Way OT: Lancia Fulvia

I know there are a few of you who like this little beast (perhaps also due to Rally Trophy). Perhaps this show car from the IAA in Frankfurt will be interesting: http://auto-motor-sport.de/d/44668 It should go on sale in late 2004. I think it's a beautiful update of a classic. Stephen

"Stephen F." wrote:

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> > I know there are a few of you who like this little beast (perhaps also due > to Rally Trophy). Perhaps this show car from the IAA in Frankfurt will be > interesting: > http://auto-motor-sport.de/d/44668 > > It should go on sale in late 2004. I think it's a beautiful update of a > classic.

Me like very much, capturing the spirit of the original one but still looking like a modern car, well done Beers and cheers (uncle) Goy "goyl at nettx dot no" http://www.theuspits.com "A man is only as old as the woman he feels........" --Groucho Marx--

"Goy Larsen" wrote > Me like very much, capturing the spirit of the original one but still > looking like a modern car, well done A front wheel drive Fiat Uno (or whatever is underneath) is capturing the spirit of the original? Please... I wonder when we will get rid of all these retro cars. No offense. Bye, Leo

"Leo Landman" wrote:

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> "Goy Larsen" wrote > > Me like very much, capturing the spirit of the original one but still > > looking like a modern car, well done > > A front wheel drive Fiat Uno (or whatever is underneath) is capturing the > spirit of the original? Please... > I wonder when we will get rid of all these retro cars. No offense.

Well the original *was* front wheel drive... A wonderful looking Italian designed car and you wonder when we will get rid of them? To be replaced by what? Best looking modern car I've seen for ages, plus this one of course: http://car.kak.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=news&file=article&sid=1219 Which also boringly relives the history of previous Italian sports cars. Hopefully RWD & 400+BHP might negate the lack of retro appeal... Cheers Tony

On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 23:55:58 GMT, "Tony Rickard" <[email hidden]> wrote: >Best looking modern car I've seen for ages, plus this one of course: I hate Ford, but the new GT40 is sexy as hell. Jason

On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 23:55:58 GMT, "Tony Rickard" >Best looking modern car I've seen for ages, plus this one of course: I hate Ford, but the new GT40 is *** as hell. Jason

"jason moyer" wrote: > > >Best looking modern car I've seen for ages, plus this one of course: > > I hate Ford, but the new GT40 is sexy as hell. Though less subtle :)

On Mon, 15 Sep 2003, Tony Rickard wrote: > "Leo Landman" wrote: > > > "Goy Larsen" wrote > > > Me like very much, capturing the spirit of the original one but still > > > looking like a modern car, well done.... > A wonderful looking Italian designed car and you wonder when we will get rid > of them? To be replaced by what? I wonder if they will build the car like these pics -- note that there is some clearance above the top of the tires before you get to the fender line. Unlike many cars, this one looks like it might have some room in the wheel wells for some actual ride travel, and thus the _chance_ of having a decent ride. So many current cars are "styled" with small, tight fitting wheel wells, with the result that the suspension has to be set so it engages the bump rubbers (bump stops) as soon as someone climbs into the car. This pretty much means that you can forget about a good ride, since the bump stops are bound to make the spring rates nonlinear...

"Leo Landman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:vqr9b.319826$[email hidden]...

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> > "Goy Larsen" wrote > > Me like very much, capturing the spirit of the original one but still > > looking like a modern car, well done > > A front wheel drive Fiat Uno (or whatever is underneath) is capturing the > spirit of the original? Please... > I wonder when we will get rid of all these retro cars. No offense.

This thing is going to slot in between the Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper S for price, I imagine. What else in that price range is any more interesting or competent than a 990kg, 140hp FWD car with minimial overhang at each end and some sense of style? My Focus is dynamically at the top of the FWD heap, I would say, but it tips the scales at almost 1300kg. Even my diminutive MX-5 is over 1000kg, and although its RWD handling is very rewarding, it's certainly no longer the last word in chassis sophistication, although a good set of Konis can keep it up to date. I'll give Lancia credit for building a compact coupe. No one else seems to have the balls to step out of the hot hatchback / sedan mould. I'll keep my fingers crossed that the 1-series BMW offers an interesting and affordable RWD coupe to the market, but I somehow doubt it. Having driven the original Fulvia, I certainly have nothing against quick FWD cars with a decent driving position and well-conceived suspension. Can Lancia pull it off, based on the Ypsilon chassis (also the Fiat Punto)? Who knows, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. My opinion on "retro" cars is split. The New Beetle and PT Cruiser I can live without. I'm warming to the Mini Cooper, but could do without the excessive touches in the interior, and please throw away the silly 17" wheels and put some proper lightweight 15s on it; that car is way over-tired. I'm going to watch the Fulvia very closely as a possible replacement for my MX-5. Stephen

"Tony Rickard" wrote: > Well the original *was* front wheel drive... Fair enough... I loved those Fulvias when I was a kid. Guess I'm getting tired of seeing all those retro look-alikes that have nothing in common with the original except the shape (from a distance, looking through your eyelashes). I'd rather see new shapes. That or the real thing - a 60's Fulvia, Beetle, Mini, Elan etc. Bye, Leo

Leo Landman wrote:

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> > "Goy Larsen" wrote > > Me like very much, capturing the spirit of the original one but still > > looking like a modern car, well done > > A front wheel drive Fiat Uno (or whatever is underneath) is capturing the > spirit of the original? Please... > I wonder when we will get rid of all these retro cars. No offense.

