The unsuccessful market success of this Lancia sedan is for us one of the biggest mysteries in the most recent history of the Italian automobile; perhaps surpassed only by that, relating to the same phenomenon, concerning its heir: the Thema of 2011. Not that we could expect numbers from Audi, in those years already becoming a phenomenon of collective hypnosis, but that in about eight years of production the Thesis specimens expected for each year, ie about sixteen thousand, are barely built, is something very difficult to explain.
In our opinion, the origin of this sensational failure is to be found in the disappearance of the authentic Lancists, those who have always been pleased with the originality of their sedan; their self-styled 2002 heirs could only fall in love with the Delta HF Integrale, as indeed happened, but only thanks to its amazing rally victories. We try this analysis because the Lancia Thesis, after the unfortunate K that started the decline of the Lancia, had been carefully designed and had no flaws.
The much-discussed line was purposely created so different from the others by Mike Robinson; in fact, to realize how he was able to design with more immediate canons of beauty, just look at his prototype Jaguar B99 Bertone; that then the Thesis has not been understood cannot mean anything other than what has been said above; those who had proudly bought a Lancia Aurelia or a Flavia at the time could only have been delighted by so much personality.
The interior was designed by Flavio Manzoni, today at the top of world design as responsible for the Ferrari style; in addition to being once again very personal elegance, it presented a great idea: the dashboard crossed by tiny holes through which the conditioned air passes, creating a weak but wide flow that could never cause annoyance to the occupants while being very effective in regulating the temperature. It was also impeccably finished and fitted out with first-rate materials: Frau leather in magnificent colors and briar moldings, as well as equipped with all the technology then available at the time: satellite navigator included.
Instructed by what happened with the previous Kappa, killed in the bud by the unreliability of its first diesel engine with indirect injection with pre-chamber, the Thesis was equipped with reliable engines right from its debut; in order of power, the 150 bhp JTD turbodiesel with direct injection; the 170 bhp 2.4 five-cylinder petrol engine; the 185 bhp 2.0-liter five-cylinder turbo petrol engine and finally a 215 bhp 3.0-liter V6 derived from Alfa Romeo. As you can see, a very European-oriented range where it was hoped to gain at least a little of the ground lost after the disappearance of the first Thema from the price lists; it is no coincidence that the automatic gearbox was available as an option on all and the two-liter petrol engine designed specifically for our market, while absolutely reliable, proved to be the least suitable for the car and the least sold among the engines available.