New Lancia Ypsilon in UK – as Chrysler Ypsilon

New Lancia Ypsilon Tease Sketch - we'll get it as the Chrysler Ypsilon

Lancia finally left the UK in 1994 after a decade or two of falling sales which owed much to the Fiat brand developing perforated body panels after a week or three.

Lancia had plans in place to come back to the UK in 2008, but the storm clouds which had gathered over the car economy put paid to that. But now, as part of the Fiat Chrysler partnership, they’re coming back. But with a Chrysler badge.

As we reported back in 2009, Lancia will return to the UK. But back then we didn’t know quite how it would work. We knew there would be Fiats getting Chrysler badges, but we weren’t certain if it would work the other way round. But now we know.

Lancia are planning to reveal an all new version of their Ypsilon supermini at the Geneva Motor Show next month and the Lancia Ypsilon will make it to the UK and Ireland, but badged as the Chrysler Ypsilon.

Sergio Marchionne obviously feels badging the Ypsilon as a Chrysler is a better bet than trying to get us to learn to love Lancias once more. And he may have a point.

But other than the badge, it looks like the 2011 Ypsilon will be just the same whichever maker’s badge sits on the boot. And, for a while at least, the new Ypsilon will be on sale in Europe alongside the current Ypsilon.

Interestingly, the Lancia stand at Geneva is expected to show a pair of Chryslers badged as Lancias – the new Chrysler 300 and the Chrysler Grand Voyager.

That’ll make the Italian Car Unions a heap of happy little bunnies.

Source: Carscoop

By Cars UK