Lancia to return to rallying, previews Ypsilon HF

In the 1980s, there were a number of automakers which entered the monstrous Group B rallycars (so powerful that the FIA decided to remove the category) in the World Rally Championship. Among them was Lancia, the successful brand of all time in the world of rallying, with 15 World Rally Championships, 3 Constructors’ and Endurance World Championships, one 1000 Miglia, twice the Targa Florio, once the Carrera Panamericana.

After Andrea Aghini captured won the 1992 San Remo Rally with a Delta HF Integrale Evo, Lancia ended its involvement in rallying and other motorsport. Actually, Lancia’s official involvement as a works team had ceased at the end of 1991, and it was Aghini’s Jolly Club team which entered in 1992 with factory assistance.

The return to rallying
Soon, Lancia will return to rallies with the Ypsilon Rally 4, a new rallycar based on the high-performance version of the new Ypsilon which is the first car of the brand’s new era that will go on sale in May 2025.

“Lancia has always been in people’s hearts, also thanks to its competitive soul represented by some iconic models from a past that made of the brand the most successful one of all time in the rally world. And that sporty heart is starting to beat again today! And those same fans will be the new customers of Lancia of the future!” said Luca Napolitano, Lancia brand CEO.

The Ypsilon HF expresses the brand’s most competitive and high-performance spirit. With a 240-ps powertrain, acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h will be possible in just 5.8 seconds, it is claimed. The car features lowered suspension, a widened wheel track and assertive, muscular shapes, inspired by the most radical iconic cars that made history for the brand, with the shapes and design in the name of performance.

After the Ypsilon HF, the Gamma and Delta will also come in an HF version as the company wants to offer high-performance variants for all its models.

The HF logo
Returning to stand out on the Ypsilon HF, the HF logo is the historic signature of high-performance Lancia models, originally introduced during the 1960 Geneva Motor Show, when a group of passionate Lancia car owners founded the ‘Lancia Hi-Fi’ (High Fidelity) club, an exclusive meeting point for the brand’s most loyal customers and especially for people who had purchased at least 6  new Lancia.

The HF logo then became a hallmark of the HF Squadra Corse Lancia, founded in 1963 by Cesare Fiorio together with drivers and owners of Lancia cars, and was used as the ‘signature’ for many of the brand’s victories.

The historic logo was made up of HF in white capital letters on a black background, with four red running elephants underscored by the wording ‘SQUADRA CORSE’ in white on red. The little elephant was chosen as a lucky charm, based on the legend that once let loose, these creatures are unstoppable, making them a symbol of performance and driving pleasure.

Unveiled in March in its revisited version, the new HF logo reinterprets its historical counterpart with a contemporary flair: all the constituent elements of the brand symbolize Lancia tradition and are now simplified in terms of lines and shapes in a new balance that expresses innovation, premiumness, and the Italian spirit, with a touch of eclecticism in full respect of the brand’s unmistakable geometries.

The rallycar
The Ypsilon Rally 4 HF is powered by a 1.2-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder 12-valve engine that delivers 212 bhp. Equipped with front-wheel drive, a 5-speed mechanical transmission and mechanical limited-slip differential, the high-performance model will be much appreciated by drivers who are rally enthusiasts. It is also expected to be a serious candidate for drivers aspiring to victory in the R4 class and in the 2-wheel drive championships.

‘Race for Glory’, a movie released this year, tells the story of the intense rivalry between the Lancia and Audi teams in the 1983 World Rally Championship.

Lancia begins new era with all-new Ypsilon EV