nice piece from the internet

[rossocorsa]

http://www.adrenaline24h.com/lancia-beta-coupe-la-figlia-della-fulvia/

[Neil-yaj396]

Since my son is studying Italian at Uni I thought it would help his studies to translate for us;

"Lancia Beta Coupe; Daughter of the Fulvia"

We dedicate today to the Lancia Beta Coupe, which had the thankless task of representing the "dopo Fulvia" (after Fulvia), Lancia icon.

It garnered the unfounded prejudices of the "Lancisti" (Lancia fans/snobs), in the year in which Fiat was gaining the upper hand, but today they appreciate it, considering even though, it's only 41 years old, and is difficult to find, particularly in good order.

It comes into the world, marking the difficult role of the substitution of the Fulvia in the heart of the "Lancisti", we are in 1972, a completely new Fiat chassis and transmission and motor, in all respects, we're talking about the very famous twin cam-shaft project of Aurelio Lampredi for the Fiat 124 Sport Spider and revisited by Ettore Zaccone Mina, designer of the V4 of the mythic Fulvia. The bodywork on the other hand was taken care of by Lancia directly, with the supervision of Pietro Castagnero, also one of the fathers of the Fulvia, all this as a sign of precise continuity, in wanting to create a successor... to the stature of the Lancia brand.

The final version was presented in 1973, it's debut at the Frankfurt exhibition, going on sale in March 1974.

Initially, two engine sizes, "1600" and "1800", always of Fiat origin, as presented on the 124, 132. In the second series, on a total of four, differentiated by aesthetic and engine modifications, we also find a "1300" engine, who's cylinder capacity will change again increasing from 1,297 to 1,366 cubic centimetres, meanwhile with the second series the "1800" gave way to the fabulous "2000", which will later have the first electronic injection and then the volumetric compressor, of the "Volumex" version.

The Beta, compared to the Fulvia, is 2cm longer, and 9.5cm wider, obviously front-wheel drive, independent all wheel McPherson suspension on the front and rear chassis, disc brakes, enormous boot capacity for a coupe, soft shifting, internal habitability at the highest level, as of the expected standard of Lancia in those years.

Later, sporty versions will arise for racing, especially in Europe, then the HPE, with the hatchback and the Beta Montecarlo, jewel of the war on the street or on the track.

A niche car for now... it is nonetheless a Lancia!!!!"

[smithymc]

Good work!