Friday 10th September 2010

SOTW: Lancia Thema V6

Fancy an Italian stallion from the Pininfarina stable for Shed money? Good luck with that...

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With Lancia threatening another crack of the whip here in the UK-market (we'll believe it when we see it), Shed brings you a taste of things to come with this the Thema, the last Lancia flagship to grace UK shores.

Now, cynics amongst you - and we know you're out there - may protest the Thema is less than worthy of the illustrious Lancia shield, bearing more than a passing resemblance to the Saab 9000. In fact the cars share the same 'type four' chassis which also formed the foundations for the beautiful Alfa 164 and the, er, Fiat Croma. However as future Lancias look like sharing Chrysler under-duds, Shed wouldn't dream of suggesting such cosy relationships are in any way inappropriate for the brand.

Like the 164, the Thema was designed by Pininfarina who are well known for their competence with a slab of clay - well usually, anyway. Where the Alfa relied on its flowing, graceful lines, the Lancia is a far more brutal affair. Flat-nosed and angry-faced, it looks like it's had one too many bad experiences in a boxing ring - much like the Integrale which unfortunately, as yet eludes Shed's purse.

That's not to say the driving experience need be any less exciting than its rally-bred stablemate. With an engine designed by Aurelio Lampred (formerly of Alfa Romeo and Ferrari), this 148bhp, 2.9 litre V6 example can spirit the Thema to 60 in 8.2sec - before running out of puff at 129mph. Brakes devoid of ABS will remind you of days of old when thoughts turn to stopping, and there's no aircon to go wrong either.

Should you decide to enter into negotiations with the vendor (whose opening gambit is £900), this sparkling silver example has been with in the same hands for the past nine years, covering only 5,000miles in the period. The eagle-eyed amongst you may have noticed the lack of a current MOT, but worry ye not as the owner assures Shed this is a typo and the old girl can - legally at least - stagger on until April 2011.

Although the tatty exterior hints at this Thema reaching its twilight years, all the electrics function. However we have inferred from the ad this may be intermittently, at least as far as the electric windows are concerned, further cementing this fine car's noble Italian credentials.

As well as being mechanically sound, this week's SOTW comes complete with the spares from another two Themas the owner has previously dismantled. Though, quite how reassuring this is, we're not entirely sure...

"Caveat emptor," as somebody once said on the way to the forums.

The advert reads:

1988 Lancia Thema Series 1 V6 For Sale

Overall she is in good condition.
Sunroof, Automatic heating (not aircon). Non-ABS version.
Current owner 9 years and 5000 miles.
MOT Apr 2010, Tax Oct 2010.
Bodywork mostly good with the worst parts being a scabby rear wheelarch and the bottom corner of the rear screen.
Mechanically good.
Electrics all work fine although window switches have their moments.
Rare Car. Loads of spares included (have broken 2 of these over the years). Mostly mechanical and electrical but some trim as well.

More photos can be found here

Make Lancia
Model Thema Series 1 V6
Price £900
Year 1988
Category Saloons / Estates
Mileage 86500 Miles
Colour Silver
Transmission Automatic
LHD / RHD RHD
Convertible No
Location Trowbridge, Wiltshire, UK
Private / Trade Private Car

[GTWayne]

Nice shade of silver that

[shouldbworking]

Hmm Trowbridge... I would also be willing to bet the person who owns this as a Lancia club member with a couple of betas to their name as well

Tempting tempting

[tezzer]

Hope the buyes likes long walks in the country, I have a fear of anything French or Italian having lots of experience !

Just bought my own "shed" this week, the antithesis of the Lancia in that it is Japanese and supremely reliable ! 3.0 V6i with a mere 85000 miles full history (inc cambelt) not a mar on it anywhere, leather, cruise etc etc. Used it for a run to Norwich this week, 350 miles round trip and it returned 32mpg brim to brim. All for shed money !

Edited by tezzer on Friday 10th September 07:29

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Tezzer,
Slightly O/T but that looks a good deal. Good luck with it.

[Liquid Knight]

Superb car, criminally under-rated and will that Rover/Honda ever be considered remotely cool or a classic? Nope.

[dxg]

The Chroma was better!

