Automotive News Europe — 2023-09-09
Automotive Industry
Lancia plans to open 20 new dealerships in France next year, when the Stellantis brand launches the new Ypsilon small car and expands outside of its home market, Italy.
For the past several years the brand has sold only one model, the current Ypsilon, in a single country. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares has grouped Lancia with Alfa Romeo and DS in a cluster of premium brands and has said it will receive investment and three new models.
France is one of several European countries that Lancia is targeting, in addition to Italy. The others are Belgium/Luxembourg, Germany and Spain. The countries for its expansion plans were based on criteria that included the relevance of online sales and the market for premium small cars, as well as "passion for Made in Italy."
Lancia CEO Luca Napolitano noted this week at an event at the Italian Embassy in Paris that France was a key market for Lancia particularly because of the popularity of small cars.
Joel Verany, France director for the Stellantis premium brands, said there will be 20 dealerships and 80 aftersales service points in France when the Ypsilon launches in the second half of 2024.
The small Ypsilon will debut with a full-electric option as well as internal combustion engines.
By the first half of next year, Lancia will have 70 new dealerships in European cities, Stellantis said. Lancia is seeking to have half of its sales concluded online; like other Stellantis brands, it is moving to a direct-sales “agency” model, with dealers providing service, test drives and deliveries, while the automaker will hold the inventory and assume sales and marketing expenses.
Lancia plans to launch three new models, one every two years starting with the Ypsilon, as part of its 10-year strategic plan. Starting with the model after the Ypsilon, Lancia will launch only full-electric models.
The Ypsilon will be followed by a flagship compact crossover in 2026, the Gamma,and a compact hatchback in 2028, the Delta, both full-electric models. Those three models will cover 50% of the market, Lancia said.