2011 Lancia Delta Update Brings Chrysler Family Grille and New Diesel Engine

The onslaught of new and updated models from Lancia heading to the Geneva Motor Show continues with the unveiling of the 2011 Delta, which comes with a brand-new grille designed to reflect the partnership with Chrysler and the sharing of vehicles between the two brands, plus new proposals in terms of trim options and engine choices.

The first thing you'll notice on the 2011 model year Delta is the new grille design that was penned by the Centro Stile Lancia, and features horizontal instead of vertical chrome bars. It's styling is similar to the one found on Chrysler's latest vehicles such as the 300 and 200 sedans. Lancia also updated the Delta's trim levels which now include the base Steel, Silver, Gold and Platinum versions.

For 2011, buyers can choose from seven different powertrains including: a 120HP 1.4-liter turbo petrol, which is also available in a dual-fuel petrol/LPG version; a 140HP 1.4-liter MultiAir turbo petrol; a 200HP 1.8-liter turbo petrol; a 120HP 1.6-liter Multijet diesel; a 165HP 2.0-liter Multijet diesel; a 190HP 1.9-liter twin-turbo Multijet diesel, and a new base 1.6-liter Multijet diesel.

The new entry-level 1.6 MultiJet turbo diesel is Euro 5-compliant and produces 105-horsepower and 300 Nm (221 lb-ft) of peak torque, for a 0-100km/h [62mph] acceleration time of 10.7 seconds and top speed of 186 km/h [116 mph]. Matched to a six-speed manual gearbox, the diesel is said to return improved fuel economy (no figures were released) over the 120HP version and CO2 emissions 120 h/km.

The 2011 Delta will go on sale from mid-March across key European markets and from June under the Chrysler badge (like the new Ypsilon) in Great Britain and Ireland.

Lancia Hyena: Zagato's Delta Integrale Coupe Spotted in The Netherlands

Once upon a time, not too long ago, Lancia produced a car that made grown men weep. Yes, we're talking about the last truly desirable production Lancia, the Delta HF Integrale which dominated the rally scene in the late 1980s and 1990s. Towards the end of the Integrale's career, famed Italian design house Zagato and Dutch Lancia importer Paul Coot had an idea: why not create a limited series coupe variant of the Delta Integrale. And the Hyena was born.

Designed by Marco Pedracini in 1990, the Hyena was introduced as a production model at the Brussels Motor Show in January 1992. Even though the two cars shared the same underpinnings including the Integrale's famed all-wheel drive system and the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine tweaked to deliver around 250HP, the Hyena boasted its own unique styling that was a radical departure from the boxy Delta.

Just like Zagato's Alfa Romeo SZ of the same era, the Lancia Hyena is one of those controversially styled cars that you're drawn to even though you feel like that you're not supposed to.

Aside from the unique bodywork and the tweaked engine, the Hyena was also significantly lighter than its five-door counterpart weighing close to 200 kg or 440 pounds less than the Delta HF Integrale. The 3.99m long coupe was said to accelerate from zero to 100km/h in just 5.4 seconds.

Zagato and Coot initially agreed with Lancia to produce around 500 unit of the Hyena, but in typical Fiat Group style, the Italian automaker pulled out of the deal and only 24 pieces were ever built making the Hyena one of the most sought after Integrales of all time.

This particular example (the yellow Hyena) was spotted by a member of the Autogespot forums in the city of Rotterdam in The Netherlands. The Red Hyena is up for sale in the UK by Classic Driver for 105,995 GBP which comes to around $173,000 or €124,000 at today's exchange rates.

Via: Classic Driver & Autogespot