Topic: Chrysler Delta

[Mitlov]

Appears to be a straight-up rebadge of the Lancia Delta compact hatch.

http://www.motorauthority.com/blog/1041474_2010-detroit-auto-show-chrysler-badged-lancia-delta





And here's a dash from a Lancia Delta dash, since we don't have pictures of the Chrysler Delta dash:



No specs or pricing available yet.

[tpl]

It USED to be that Lanci's were object of desire... I don't know if they still are. I suspect they have gone through the same homogenization as most interesting cars have... SAAB for instance.  Maybe French cars are the only ones left with individuality.

[DrJay]

It would take something pretty spectacular to revive this company .... and sadly this isn't it pretty generic (not ugly just generic) what class would this compete in? would it replace the caliber? or is it more pacifica sized? or sebring?
regardless it's time Chrysler you have had a good life ...time to let go 

[Thinking Out Loud]

Based on the people in the background, is looks like a Sebring-sized vehicle.  A new one of these would likely do better than the existing Sebring being only 'good' at being bad.

I like the styling, but I hope there is a sedan coming over.....Americans hate stationwagons!

[Weels]

That VW display across the hall looks much more interesting....

[Mitlov]

what class would this compete in? would it replace the caliber? or is it more pacifica sized? or sebring?

The Delta is a C-segment car, so this would go against Golfs and Corollas.

Personally, I think it looks really nice except for the grille (which looks Chinese, and not in a good way).  The swooping lines are very art-deco and actually fit with the Chrysler aesthetic nicely.

[Weels]

Does look compact - from that second picture, looks like the hatch opening is awfully narrow

[Mitlov]

I don't know my Lancias, that well, so I did some research.

The Lancia Delta is indeed a C-segment car.  Gas engines are a 1.4L turbo and a 1.8L turbo, with a couple different horsepower outputs.  Interior is superb.  Ride is pleasant, but it doesn't sound like it'll be causing the Focus and Mazda3 to sweat with the young'uns who want sportiness.  Handling sounds adequate but not envigorating.  This is a luxurious cruiser of a compact car, not a sports-sedan-for-the-masses like the MkIII Focus.

Video review:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOkKRRRcErg

CAR Magazine's write-up:

t’s notably roomier than most C-segment hatches – thanks mostly to the 100mm wheelbase stretch over the donor Fiat Bravo platform – and the materials used within are pleasingly posh and luxurious. The leather trim on the seats and doors of our test car were almost Rolls-Royce soft and supple and the stitching looked hand-done by Italian craftsman (it’s not, but who’s to know?).
...
Lancia has focused on delivering a luxurious experience and they’ve done a good job. The ride is good, helped by electronic dampers that can be tuned to a firmer ‘sports’ mode by the push of a button. Even in ‘sports’, the Delta rides with more suppleness than most small hatches.

There is, of course, a trade-off. There’s nothing too much wrong with the handling, at least not in ‘normal’ driving; but push hard on the secondaries and the Delta lacks the steering and handling response of an A3 or a Golf, let alone the class-leading Focus.

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Drives/Search-Results/First-drives/Lancia-Delta-CAR-review/

[TopGun]

.....
Interior is superb.
.....
This is a luxurious cruiser of a compact car, not a sports-sedan-for-the-masses like the MkIII Focus.

This seemed way bigger than a Civic to me when I checked it out at the Paris autoshow a year and a bit ago.  The interior materials were REALLY neat.

Here's a photo I took of the interior...note the suede stuff on the dash.  How's that for soft touch?

[Mitlov]

Given how it seems to almost straddle C-segment and D-segment, I wonder if they're intending on using this one model to replace both the PT Cruiser and the Sebring?  At least for the short-term.  Could work.

[DrJay]

.....
Interior is superb.
.....
This is a luxurious cruiser of a compact car, not a sports-sedan-for-the-masses like the MkIII Focus.

This seemed way bigger than a Civic to me when I checked it out at the Paris autoshow a year and a bit ago.  The interior materials were REALLY neat.

Here's a photo I took of the interior...note the suede stuff on the dash.  How's that for soft touch?

Hmm the sued is a nice touch but this reminds me a little of earlier Buick type styling wrapped in suede but with less Bu and more "Ick"

[Scaerio]

That "stuff" is called Alcantara - a Lancia interior specialty...

[Seafoam]

what class would this compete in? would it replace the caliber? or is it more pacifica sized? or sebring?

The Delta is a C-segment car, so this would go against Golfs and Corollas.

Personally, I think it looks really nice except for the grille (which looks Chinese, and not in a good way).  The swooping lines are very art-deco and actually fit with the Chrysler aesthetic nicely.

The grille from your link is what tells me it is a chrysler. Such as the older 300M  and the latest 300.

[Mitlov]

The grille from your link is what tells me it is a chrysler. Such as the older 300M  and the latest 300.

The Chrysler grille is a rounded rectangle--small on the 300M (which, for the record, I also thought looked cheap) and big on the current 300 (which looks great in my opinion).  This is a small rounded pentagon, which REALLY doesn't work for me.  It's a Lancia grille with a Chrysler badge.  A few Lancias for you:

[Mitlov]

Anyhoo, does anybody else think this would be much cooler if they:

(1) kept the body, mechanicals, and interior,

(2) redid the aesthetic design from the A-pillar forward, and

(3) brought back the name "Chrysler Airflow"?

[Black Hatch]

No specs or pricing available yet.

Rear looks similar to a Nissan Murano

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Oh sure, NOW they decide to bring over Lancia.

[Canada]

I wish them the best but I don't think they will pull it off.  It's going to be slow and painfull.  I think what happened to American Motor Corporation - AMC from 1970 to 1987 is happening right now with Chrysler. They will keep chopping chunks out of it until there is nothing left.  It's ironic that it was Chrysler that merged / bought out AMC in '87.

[tpl]

Oh sure, NOW they decide to bring over Lancia.

Right!   THAT is a Lancia.

[Allen]

rear end & lights look like a copy of the Murano