| Manufacturer | Lancia |
|---|---|
| Production | 1984-1994 |
| Assembly | Mirafiori plant, Turin, Italy Borgo San Paolo, Turin, Italy |
| Predecessor | Lancia Gamma |
| Successor | Lancia Kappa |
| Class | Executive car |
| Body style | 4-door sedan 5-door station wagon |
| Layout | FF layout |
| Platform | Type Four |
| Engine | Petrol: 2.0 L straight-4 2.0 L straight-4 turbo 2.8 L V6 3.0 L V6 3.0 L V8 Diesel: 2.5 L straight-4 turbodiesel |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual 4-speed automatic[1] |
| Wheelbase | 2660 mm (104.7 in.) |
| Length | 4590 mm (180.7 in.) |
| Width | 1755 mm (69.1 in.) |
| Height | 1440 mm (56.7 in.) |
| Curb weight | 1150-1300 kg (2535-2866 lb) |
| Related | Saab 9000 Alfa Romeo 164 Fiat Croma |
| Designer | Giorgetto Giugiaro's Italdesign Pininfarina (Station Wagon) |
The Lancia Thema is an executive car produced by the Italian automaker Lancia between 1984 and 1994, and one of four cars to share the Type Four platform alongside the Alfa Romeo 164, Fiat Croma and Saab 9000. The Thema was first shown in Turin Motor Show in 1984.
In February 2011, it was reported that the second generation of the Chrysler 300C, due for launch later that year, would be marketed as Lancia Thema in all European markets, except the UK which will retain the Chrysler marque.[2]
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The Thema was available as a sedan and as a station wagon designed by Pininfarina, and was considered one of the most spacious and comfortable European cars of its time. In addition to the sedans, 21,074 Thema station wagons were built by Pininfarina between 1986 and 1994 in their Borgo San Paolo plant.[3]
The Thema re-established Lancia as a high-quality luxury manufacturer with a galvanized steel chassis and rust protection that equaled or bettered that of its competitors. Build quality was higher than the Fiat Croma's and on par with the Saab 9000's. The sales organisation, however, was poor in many markets and secondhand values for the car suffered.
Production of the Thema ceased in 1994 when Lancia withdrew from right-hand drive markets (including the United Kingdom) in response to dwindling popularity and sales. (The station wagon version was never offered in right-hand drive.) Lancia continued, however, to be one of the most popular manufacturers in the Italian market and the Thema's replacement, the Lancia Kappa, sold well.
The ultimate Thema, the '8.32' ("8" standing for the number of cylinders and "32" for the number of valves) was assembled at Lancia's S. Paolo plant in Turin.[4] It used a 2927 cc Ferrari V8. This engine was based on the unit used in the Ferrari 308 and some of the componentry was assembled by Ducati[5] from castings made at Maranello. The engine differed from other Ferrari V8s of the time in that it was equipped with a cross-plane type crankshaft rather than the usual flat-plane crankshaft, smaller valves and different firing order. All this to make the engine characteristics more suitable in a four door luxury saloon. Both Series 1 and 2 cars in non catalysed form produced 215 PS (158 kW; 212 hp) and were capable of 0–100 km/h in 6.8 seconds and 240 km/h (149 mph) whilst catalysed versions were slightly detuned to 205 PS (151 kW; 202 hp) which gave 0–100 km/h in 7.2 seconds and 235 km/h (146 mph).
The car offered good performance (though the Turbo version was quicker than the catalytic version from 0 to 100 km/h) and excellent refinement, including a luxurious hand made wood-and-leather interior by Poltrona Frau complete with the same luxury equipment as LX versions of the Thema. Unfortunately, a price tag of £40,000 (or more) in Britain, and the fact that only left hand drive versions were produced, limited its appeal with only 9 being officially sold there. This version of the Thema also sold in limited numbers in Italy with 2370 Series 1 built between 1986 and 1988 and 1601 Series 2 built between 1989 and 1992. 64 numbered vehicles were made, 32 series 1 and 32 series 2. These were only available in Ferrari-red.
Five non catalyst Thema 8.32s were exported to Taiwan and 2 of them still survive today.
