launched most of these problems had been addressed and the Gamma was an excellent car,a superb tourer with tremendous glamour and style. But the damage was done, and the car's dodgy reputation cemented. See Lancia Beta.
[edit] Concepts
Several concepts were developed from the Gamma Platform over the years.[citation needed]
- 1977 Pininfarina Gamma Spider - Targa top version of coupe
- 1977 Giugiaro Megagamma - Short nose MPV hatchback variant.
- 1981 Sedan - Berlina based 6-window notchback sedan variant.
- 1982 Pininfarina Gamma Scala - A saloon, based off the coupe but with a regular notchback boot.
- 1982 Pininfarina Gamma Olgiata - Three door wagon, based off the coupe.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
 |
||
| LANCIA | ||
|
1918-1945: Aprilia · Ardea · Artena · Astura · Augusta · Dilambda · Kappa · Lambda 1945-1980: Appia · Aurelia · Beta · Flaminia · Flavia · Fulvia · Gamma · Monte Carlo · Stratos 1980-2000: Dedra · Delta · Kappa · Lybra · Prisma · Thema · Y10 · Ypsilon · Zeta Current models: Musa · Phedra · Thesis · Ypsilon Clubs: Lancia Motor Club (UK) |
||
| Vincenzo Lancia | Corporate website | A brand of the Fiat group |