Well, since I find most modern cars utterly boring design wise, my heart skips a beat whenever I see something that looks like it's been lovingly created by an artist rather than a piece of software that has been fed some vital numbers and the run it's course to come up with the most space efficient shape, then they put some silly head/tail lights on it to "stand out from the rest" and tack the company logo on it My current car, a 99 Opel Omega station wagon is a perfect example of this, except that they didn't use a very good program to calculate the shape so I own a large and extremely heavy blob, which with the help of a set of decent 17" wheels and a lowering kit is being transformed into something I can actually stand to look at, it is however a large and extremely heavy blob Retro cars at least make an attempt to stand out from the crowd by design rather than by accident and I would be perfectly happy driving around in a retro Fulvia without needing to add bigger wheels and a suspension kit, actually, I do hope they change the design of the wheels and do some more work on the front end as the more I look at it I really don't think Lancia's new "corporate front end" looks all that good on a retro car, it doesn't look all that good on a modern car either, maybe they could change it on their whole lineup and start with the Fulvia Beers and cheers (uncle) Goy "goyl at nettx dot no" http://www.theuspits.com "A man is only as old as the woman he feels........" --Groucho Marx--

"Goy Larsen" wrote: > Retro cars at least make an attempt to stand out from the crowd by > design rather than by accident It's a 50 year old design that stands out. That's too easy, a cheap trick. My point is it should be perfectly possible to create a new design that stands out, and still make your heart skip a beat. The new Lancia nose design (not the new 'Fulvia's) is so unashamedly fifties retro, it's pathetic. Oh well, we'll probably end up in blobs anyway. Bye, Leo

I looked at it for a while, and my final verdict is "ugly". The new mini is nice, so is the new beetle. The new thunderbird or whatever is plain ugly, the new charger is ugly.. etc. Enough with the rehasing of old brandnames stuck on new cars, purely to target people looking to recapture their youth. I guess it is also because starting with an existing name, you already have recognition and you don't have to develop it from the start. Give me the old Fulvia any day (not like I could ever find one in Canada anyays) Mike http://mikebeauchamp.com "Stephen F." <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:3f65b12f$[email hidden]...

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> I know there are a few of you who like this little beast (perhaps also due > to Rally Trophy). Perhaps this show car from the IAA in Frankfurt will be > interesting: > http://auto-motor-sport.de/d/44668 > > It should go on sale in late 2004. I think it's a beautiful update of a > classic. > > Stephen > > > > > >

"Mike Beauchamp" wrote: > I looked at it for a while, and my final verdict is "ugly". The new miniis > nice, so is the new beetle. The new thunderbird or whatever is plain ugly, > the new charger is ugly.. etc. Enough with the rehasing of old brandnames > stuck on new cars, purely to target people looking to recapture theiryouth. > I guess it is also because starting with an existing name, you alreadyhave > recognition and you don't have to develop it from the start. > > Give me the old Fulvia any day (not like I could ever find one in Canada > anyays) The old Fulvia was hardly beautiful but had a real charm. Most youngsters find that cars of that era are mostly ugly. I think you will find many young drivers in these retro machines looking for something more individual than the current mainstream models. At least the new Fulvia retains the body style of the old one and hasn't magically sprouted a rear hatch or been fattened up beyond recognition to compete on interior space. Cheers Tony

Leo Landman wrote:

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> > "Goy Larsen" wrote: > > Retro cars at least make an attempt to stand out from the crowd by > > design rather than by accident > > It's a 50 year old design that stands out. That's too easy, a cheap trick. > My point is it should be perfectly possible to create a new design that > stands out, and still make your heart skip a beat. The new Lancia nose > design (not the new 'Fulvia's) is so unashamedly fifties retro, it's > pathetic. Oh well, we'll probably end up in blobs anyway.

There's some retro stuff I don't like, tacking a 50's grille on a modern car for instance, that looks silly and out of place, as did that "traditional" clock they put in the dash of Maseratis up until a few years ago, it looked totally out of place, however, when the whole styling is done retro, and with some taste, I don't mind at all Beers and cheers (uncle) Goy "goyl at nettx dot no" http://www.theuspits.com "A man is only as old as the woman he feels........" --Groucho Marx--

"Tony Rickard" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:WF2ab.311$[email hidden]... > > At least the new Fulvia retains the body style of the old one and hasn't > magically sprouted a rear hatch or been fattened up beyond recognition to > compete on interior space. > Which is the main reason I find it appealing. How many manufacturers offer a "Coup�" which isn't (a) a fastback or hatch or (b) over 3200 lbs? A compact, 1000kg, notchback coupe. Sign me up... at east for an in-the-flesh look and test drive. Stephen p.s. and current safety standards mean we will never have the delicate roofline of the original Fulvia, or the minimalistic propostions of most 60's classics. Of course, it's all a matter of taste, but I really like the look of the new Fulvia, compared to what else is available in that segment.