Thema powerplants originated from the Fiat engine series designed by Aurelio Lampredi, the famed engine designer formerly of Ferrari and Alfa Romeo. The straight-4 2.0 L petrol engine, available in both naturally aspirated and turbocharged versions, was refined and offered good performance. Earlier Themas were also offered with a 2.8 L PRV V6 engine, developed in cooperation with Peugeot, Renault, and Volvo. This unit was replaced in 1992 with a 3.0 L Alfa Romeo V6 engine (Fiat had bought Alfa Romeo in 1986 and got access to this engine).
| Model | Displacement | Power | Torque | Note | Top Speed/0–100 km/h/s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 8V | 1995 cc | 120 PS (88 kW; 120 hp) @5250 rpm | 170 N·m (130 lb·ft) @3300 rpm | 1985–1989 | 195 km/h (121 mph) /9.7 |
| 2.0 8V | 1995 cc | 116 PS (85 kW; 114 hp) @5600 rpm | 162 N·m (119 lb·ft) @4000 rpm | 1987–1989 | 191 km/h (119 mph) /10.4 |
| 2.0 8V | 1995 cc | 116 PS (85 kW; 114 hp) @5600 rpm | 162 N·m (119 lb·ft) @4000 rpm | 1989–1995 | 195 km/h (121 mph) /11.4 |
| 2.0 16V | 1995 cc | 146 PS (107 kW; 144 hp) @6000 rpm | 173 N·m (128 lb·ft) @4000 rpm | 1989–1992 | 202 km/h (126 mph) /10.4 |
| 2.0 16V | 1995 cc | 155 PS (114 kW; 153 hp) @6500 rpm | 181 N·m (133 lb·ft) @3500 rpm | 1992–1995 | 205 km/h (127 mph) /10.1 |
| 2.0 Turbo 8V | 1995 cc | 166 PS (122 kW; 164 hp) @5500 rpm | 290 N·m (210 lb·ft) @2750 rpm | 1985–1988 | 218 km/h (135 mph) /7.2 |
| 2.0 Turbo 8V | 1995 cc | 150 PS (110 kW; 150 hp) @5500 rpm | 245 N·m (181 lb·ft) @2700 rpm | 1988–1989 | 210 km/h (130 mph) /7.9 |
| 2.0 Turbo 16V | 1995 cc | 180 PS (130 kW; 180 hp) @5500 rpm | 270 N·m (200 lb·ft) @2500 rpm | 1989–1992 | 222 km/h (138 mph) /8.0 |
| 2.0 Turbo 16V | 1995 cc | 205 PS (151 kW; 202 hp) @5750 rpm | 304 N·m (224 lb·ft) @3750 rpm | 1992–1995 | 230 km/h (143 mph) /7.2 |
| 2.9 V6 12V | 2849 cc | 150 PS (110 kW; 150 hp) @5250 rpm | 245 N·m (181 lb·ft) @2700 rpm | 1985–1989 | 208 km/h (129 mph) /8.2 |
| 2.9 V6 12V | 2849 cc | 150 PS (110 kW; 150 hp) @5000 rpm | 225 N·m (166 lb·ft) @3500 rpm | 1989–1992 | 205 km/h (127 mph) /8.4 |
| 3.0 V6 12V | 2959 cc | 175 PS (129 kW; 173 hp) @5500 rpm | 250 N·m (180 lb·ft) @4500 rpm | 1992–1995 | 220 km/h (137 mph) /8.1 |
| 3.0 V8 32V | 2927 cc | 215 PS (158 kW; 212 hp) @6750 rpm | 285 N·m (210 lb·ft) @4500 rpm | 1987–1989 | 240 km/h (149 mph) /6.8 |
| 3.0 V8 32V | 2927 cc | 205 PS (151 kW; 202 hp) @6750 rpm | 263 N·m (194 lb·ft) @5000 rpm | 1989–1992 | 235 km/h (146 mph) /7.2 |
| 2.5 TD | 2445 cc | 101 PS (74 kW; 100 hp) @4100 rpm | 217 N·m (160 lb·ft) @2300 rpm | 1985–1989 | 185 km/h (115 mph) /11.9 |
| 2.5 TD | 2499 cc | 118 PS (87 kW; 116 hp) @3900 rpm | 245 N·m (181 lb·ft) @2200 rpm | 1989–1992 | 195 km/h (121 mph) /11.0 |
| 2.5 TD | 2499 cc | 118 PS (87 kW; 116 hp) @4100 rpm | 245 N·m (181 lb·ft) @2400 rpm | 1992–1995 | 195 km/h (121 mph) /11.5 |
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| Supermini | A112 | Y10 | Y | Ypsilon | Ypsilon II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Small family car | Delta I | Delta II | Delta III | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Executive car | Gamma | Thema I | Kappa | Thesis | Thema II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Large MPV | Zeta | Phedra | Voyager | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Beta Montecarlo Turbo | LC1 | LC2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||