[Aused]

Not the prettiest thing in the world is it? Wasn't there a version of these with a Ferrari V8? 8.32 rings a bell as in 8 cylinders 32 valves. Anyone own one is those?

[andrewrob]

Aused said:

Not the prettiest thing in the world is it? Wasn't there a version of these with a Ferrari V8? 8.32 rings a bell as in 8 cylinders 32 valves. Anyone own one is those?

Yes someone on here has one, can't remember who at the moment though.
Is it Justayellowbadge?

[chazwozza]

Haven't we had one of these on here before? Seems to ring a bell. Quite a retro-cool 80's box though, nice smooth italian V6, but do they sound any good, i.e. is it related to the Alfa V6?

[sledge68]

try a thema turbo, same twin cam as the integrale, and very understated, there is an immaculate 8.32 owned by a member of Club Lancia Sport, its the one that was on Top Gear with the reg 832 F,

are they any good, Ferrari power and understated looks, unlike zee germans Lancia with this model left it to look farely normal, no need to AMG plastered all over it or look at me,

i prefer that , keeps people on their toes and surprises so called sports cars

[DBSnappa]

It's not a beautiful car, is it. Has no-one else noticed the taped on driver's door mirror?

[Nimbus]

tezzer said:

Hope the buyes likes long walks in the country, I have a fear of anything French or Italian having lots of experience !

Just bought my own "shed" this week, the antithesis of the Lancia in that it is Japanese and supremely reliable ! 3.0 V6i with a mere 85000 miles full history (inc cambelt) not a mar on it anywhere, leather, cruise etc etc. Used it for a run to Norwich this week, 350 miles round trip and it returned 32mpg brim to brim. All for shed money !

Edited by tezzer on Friday 10th September 07:29

what, under £1000 ???

[MG511]

Liquid Knight said:

Superb car, criminally under-rated and will that Rover/Honda ever be considered remotely cool or a classic? Nope.

That's an Accord Coupe, not a Legend, so not the same platform at a Rover 800 coupe. I fancy an Accord 3.0 couple as a home - station hack car, well done for getting one under 100k for £1k, hope it's as good as it looks.

As for the Lancia,, I'd rather have a 2.0 turbo but it looks okay, if rather pricey. 3.0 V6 Alfa 164 probably a better bet for a £1k Italian shed.

Edited by MG511 on Friday 10th September 08:31

[robsco]

Now that is my sort of Shed

[dinkel]

andrewrob said:

Aused said:

Not the prettiest thing in the world is it? Wasn't there a version of these with a Ferrari V8? 8.32 rings a bell as in 8 cylinders 32 valves. Anyone own one is those?

Yes someone on here has one, can't remember who at the moment though.
Is it Justayellowbadge?

[dinkel]

Nimbus said:

tezzer said:

Hope the buyes likes long walks in the country, I have a fear of anything French or Italian having lots of experience !

Just bought my own "shed" this week, the antithesis of the Lancia in that it is Japanese and supremely reliable ! 3.0 V6i with a mere 85000 miles full history (inc cambelt) not a mar on it anywhere, leather, cruise etc etc. Used it for a run to Norwich this week, 350 miles round trip and it returned 32mpg brim to brim. All for shed money !

what, under £1000 ???

The Honda Legend is most probably the most underestimated car in this category . . . The Honda V6 is sublime and BMW smooth.

[MG511]

dinkel said:

The Honda Legend is most probably the most underestimated car in this category . . . The Honda V6 is sublime and BMW smooth.

That's not a Legend, it's an Accord!

[The Donster]

RUN AWAY!!!!!

[SVX]

I had a 1989 2.0 litre SE spec car with very low mileage, bought for shed money. Although I was a member of the Lancisti, I really enjoyed that car, and I did 30k in it with only oil changes, before giving it away as I needed an auto to handle the M40/A40 into West London everyday.

Here is mine, sorry for the ropey image, it was taken on a mobile:



I think that the phase IIs were much better looking than the phase I cars, the phase III turbo LS being the cream of the crop, better in many ways than the Ferrari engined 8.32...

[DrTre]

tezzer said:

Honda stuff

That is a bargain actually.

Got a soft spot for Lancias but the Thema really isn't a looker is it?