Lancia’s revival is just a few weeks away, as the redesigned Ypsilon will be unveiled in February. This can’t come soon enough as the logo has been hanging by a thread for almost a decade.
The stakes are high and Lancia has released another sneak peek, giving us a glimpse of the new S. A. L. A. (Sound Air Light Augmentation). It is designed to be “intuitive and effortless” as users can interact with it by tapping the screen or with their voice.
The call is more than just an acronym, as “SALA” means salon in Italian, and reflects the company’s purpose of making users “feel at home wherever they go. “Lancia doesn’t go into much detail at this point, but said we can expect two high-definition presentations, as well as fully customizable widget-focused software. We can also see an illuminated orb above the dashboard, which radiates an Amazon Echo vibe.
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While there’s not much to see, previous spy images have shown that the Ypsilon will have a self-contained virtual tool group located on a flat-bottomed guide wheel. To the right is a widescreen infotainment system, with a handful of compromised controls.
Further down, there is a row of physical gadgets, as well as a tabletop table. The latter is expected to put a wireless smartphone charger on its augmented platform.
Lancia didn’t give many details, but in the past it showed that the Ypsilon would launch in 2024 with hybrid and electric powertrains. The first model to be launched will be an electric Ypsilon Cassina Edition, which will be limited to 1,906 units.
While the company is keeping details under wraps, the Pu+Ra HPE concept used “technology modules” from the new Ypsilon including the motor, battery, suspension, and brakes. That being said, rumors have suggested the electric variant will have a 154 hp (115 kW / 156 PS) motor and a 51 kWh battery, which provides approximately 248 miles (400 km) of range.
We’ll know more early next year, but Lancia has big plans for the future, adding a lineup consisting of 3 all-new models. Ypsilon will be the first to arrive in 2024 and the other two in 2026 and 2028.