Yahoo News New Lancia Ypsilon HF Spawns Rally Car in Return to Brand's Roots
Lancia revealed the Ypsilon HF, its first hot hatch since the 1990s.
The HF is powered by a single 237-hp electric motor on the front axle.
The Ypsilon also gains a rally-racing version that uses a 209-hp turbocharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder.
Lancia lay dormant for years, trundling along with a series of rebadged Chryslers and the aging Ypsilon city car. But Stellantis is attempting to breathe new life into the once-great Italian brand, announcing that the redesigned Ypsilon—closely related to other Stellantis hatches like the Peugeot 208—will be joined by a sporty HF variant. Even cooler, the HF will spawn a rally racer that will mark the first time Lancia has engaged in motorsports since the 1990s.
The new Ypsilon HF is the first electric Lancia to wear the HF moniker, and routes 237 horsepower to the front wheels via a front-mounted electric motor, ups from 154 horsepower in the standard car. This is the same powertrain used by the Abarth version of the Fiat 600e as well as the Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce. Lancia claims that the HF will launch from zero to 62 mph in a respectable 5.8 seconds. A 54.0-kWh battery provides the juice, and range will likely take a hit from the standard Ypsilon's 250-mile estimate.
The HF sports a more assertive front end with a hexagonal black panel featuring a series of vents and the HF logo, which returns with the iconic red elephant. There are also funky new wheels and Lancia says the HF will gain a lowered suspension and wider wheel track, which should improve handling. The Ypsilon HF will hit the European market in May of 2025, and Lancia confirmed that its other upcoming models—the revived Gamma and Delta—will both spawn HF models.
Lancia also unveiled the Ypsilon Rally 4 HF, heralding its return to rally racing where Lancia made its name in the 1970s and 1980s. Unlike the road car, the Ypsilon Rally 4 HF is powered by internal combustion, with a turbocharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder that spits out 209 ponies. The power is routed to the front wheels via a five-speed sequential gearbox and a limited-slip differential. The HF, as the power output would suggest, is not competing in the top class of the World Rally Championship, instead settling into the FIA's Group Rally4 category.
Regardless of whether Lancia's return to racing sees it eventually add to its plethora of World Rally Championships, the introduction of the Ypsilon Rally 4 HF shows an intent to inject the brand with a sense of purpose and performance. The road-going Ypsilon HF likely will never be offered in the United States, but we look forward to following Lancia's revival from abroad.
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