MILAN — Lancia will go after profitability about quantity to safe a extended-time period house in the 14 manufacturer Stellantis stable and check out to Mercedes-Benz to do so, its boss Luca Napolitano claimed.
Lancia has in latest a long time retreated from a previous littered with world rally titles and iconic autos this sort of as the Delta to a single model, the Ypsilon, in just a single market place, Italy.
Some analysts have regarded Lancia as one particular of the the very least strategic makes in Stellantis, which was formed this yr by the merger of Fiat Chrysler and PSA Team.
Nonetheless, Napolitano has presented a 10-calendar year system to Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares to relaunch Lancia, primarily based on 3 new styles: the new Ypsilon in 2024, both equally hybrid and battery electric, and a compact crossover expected in 2026 followed by a compact hatchback in 2028, each completely electric powered.
“Obviously volumes are essential, but our targets are about profitability,” Napolitano said in an interview on Friday.
Lancia, which together with Alfa Romeo and DS was grouped in the pool of Stellantis makes cooperating in the top quality sector, needed to proceed on this significant-finish route, he additional.
“We even now have to have to operate and have to have to glimpse at a benchmark … which for us is Mercedes,” Napolitano mentioned. “I will not signify we want to fight versus Mercedes, that would be naive, but that is an illustration of what we seem at.”
Even though Alfa Romeo and DS are global makes, Lancia’s focus on is to transfer to Europe, initially focusing on Germany and France, in which electrification is transferring quicker, then introducing countries which includes Spain, Belgium, Austria and the Nordics, he said.
“We initially goal to make 25 % to 30 % of our product sales abroad, to attain 50-50,” he stated. “Our aggressive electrification tactic and our target on market place segments which are extremely potent in Europe will assist us.”
Napolitano reported that Lancia aimed to be the brand in just Stellantis with the best share of recycled elements. “We would like to develop cars with a substantial part of recycled elements,” he mentioned.
Lancia’s 10-12 months program does not involve likely back again to motor races and growing outside the house Europe, as it wants credibility in the top quality section and to target on priorities, Napolitano claimed.
“On the other hand, in the coming calendar year, if points go effectively, why not making an attempt to carry (Lancia models with) suitable-hand travel also in Japan, South Africa or Australia?” he claimed.
Lancia’s growth plan in Europe will be based mostly on a light network of sellers, only in the most significant city spots, encouraging it to keep fees down and improve profitability.
Napolitano explained the concentrate on was to have around 100 Lancia advertising details in Europe in about 60 cities, which would be shared with other Stellantis manufacturers, when pushing on the net to minimize the sum of time likely prospective buyers expend at sellers.
“My concentrate on is to make it feasible to buy a vehicle with just three clicks,” Napolitano mentioned.
