Lancia Ypsilon rolls out in Europe

Take a look at the new Lancia Ypsilon city car, which went on sale in Europe on Tuesday.

This third-generation Ypsilon rides on a stretched version of Fiat's Mini platform. The Mini platform is the base for the Fiat 500 that is now rolling into U.S. dealerships, as well as for the Fiat Palio and Panda cars in Europe.

The new Ypsilon will be sold only as a five-door hatchback, although Lancia brags that it has the look of a three-door. The Ypsilon is 151 inches long--nine inches shorter than a Ford Fiesta five-door hatchback.

The powertrain lineup includes Fiat's innovative TwinAir turbocharged two-cylinder engine. The TwinAir has a displacement of 900 cubic centimeters but is rated at 85 hp and 107 lb-ft of torque.

Other engine choices are a 1.2-liter four-cylinder rated at 69 hp, and a 1.3-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder rated at 95 hp.

Luxury features include a self-park system, a Bluetooth-enabled entertainment and navigation system, and an optional premium audio system. The Ypsilon is also fitted with a capless fuel tank, similar to the system used by Ford in the United States.

So far there are no signs that the Ypsilon will make its way to the U.S. market.

By Dale Jewett